The Lemon Fool

Alaric wrote:Even Wetherspoons are getting in on the act by adding hotel accommodation to some of their city centre pubs.

They've had hotels for a long time. Stayed in one in Tewkesbury in about 2006 and I was surprised how nice it was. 49 quid a night as I recall.

Don't think they have any in London though.

Lootman wrote:

Alaric wrote:Even Wetherspoons are getting in on the act by adding hotel accommodation to some of their city centre pubs.

They've had hotels for a long time. Stayed in one in Tewkesbury in about 2006 and I was surprised how nice it was.

Makes me smile each time I read or hear that someone was surprised that the beer/food/accommodation at Weatherspoon's is good.

During term time I tend to eat breakfast in Weatherspoons (after dropping off the children). I must admit, however, that beer at £2.19 is an impressively low price. It also like the fact that they don't charge twice the price for doubles of malt whisky.

johnhemming wrote:During term time I tend to eat breakfast in Weatherspoons (after dropping off the children). I must admit, however, that beer at £2.19 is an impressively low price. I also like the fact that they don't charge twice the price for doubles of malt whisky.

I admire a man who likes a large whisky at breakfast!

That is, (in fact they are) Weatherspoons in Birmingham, however.

BrummieDave wrote:

johnhemming wrote:During term time I tend to eat breakfast in Weatherspoons (after dropping off the children). I must admit, however, that beer at £2.19 is an impressively low price. I also like the fact that they don't charge twice the price for doubles of malt whisky.

I admire a man who likes a large whisky at breakfast!

Although Wetherspoons open at 7 am or 8 am for breakfast, they do not serve alcohol until 9 am.

In my local there is a usually a line of men waiting for the stroke of 9 to start their day. Don't ask me how I know

Lootman wrote:Although Wetherspoons open at 7 am or 8 am for breakfast, they do not serve alcohol until 9 am.

I think my local serves alcohol early on, but I don't drink alcohol before lunchtime. Most of the people in at 8.10 (when I get my breakfast) are in for breakfast or a cup of tea. Hence it may be that they don't serve booze before 9am.

Does anyone know if there's a board on which to discuss the delights of London, including hotels and pubs etc, perhaps even named "London lovers"?

That having been said, our illustrious host hasn't mentioned he needs tips on Hotels but it might be an idea if he and/or Clariman could let us know if The Clachan (viewtopic.php?f=42&t=11599) would be their pub of choice or do they wish us to discuss alternatives, before or after they pick an appropriate Friday.

RececaDron wrote:

melonfool wrote:Dishoom is great but the CG one not a patch on the Kings Cross one.

Finger in the air, what duration wait might a couple of diners expect at Dishoom Kings Cross, shipping up at 6.30pm on a Wednesday evening? For example

Cheers!

I'd say an hour. I waited over two once, week night, middle of winter!

Mel

melonfool wrote:

RececaDron wrote:

melonfool wrote:Dishoom is great but the CG one not a patch on the Kings Cross one.

Finger in the air, what duration wait might a couple of diners expect at Dishoom Kings Cross, shipping up at 6.30pm on a Wednesday evening? For example

Cheers!

I'd say an hour. I waited over two once, week night, middle of winter!

Mel

An hour or two wait! It's good but I'm not sure I'd wait that long for anywhere!

I can recommend the brain curry though.

John

Dishoom? I found you could book for 6.30pm, no waiting. Big queue of younger folk later on by the time us oldsters are heading for the sack

I think you can only book for groups of more than four at KC?

Mel

(Edit - just checked, bookings only for 5+ after 5.45pm)

melonfool wrote:

RececaDron wrote:

melonfool wrote:Dishoom is great but the CG one not a patch on the Kings Cross one.

Finger in the air, what duration wait might a couple of diners expect at Dishoom Kings Cross, shipping up at 6.30pm on a Wednesday evening? For example

Cheers!

I'd say an hour. I waited over two once, week night, middle of winter!

Mel

Cripes
I was hoping the novelty might've worn off by now and we could slip in fairly quickly!

We've an overnight stay around the St Pancras area (for a Eurostar trip) and I was looking to eat something spicy within a 10 minute stroll of our gaff, and then an early night, so a big wait doesn't much appeal...

It's an age since I've eaten on Drummond Street - any views on one of the veggie places there? NB not after fine dining, obviously! Spicy + proximity being the main criteria, quality being the decider.

(Apologies for any minor thread hijacking)

RececaDron wrote: It's an age since I've eaten on Drummond Street - any views on one of the veggie places there? NB not after fine dining, obviously! Spicy + proximity being the main criteria, quality being the decider.

(Apologies for any minor thread hijacking)

Not Drummond Street but a lot closer to KX is a fantastic Turkish deli, The Pitted Olive (3 Leigh St, Kings Cross, London WC1H 9EW) just a short stroll towards Bloomsbury. I eat there regularly at lunchtime so don't know how late it serves.

It's family run by a couple whose roots are in the Turkey/Syrian border area, and whilst they do serve some meat, it's essentially veggie and absolutely brilliant IMHO. Really good value too.

BrummieDave wrote:

RececaDron wrote: It's an age since I've eaten on Drummond Street - any views on one of the veggie places there? NB not after fine dining, obviously! Spicy + proximity being the main criteria, quality being the decider.

(Apologies for any minor thread hijacking)

Not Drummond Street but a lot closer to KX is a fantastic Turkish deli, The Pitted Olive (3 Leigh St, Kings Cross, London WC1H 9EW) just a short stroll towards Bloomsbury. I eat there regularly at lunchtime so don't know how late it serves.

It's family run by a couple whose roots are in the Turkey/Syrian border area, and whilst they do serve some meat, it's essentially veggie and absolutely brilliant IMHO. Really good value too.

That's exactly the type of place I love! Shuts at 7pm, so v tight time-wise, but maybe if we shipped up around 5.30 we could polish off whatever they've left over from lunchtime.

Not exactly high rolling, granted, but there'll be scope for that on the rest of the trip...
PS we're not veggie, but enjoy our veg (plus everything else too).

Plenty of little Indian restaurants the other side of KC, I've been to a few but can't name them, they all seem the same.

Exmouth Market is only about a 15 min walk, that has loads of great stuff.

mel

RececaDron wrote:It's an age since I've eaten on Drummond Street - any views on one of the veggie places there? NB not after fine dining, obviously! Spicy + proximity being the main criteria, quality being the decider.

My all-all-all-time favourite Indian (or maybe Bangladeshi) restaurant is the unassuming vegetarian Diwana Bhel Poori at 121-123 Drummond Street, Euston. Everything I've tried has been fabulous but you must promise me to try the Bhel Poori starter if you go.

Mmmmm,
Chris

RececaDron wrote:We've an overnight stay around the St Pancras area (for a Eurostar trip) and I was looking to eat something spicy within a 10 minute stroll of our gaff, and then an early night, so a big wait doesn't much appeal...)

Dishoom Kings Cross is a "proper caff" meaning that it is open all day, does breakfast and lunch too.

So if you have the time, get to St. Pancras around 3 pm, so you can check into wherever you are staying, and then stroll over for a late lunch/ early dinner. Presumably much less of a wait then.

The great advance in British dining has been not just the huge improvements in the food, but the move to "all day dining" and the flexibility that confers. My favourite time to eat is mid-afternoon, after I have got my stuff done for the day but before the evening crush. That used to be impossible with the 12-2 and 6-10 hours of old school places. Not any more.

csearle wrote:

RececaDron wrote:It's an age since I've eaten on Drummond Street - any views on one of the veggie places there? NB not after fine dining, obviously! Spicy + proximity being the main criteria, quality being the decider.

My all-all-all-time favourite Indian (or maybe Bangladeshi) restaurant is the unassuming vegetarian Diwana Bhel Poori at 121-123 Drummond Street, Euston. Everything I've tried has been fabulous but you must promise me to try the Bhel Poori starter if you go.

Mmmmm,
Chris

I think I've been there, is it the one that does the huge thin rolled bread type things and puffed up fried bread things?

Mel

melonfool wrote:

csearle wrote:

RececaDron wrote:It's an age since I've eaten on Drummond Street - any views on one of the veggie places there? NB not after fine dining, obviously! Spicy + proximity being the main criteria, quality being the decider.

My all-all-all-time favourite Indian (or maybe Bangladeshi) restaurant is the unassuming vegetarian Diwana Bhel Poori at 121-123 Drummond Street, Euston. Everything I've tried has been fabulous but you must promise me to try the Bhel Poori starter if you go.

I think I've been there, is it the one that does the huge thin rolled bread type things and puffed up fried bread things?

Isn't that a masala dosa?

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Masala_dosa

Bhel poori is more like Indian trail mix, with yoghurt ladled over it, as I recall anyway.