FIRE STABLES - a Real Turkey?

On a day we missed an Eatery opportunity because we did not book, the Fire Stables became a quick sign of hope and change of plan. It is known locally at the Village, sitting on a secondary street leading to the Wimbledon Tennis courts, but you won't see it from afar or stumble on it easily in a daily routine. There is no clear sign outside and the name sits in white on a cream background - not easy to spot for the unexperienced traveller.

The pub inside gives you the opposite colours and feel. A traditional "woody" pub with a modern twist that felt pleasant on this cold wintry day before Xmas. It is pleasant, lovely, cozy for those wintry nights. The fireplace and vintage furniture make you feel welcome, while the large windows top to bottom take away the dark atmosphere typical of old pubs. There is a sense of calm in the area, with calm, jazzy music in a very soft background.

Service was prompt and delivered by staff wearing Christmas Jumpers. It gave a plus to the whole experience. We also noticed a one-side open plan kitchen: quite a rarity across pubs. Menu had a good, wide selection but names did not stand out easily. Choices fell on a mixed of pub grub and Xmas spirit.

The turkey sandwich and the fish finger sandwich did not get the best rating. The former had unseasoned stuffing with tasteless skinny fries and the latter was too dry with lettuce pieces too chunky to fit. Both were difficult to eat on the very small. retro style wooden board. English Rose Turkey was one of the specials, in anticipation of the turkey-and-all-the-trimmings season. Meat was tender and sunk enough in gravy and red cabbage. It was a great shame you could only count three roast potatoes, the one pig in a blanket and the two sprouts: the plate somehow felt empty and not festive enough. The old vintage plate it was served was a half-point in favour.

Surprisingly, great satisfaction came from the beef and lamb burger. Disappointed by size at first, we were happy with the quality and freshness of the meat, and the good-side chunky chips. It seems meat is the better and safest option to go for in this place. Price-wise, the Fire Stables sits above your average pub due to its location but without a "wow" factor on food, and we feel it mainly survives thanks to the locals and its atmosphere.

Our verdict is as follows:

Quality of Food        3.00
Hygiene                     4.60
Value for Money      3.60
Speed of Service       4.00
Quality of Service    4.00
Ambience & décor   4.80

Fire Stables gets an overall rating of 77.1%

HAND AND RAQUET - In the Small Heart of Town...

Cold months make you look for warmth and it is where pubs are more sought after instead of the sterile and artificial settings of modern chains. We had not visited an old-fashioned pub in a while and the next choice in line could not be one of the few oldest premises Wimbledon has to offer.

The Hand & Raquet is the perfect name tribute to what Wimbledon is famous for, and its name differs greatly from the traditional "Prince of Wales" or "Queen's Head". Inside it is a cozy wooden pub refurbished only a few years ago. It gets very busy with the locals and the one drawback is quite difficult to find a place to sit. Seating options come in different shapes or forms but there are very few. Long high table with high chairs, large low table with wooden chairs, and even some sofas with a medium-sized coffee table. The latter was our final choice. When the dishes came, our small table proved to be a small hazard for plates, food and glasses almost falling off the edge...

Atmosphere is the one you expect from a good wholesome pub. Slightly darkened but bright, festive and with some nice good old rock music. The menu offers a good range of pub favourites with the odd and unusual break from tradition. Staff is friendly and seem happy to help in any situations - especially with the table hazard we experienced.

Our food choice focused on the foundations of pub food: fish and chips, fish pie, steak and ale pie, and in addition an usual menu item: the "stoup" - a hybrid between stew and soup. First thing to bear in mind is that portions are deceptively large, and you don't realise until you feel full half-way. All dishes felt rich to the palate, and did not taste plastic or cooked from frozen. Presentation is of course rather home-made but it comes across as a strong point with the surroundings.

We did not have space for dessert - happy bellies all the way home!

Our verdict is as follows:

Quality of Food        4.00
Hygiene                     3.75
Value for Money      3.50
Speed of Service       3.75
Quality of Service    3.50
Ambience & décor   5.00

Hand and Raquet gets an overall rating of 77.5%

ALL BAR ONE - The "New" Pub

This well known chain always pleases everyone for how trendy their bars look. It definitely tries to dismiss the old pub look in favour of a modern bar with a continental hint.

The feedback was mainly focused on the nice lounge music and the well lit open space with wide and large tables. Waiters serve you at the table for both drinks and dinner, and tend to bear close resemblance to waiters from a French bistrot with white apron and all. The menu is quite extensive and it holds a wide and appealing selection of dishes.

Once food was delivered, most of that "trendy bar" look and feel vanished in thin air as we were all confronted with food that tasted nice but looked un-appetising, especially when served on a white plate twice the size of your portion. Fine for Michelin Star restaurants but not convincing for a Southern Fried Chicken Wrap. The extravagant choice was the Moroccan lamb cutlets, served on a black carbon-like slab, which indeed look original, except the way cous-cous, mint yoghurt and harissa sauce were displayed reminded you of an abstract paint or a 5-year-old's drawing with no order or measure whatsoever.

We still admired the "trendiness" of it all but it did not seem to impress as we rushed out without even trying the dessert. For some it is a nice place to hang out, for some there is nothing so special about it.

Our verdict is as follows:

Quality of Food        3.17
Hygiene                     4.17
Value for Money      3.17
Speed of Service       4.00
Quality of Service    3.83
Ambience & décor   3.83

All Bar One gets an overall rating of 72.6%

BILL'S - Melting Pot of Shabby, Chic & Bistrot

The large warehouse-style interior of Bill's is almost a good match to the large halls of Morrisons or the Odeon Cinema. For this reason we thought it was ok not to book. Our assumption was quickly dismissed upon entering as a wave of noisy chattering hit us hard and good. The place was crowded with an overwhelming attendance of mums with babies. As the hopes of finding a table for six started to fade, the manager and the staff both reassured us and asked to wait for 10-15 minutes at one of the tables outside. They kindly provided menus and also asked what we wanted to drink; it seemed they did not want to let go customers.

After what was only a 5-minute wait, we were seated at a long, rustic wooden table with chairs on side and a sofa on the other. The whole interior design resembles a large market stall with dried chillies and industrial lamps hanging from the ceiling, cluttered shelves with many tins and bottles and a combination of brick walls and glass panels. It was definitely a hybrid between a bistrot and a trattoria and gross sale warehouse; yet, a hint of modern and style permeated the roughly unpolished furniture. You can also buy their own cookbook or order some of their unbranded products, from beer to olive oil.

The menu showed a good range and variety of original dishes although it lacked vegetarian choice. Impartial praise went to the fresh duck pie and also the never-seen vegetarian burger combining of halloumi and humus. The rest food was appreciated despite some imperfections, from the slightly too salted slow beef tortellini to the chicken skewers. The veto was rightly placed on the non-interesting sugar & spice chicken that tasted no different than Nando's (and was not thoroughly cooked) and also on the chorizo scotch eggs which have no chorizo flavour and way too much dipping sauce for the size given.

The place kept being busy even after 1pm as there was a change of shift between the mummies and the office workers. Staff were helpful and cheerful, almost over-enthusiastic. We were quite impressed with how many there were, especially for lunch time. Still, they did not seem prepared to avoid small mistakes (e.g. add ice to the drink when not asked for) or handle complaints (e.g. pink chicken you do not feel like eating).

We left with a weird aftertaste...a bit like the clashing "symmetrical shabbiness" we found at Bill's. A lively experience overall still a bit tarnished by the rough edges. Clean review and at the same time unpolished.

Our verdict is as follows:

Quality of Food        4.00
Hygiene                     4.00
Value for Money      3.33
Speed of Service       3.00
Quality of Service    3.83
Ambience & décor   4.67

Bill's gets an overall rating of 76.0%

CHIMICHANGA - An Old El Paso package with a Sombrero hat

As we saw the corner-shaped ranch at the horizon, we knew the moist air of the desert and the start of the wet season was going to bring us to a halt before we could move on towards the Frontier. Its bright capital letters and large windows enticed us to hurry inside and enjoy the warm colours. As we passed the cacti at the entrance, we were quickly welcomed by the skeleton staff against a background of empty tables and scattered diners. We were offered the largest oval table for the six of us, and the menu kindly placed in front of us. A very quite melody played in the background from some hidden corner of the large, square open space, and a smell of brand new polished wood seemed to invade our nostrils. A couple of red, green and blue sombreros with golden swirls were available for pick-up and they revived our enthusiasm as we wore them proudly in the weak autumn light coming through the large windows.

Pitch of Sangria to share was the drink of choice, and only a few starters were chosen. They all came together rather than letting us drink too much while we wait - a good thing never experienced so far. The nachos had a nice presentation and was a not a messy slob. The jalapeno bullets felt quite too crispy as a bit overcooked or way too crispy but did not overflow with cheese and no jalapeno. Moving onto the mains, the choice hovered over a hybrid of Tex-Mex and Mexican classics like enchiladas, burritos, and chimichangas. Dishes looked cheerful enough although with a halo of "carb" colour which is intrinsic to this type of cuisine. Tortilla, rice and beans, with mean - moderate portion but still filling. Word of advice, however, is to opt for baked rather than fried. Overall the taste was great but something about the texture did not completely infuse a sense of freshness. Food looked pre-packaged or pre-prepared but you did not taste microwave and the guacamole tasted nicer than in other restaurants. No dessert to corroborate these assumptions and we ended it all with one espresso and one Mexican coffee with Kalhua and Tequila.

Chimichanga is very colourful and very themed and very bright, although eerily quite for music. Like all chains, you can feel then single-serving element and very little difference from other places offering the same cuisine. However, it does not make the stereotype look too old or outdated, which was our first worry. It is worth trying it for a fun or celebration dinner, or if you need filling food. Our final feedback echoes our trek to the Frontier, it is one stop to enjoy but we are travelling one way and may not return that often.

Our verdict is as follows:

Quality of Food        3.17
Hygiene                     3.83
Value for Money      3.00
Speed of Service       4.67
Quality of Service    4.33
Ambience & décor   3.67

Chimichanga gets an overall rating of 73.5%

FLAME - Posh Kebab Anyone?

You rarely go to a kebab joint during daytime. It is usually a secluded place visited only on those wild drunk nights where alcoholic bloodstream shout for sugary or fatty food for some sort. In the dark or dim light you probably do not notice the old, greasy decor... But Flame takes you in the opposite direction if what your "kebab joint" expectations may be. It gives you a polished, minimalist approach to it, which you can see straight away from its simple, modern kitchen design the moment you set your foot through the door. Everyone did not expect to find it tidy and clean, with kitchen staff also in uniform.

Kebab, shish and shawarma tend to be ordered as take-away food but we had to abide to our rules and opted for eating in at the back of the restaurant. There was not enough room and we had to find a modest layout for table and chairs to fit eight people and at the same without blocking the entrance to the toilets. On the contrary, the main room at the entrance is spacious and bright, with its long kitchen counter you stand in front of. First lesson: this place is better for take-away!

Having come to terms with the fact that this is more of a snack point than a restaurant, we went to the till to order our choice from the menu. Our selection was a great mix, from mix shawarma to falafel wrap, from chicken shish to lamb shawarma, from chicken samosa to halloumi cheese. In the mix we even tried the special boxes where you get a nice combination of meat, salad, bread and rice or chips. Good portions and great options to choose from for lunch, although you may find a wrap better value for money compared to the Special Flame Box or other special boxes which seem expensive. Starters were ok although on their own they look too simple and it is best to have them as side dish. Taste was great as we all enjoyed munching through this amazing Middle Eastern "fast food". Pickled salad was perhaps a little bit too much on the plates but we could still hear the "mmmmmmm" sound echoing throughout the cold walls of the premises. Second lesson: this place is perfect for a quick but tasty snack!

Flame wins in terms of food to offer but let us remind you it is not a formal seated restaurant. It probably works at its best if you get food on the go or if you casually hang out with friends at your lunch break or after a crazy night out!

Our verdict is as follows:

Quality of Food        3.67
Hygiene                     4.00
Value for Money      4.00
Speed of Service       4.00
Quality of Service    3.50
Ambience & décor   2.67

Flame gets an overall rating of 74.3%

PRINCE OF WALES - the Pub Dick Turpin Forgot

This time we hit the geographical centre of Wimbledon, the focus point where all roads meet and cross over Wimbledon Bridge. And nothing's better than choosing something with a bit of historic background. The Prince of Wales is across the road from the Centre Court Shopping Centre, and it has been its location since the 17th century, making it one of the oldest pubs in Wimbledon. Apparently, the story goes the infamous highwayman Dick Turpin even used it as refuge when it was back then a coaching inn.

Talking about old, the inside of the pub reflects this entirely despite a refurbishment in the mid-to-late Noughties. The old fashioned lamps make the lighting dim enough to re-create the traditional pub feeble glow of decade past, as it attempts to shine on the smooth oak-style wooden panels all around walls and columns. The rest of the layout and the furniture fail to shine with history, looking pretty neglected or not enough vintage. With carpets and curtains still belonging to the 1960s, it all falls apart when they appear side-by-side with a modern flat screen TV.

Yet, good traditions are there to be seem and enjoyed when you hold a pint of Guinness with a clover stamp on top, or an old tankard as drinkware. The menu as well holds good items from the traditional pub cuisine, which is what we fancied to order and hopefully pick the "strong" dishes. We all thought the pub could still hold the cozy feeling of your grandad's house.

The fish 'n' chips was a good portion, complete with mushy peas and sauce tartare. However, chips were thin, far from the traditional chunky ones you would expect, and it had not been seasoned at all. The steak burger was delicious and good value, nicely presented on a branded wooden board. Ham, eggs and chips would have been more successful if the ham had been thicker or at least if proper gammon was used. The cheesecake on the other hand was a good vegetarian choice which still tasted of that greasy pub feel without compromise. And at last, the steak frites came very late and as a complete disappointment when it was clear no steak fillet was used. Instead, it was minced meat shaped as steak!

The Prince of Wales has a lot to offer but it seems no effort is being made to build on the history and traditional look they seem want to preserve and advertise. A place can still be good old-fashioned and rustic when its chairs are not sticky or wonky, or when tables are at least sanded for a bit of shine. Without being enticed for dessert from a poor short list, we made our way out into the autumn sun as we heard Dick Turpin and his horse run away for the last time..

Our verdict is as follows:

Quality of Food        2.17
Hygiene                     2.17
Value for Money      3.17
Speed of Service       2.83
Quality of Service    3.17
Ambience & décor   2.33

Prince of Wales gets an overall rating of 51.1%

WIMBLEDON EATERY RECOMMENDS SO FAR... (September 2013)

Dear All

After 10 meals, here's the restaurants we think you should keep in mind next time you eat out. Yet, the reviews are not over and the list of restaurants is still long. Will the restaurants below hold to their position in the chart?

BEST QUALITY OF FOOD - when the freshness of ingredients really counts...
1st - Al Forno & Chipotle
2nd - Aubaine
3rd - Alexandra Pub

BEST QUALITY OF SERVICE - when the way you are served and treated at lunch or dinner matters...
1st - Alexandra Pub
2nd - Aubaine
3rd - Al Forno

BEST SPEED OF SERVICE - when you are in a hurry but you still want to enjoy your meal...
1st - Alexandra Pub
2nd - Al Forno
3rd - Mai Thai

BEST AMBIENCE & DECOR - when atmosphere is crucial to impress you or others...
1st - Aubaine
2nd - The Old Frizzle
3rd - Alexandra Pub

BEST HYGIENE - when all you care about is cleanliness and tidyness...
1st - Aubaine
2nd - Alexandra Pub
3rd - The Old Frizzle

BEST VALUE FOR MONEY - when the wallet decides where to eat...
1st - Al Forno
2nd - Casa Nostra
3rd - Alexandra Pub and Mai Thai

See you next time and keep following our trail!

AL FORNO - the Pizza Feast!

Our 10th restaurant review was organised as a celebratory meal, our first milestone in this long food-tasting, service-reviewing challenge. We therefore headed south on the Broadway and turned a corner opposite the New Wimbledon Theatre...

Al Forno sits on its own in this short alley. Its rustic appearance, made out of wood and bricks on a pale yellow front, is just a quick reminiscence of an old, secluded villa in Tuscany or near Rome. A little plastic veranda on the ground floor ruins the atmosphere while still giving you a chance to eat outdoors in the warmer months. The interior, on the other hand, puts more strain on the level of Italian authenticity Al Forno tries to achieve. Decor is slightly cluttered, messy, full of Chianti bottles, paintings, photos, vases, and anything that may fill walls and shelves wherever space is available. Yet, it looks old-fashioned and rustic enough to make you forget the cheesy Italian stereotypes. The red brick walls even add a touch of warmth and coziness.

On our arrival, the first thing we noticed was the noise. The buzz of waiters and clients is quite overwhelming (and it was just Thursday!) but it helps build a good atmosphere which is definitely recommended for dinner with friends or large parties. Al Forno gets busy quite easily so booking is strongly advised. We managed to get our table for six without waiting and checked the menu. The staff is slightly over the place and looks disorganised most of the time  Waiters may forget you after sitting you down so do not hesitate to chase and ask for something; once over that obstacle you will be impressed how many times the staff jokes and interacts with you one way or the other.

A key characterstic of Al Forno are its pizzas, served in either small, medium or large sizes. A large is around 1 metre long, which means you can share it with 1 or 2 people and have multiple toppings as a good compromise. The costs are of course good value for money. It was easy for the group to opt in for pizza feast to celebrate our 10th meal, but we still ordered different flavours and managed to taste either a starter or a dessert along the way:

• Starters had mixed reviews. The fried calamari were tasty and very popular. On the other hand, the "parmigiana" and the "funghi and spinaci gratinati" were drowned in a liquid tomato sauce and what was meant to be bechamel was just melted cheese.
• The pizzas had a soft, fragrant dough. All ingredients were well balanced with either not too much cheese or too much cheese or too much oil. You can ask for more of your favourite topping if you want to, and for those who like it spicy, please do not hesitate to ask for the chili oil!
• Desserts were pretty standard, from a traditional "tiramisu" to a majority of special ice cream cups, such as the "coppa caffé" or the "limoncello flute". Sweet and refreshing after a pizza but not exciting or innovative.

Al Forno's ace up the sleeve is definitely the pizza making and the 1-metre ones are probably a unique selling point in the whole Wimbledon. They should definitely hold on to it to ensure the restaurant definitely stays as one of the recommended place to go with a group of friends and be merry!

Our verdict is as follows:

Quality of Food        4.50
Hygiene                     3.83
Value for Money      4.83
Speed of Service       4.83
Quality of Service    4.33
Ambience & décor   4.50

Al Forno gets an overall rating of 88.9%

AUBAINE - In the Secret French Garden

The Hill. Gloriously dominating the lower lands of the Broadway. Only a 10-min walk but a far away land of tennis, great mansions and village-like feeling. And for the first time we adventured in these lands for a relaxed dinner. Aubaine is one of the latest addition to Wimbledon Village, part of a London chain bringing French cuisine in upmarket parts of London. The outside may not be as striking as you would imagine, especially with the tinted colour tones. The inside has a lot of table capacity and aims at reproducing a plush, upper middle class villa with a lot of chromatic games around white, grey and purple on furniture and walls. It somehow reminds me of lavender from a field in France.

The great surprise of the evening was out at the back as we seized opportunity on the last hot summer day of the year. The garden is nicely enclosed at the back of the building and it is wrapped in green foliage and French-windowed mirrors, which slowly fade out the contour of the village and make you forget where you are. Just be careful not too hit the mirrors...
As we sat on some sort of art nouveau metal tables, the staff approached on several occasions, with some bread, some water. They wore aprons as uniforms in line with the light colour theme of the place. Although very friendly, polite and accommodating throughout the evening, their moves were not as smooth and as suave as the restaurant aimed to be.

There were 2 menus to choose from: à la carte or barbecue meal (Thursdays only). The former was two pages long, listing a good variety of French-Continental dishes put together with Michelin-style combinations, but the French description of the dish was more appetising and at some point more realistic than the English one. You then come to look at prices and you may find them above the overall Wimbledon average, and may appear overpriced at first if you base yourself on ingredients commonly listed in the English language. The other menu was a choice of barbecued meat, side dish and a glass of rosé for £20, with options listed in English only. Again, value for money was not easily filtering through and we were starting to be suspicious if quality of food would match it.

We were brave enough to order some starters, a variety of mains from meat to fish, and also dessert, all accompanied by French wine. Fried squid with garlic mayonnaise (camouflaged as aioli) and salmon tartare with cream of avocado were suddenly a hit with all of us as the starters. Squid was crispy and not oily or soggy, mayonnaise was freshly made. The salmon tartare melted in the mouth with a nice smooth texture, toning down the fishy taste with the sweet flavours of the avocado.
Moving onto the mains, there were suddenly mixed feelings in the group. We had one order from the barbecue menu, and the Toulouse sausages with cabbage coleslaw did not seem plenty on the half-empty plate. Yet, our taste buds soon confuted most of the prejudices held and the flavour of a true European sausage was truly welcome on the table. Mussels cooked the Belgian way were great and came as a good sized portion although there could have been slightly more fries. Disappointment was more frequent on the next three dishes. First, the seared scallops on pea purée were cooked nicely and a had delicate smoky taste but lacked the portion size you'd expect for paying. It was easily vanquished by the fried squid, which in the end was only a starter. We then moved on to the chicken Caesar salad, which looked less exotic than the other dishes. Although fresh and well seasoned, the chicken skin felt rubbery to the taste and ruined the overall image of the dish. Once again, the starter of salmon tartare was better. Last but not least, lobster spaghetti was a heavily-discussed dish being one of the most expensive mains on the menu (£24)  and expectations had been set high from the beginning. The pasta was seasoned to perfection and the tomato-based sauce was unexpectedly cooked with pastis (aniseed-flavoured liqueur) which can only make it a truly French fish dish. Despite the low amount of lobster, it still infused the pasta and sauce amazingly if it wasn't for the overdose of double cream that was added to the sauce. It ruined the whole dish.
We then moved to desserts, which were presented to us on a nice trolley and we were eager to test the restaurant further. The large coffee macaroon was insanely delicious, paraphrasing our Dr. Petrescu (another alias), and it is strongly recommended you eat it by hand although it may seem uncouth. Both the gluten-free chocolate cake with ice-cream and the lemon tart with coconut biscuit base were perfect, yummy and sweet enough.

Aubaine is of course on the high end of the price scale but with a good weight on quality food and presentation skills. It look pretentious but it is not a place to frown upon. By the time we paid and stood up to leave, the garden had filled up with customers and a louder buzz was in the air. It seems the secret garden was no longer a secret anymore!

Our verdict is as follows:

Quality of Food        4.40
Hygiene                     4.80
Value for Money      3.00
Speed of Service       4.40
Quality of Service    4.60
Ambience & décor   5.00

Aubaine gets an overall rating of 86.8%

MAI THAI - The Echo of Thailand

Decision was made to add a brand new cuisine in our next leg on this culinary journey, and so the well-known Thai cuisine came to our attention.

Mai Thai is a small establishment looking right onto one of the key intersections on Wimbledon's loop system. The outside is simple and not pretentious, showing a curvy Thai-like font and a humble reference to pagoda-like eaves. Inside, the restaurant is small, very small, so we were lucky to find a table for seven without booking - do not take that risk, if I were you. There were quite a few people for lunch, either couples, small groups or single diners, and the small enclosure made it all look very intimate, with a family feel and a sense of coziness. Still it did not feel overcrowded or packed, and not even noisy. It actually seemed there was an echo in the room and, according to our local experienced member Dr. Chang (alias to keep anonimity), this is what you would expect from a Thai house: basic and empty, or should I say clutter-free, to let the air flow in the humid heat of South East Asia...

Having sat on nice dark wooden tables, we picked the menus and swiftly opted to check the lunch menu out. Choice was short but varied and accomodating. Value for money though was not as enticing, thought, and probably picking from the menu "à la carte" would not have made a huge difference. Staff were courteous enough and they were also pretty quick, almost too quick that starters and mains overlapped each other without us requesting so.

Food was rather average with most feedback focusing on bland or overpowering taste and no outstanding presentation effort. Pork was too garlicky, rolls too greasy and soup too watery. The chicken curry though was the only champion out of the dishes ordered, as recommended by Dr. Chang. Overall, the food is acceptable but lacks the "wow" factor.

While the restaurant kept a decent Thai look, it failed to differentiate itself from other Thai or Asian joints. The group also wondered whether lunch menus are more of a cheap option of food but the general feeling is that quality of food should not differ between lunch and dinner, whatever on offer.

Our verdict is as follows:

Quality of Food        2.83
Hygiene                     3.67
Value for Money      3.83
Speed of Service       4.67
Quality of Service    4.00
Ambience & décor   3.33

Mai Thai gets an overall rating of 72.1%

THE OLD FRIZZLE - the Rustic Chic Oxymoron

The Wimbledon Theatre rises gloriously on one of the many intersections on Wimbledon Broadway. A fine building oddly built on an irregular street corner but nevertheless a source of charisma for this modest urban conglomerate. Opposite the crossroad, another venue sits strategically on a street corner and its building faces both the main and side stree. Location has been home to different chains and independent food & drink joints fading in and out; and now the Old Frizzle has taken up the challenge with its bright white decor and large window panes - almost a house of glass!

At first sight the Old Frizzle appears to be your usual independent gastropub. From the moment you step in, you are likely to fall into discussions of idiosyncrasy with your fellow diners. The place is very rustic, with that saloon-ey flare of by gone era. Old chairs and sofas with no consistent style or colour. Early 20th century lamps above the wooden bar. Even an old large analogue radio with speakers that could potentiall pick up both BBC and Moscow radio stations. It is an old pub then. Your eyes then move the well laid out cutlery and napkin on most tables. and the general orderly tidyiness of tables and chairs can only suggest dining tables and restaurants. So it is a restaurant. Not quite...and I think the discussion can carry on in a loop. Place was empty for lunch on a Thursday but we know in the evenings seems to be packed. Is perhaps the place more populare for drinks? Yet, the layout is not a spacious as a pub for stand-up drinking or informal table gathering. It is more inclined to a restaurant and sit-down meal. Ok - let not get stuck in a loop again!

Staff was kind enough to provide water and glasses as we sat down, without us having to ask - quite rare in our Wimbledon Eatery adventures so far. Bottle and glasses were simple and retro; the same applied to the the menu style: dull grey sheets of papers on a clipboard with a font resembling the end of XIX century. The flare of old fashioned seemed to be everywhere and we agreed it worked well. Unfortunately, once we ordered, the food delivery took longer than expected in what was almost an empty restaurant!

The menu was not all in one page and you had to flick through a few sheets. The lunch menu offer was not entirely appealing as both choice and cost did not seem to show better value than having a main or a starter from the menu à la carte. Most of us opted to choose from the latter. In general, almost all items looked pricey or at least they appeared to be for items you did not expect to be. The halloumi, green beans, olvies and asparagus salad was apparently almost 10% more expensive than the burgers!

Still disappointed so far? To be honest, we all enjoyed the meals that came to our table - proper pub grub. Apart from slight underseasoning and slight imperfections, we were impressed with the chips, the battered cod, the cumberland sausages. Both salad and burgers could have done with a bit more of salt; and the potato mash felt crumbly rather than creamy. The desserts, however, were an ultimate winner with probably the fluffiest Eton Mess or the smoothest Chocolate Brownie we ever tried so far - and which we recommend! Shame dessert prices turned out to be as expensive as the lunch menu offer. Again, the clash between price and what is on offer fail to make the place and the food justice. We indeed ate well but would you come here that often?

Our verdict is as follows:

Quality of Food        3.80
Hygiene                     4.00
Value for Money      2.80
Speed of Service       2.60
Quality of Service    4.20
Ambience & décor   4.80

The Old Frizzle gets an overall rating of 73.2%

CASA NOSTRA - The Silent Italian

At the heart of Wimbledon Broadway, where the cars rush through the tiring looping system, low buildings sit tight next to each other in a quick row of successive glass windows. Plenty of shops and lack of signs popping out on the sign to advertise. No wonder the large glass facade of Casa Nostra does go unnoticed. Or perhaps it is down to the fairly simple colours that decorate what is meant to be a modern approach to the Italian restaurant stereotype.

The inside of the place is a large warehouse, and even though it could show off a wooden fire oven, it is too far from the entrance, hidden at the bottom of the wall-less, one-roomed restaurant. The majority of space is taken by chairs and tables, rows and rows of them, and the emptiness is rather daunting when you walk in, especially on a Friday lunch. We did pass this place at night on several occasions and it seems the number of clients still does not vary. The interior as well goes the opposite way if you think of the loud and colourful Italian restaurants you may be used to. It is rather minimalistic, based on green tones, wooden furniture and Andy Warhol-like canvas. Among the emptiness, you feel something is missing. Music is at an adequate level but still atmosphere fades easily into oblivion as soon as chattering takes over or someone drops their cutlery.

Waiting staff ration was proportioned to the number of customers and were polite and helpful enough (some are actually Italians!). However, they looked rather nervous when serving drinks with some unexpected and unnatural acrobatics. Also, the level of friendliness or the extent of waiting was limited to order, serve and pay, with little joy or just checking our food was ok after serving. On the other hand, speed of service was almost impeccable.

Food choice was average, with the usual pasta and pizza dishes accompanies with meat, fish and salad options. There is a special lunch menu although it only offered an extensive variety of pasta and pizza options, if not all of those present on the standard menu, and just 3 options each for meat & fish and for salads. It definitely builds up on the stereotype that all Italians are all carb lovers.

Food itself was average too, and rather insipid. Still decent and edible but not amazing. The 'Penne al Marinaio' had seafood but you could not taste the chilli. The 'Risotto Pollo e Funghi' had very little chicken. If we really need to be picky, the "Pasta alla Carbonara" had mushrooms which is a new twist on the standard recipe seen in Italian restaurants. The dishes looked ok; perhaps flavour and seasoning could have gone up a notch, or they could have given some flare to it all. Surprisingly, one option on the Coffees list did stand out when choosing over desserts. The "Mamma Mia", which is  vanilla ice cream drowned in espresso coffee, is actually an item in the Italian bar/restaurant tradition that is a rarely found in most Italian restaurants across London (unless you ask for it off the menu).

When it comes to pay for the bill, you could almost expect the waiter to give you money back. The prices (both on lunch and standard menu) are quite affordable and you could easily spend less than £10 for your meal. As the value for money did hit the spot, you can then see where you may lose quality for the sake of quick, cheap and cheerful. Definitely an experience that will be stuck in our wallets but not our hearts and minds.

Our verdict is as follows:

Quality of Food        3.00
Hygiene                     3.33
Value for Money      4.00
Speed of Service       4.00
Quality of Service    2.33
Ambience & décor   1.67

Casa Nostra gets an overall rating of 63.1%

ALEXANDRA PUB - Sat on a Hot Roof Terrace

On another hot day in Wimbledon, there was only one more outdoor place that could help us enjoy the sun and the 32 degrees heat in the least painful way possible. Strange as it may sounds, the option was indeed a pub. Generally, they are built for colder weather but the Alexandra Pub is probably the most versatile we have ever seen. Dominating a whole corner of its retail block, the Alexandra is split into 4 different areas managed by the same staff and kitchen to please the different pub environments you may fancy or not: (1) a dark, all-wood pub from pre-modern times, (2) a traditional carpeted early 20th century pub, (3) a trendy modern pub names the 'Smart Alex', and last but not least (4) the Roof Terrace. This last one does not require further description and it is of course the destination for our 5th Wimbledon Eatery session.

Reached via a steep and narrow staircase, the Roof Terrace is built on top of the dark, all-wood pub downstairs but only covers a smaller area than the whole one covered by all 3 pubs on the ground floor. It therefore means a more contained space than you could hope for on a Friday or at the weekend when the weather is nice. Under these weather conditions, we were therefore happy to go for a Monday lunch when you can easily choose where to sit a large crowd of nine people.

The layout appears rather cluttered with a mix of different styles of furniture from large tables and cushioned benches to high chairs and tables. The front of the terrace looks onto the main road and at the back you have a small bar where you can order food and drinks without having to go downstairs. The combination of pub service and outdoor joint make it a good place to relax if the place is not too crowded. One half of the terrace, towards the bar, is covered, whereas the rest if fully exposed to whatever the weather conditions are. The cushioned benches were the most puzzling item: nice and comfy although covered with dead flying ants and really hot to the touch under a hot sun. On the contrary, probably soaked wet if it rained. Maybe different types of chairs or benches would work best.

Self-ordering is of course the pub norm and it was pretty quick. Same for the waiting time to be served. The food was typical pub food with the odd variation or clever twist on a classic. Under the heat, some of us were trying to avoid the usual suspects and maybe go for the fresher and cooler meals. Nice choice of sandwiches were at hand together with some less pub-like specials. Under all aspects most of the food tasted great, fresh and not artificial. Burgers and sandwiches were served on a wooden board to reinforce that sense of authenticity and simplicity. Couple of disappointments were the lack of spice on the Piri Piri chicken burger, the lack of oil and vinegar to dress the salads, and also the lack of lemon water or lemon wipes to tackle the greasy finger food on offer, especially the BBQ platter. Nevertheless, we were happy with the friendly, attentative staff, who were always available to meet our demands and provided a "buddy" feeling to the service. One good gesture we all appreciated was the empty tupperware we were offered as doggy bag for most of the BBQ platter left over.

Great placeto chill out and isolate from urban traffic - but avoid Fridays or get there early!

Our verdict is as follows:

Quality of Food        4.33
Hygiene                     4.33
Value for Money      3.83
Speed of Service       5.00
Quality of Service    5.00
Ambience & décor   4.67

Alexandra Pub gets an overall rating of 89.2%

CONFUCIUS - In Duck We Trust

On yet another sunny day in July, this time round we avoided the lunch rush hour and opted for a relaxing dinner out in the evening, when the town leaves their workplace to rest their head and limbs in the shade of the setting sun and in the refreshing cloak of a summer drink. After a few drinks in a recently reviewed location, we finally headed southbound of the Broadway, at the edge of our culinary world and probably one of the furthest joint we'll ever review.

Confucius is a Chinese restaurant almost opposite the Polka Theatre. Its plain white facade with black, stylised font and slightly smoked windows makes it hard to spot in one of the less trafficked parts of the Broadway. Our group approached the restaurant after a long straight walk in the sun from Wimbledon station, and we still could not see the name or the entrance until we were a couple of feet away.

As we set foot inside, we all knew each one of us had previous personal experiences with Chinese food. It was obvious in our minds we would set expectations against what the stereotypes would usually hold to. The entrance was very peaceful and quiet, accompanied by a medium-sized aquarium with huge fish and a small wood-and-stone mill along the wide glass facade looking onto the main street. The restaurant space was one large room whose pattern was only broken by structural pillars and low dividers splitting it into sections. Using only the natural light from the large glass facade, the restaurant gradually fell in a dim light feebly sustained by electric candles.

The staff was very polite and calm, readily available to seat us, although the place was not as busy for a Thursday evening. All tables were large round tables with the occasion 2-seat tables. Inside decor was pleasant although not original or outstanding. We all concurred the restaurant was ideal for group dinners rather than close-up romantic dates, especially if Chinese food is your favourite dinner date.

Menu had a wide choice based around the key combinations of Chinese food: beef, pork, duck, chicken, prawns and also various fish fillets in the Chef's Specials. Our orders tried to be as assorted as possible, allowing to share and pick different dishes and flavours as they were served on a small rotating table in front of us. Delivery of both starters and mains was quick although not delivered exactly at the same time. The downsize for such speedy service was that all the dishes were tepid or slightly warm when served rather than hot. We felt some of the flavours were either lost or affected by this.

All in all our taste buds did not suffer and, although we had mixed reviews on some of the dishes, we did identify some good ones. Saltiness of the food was not in excess as you would expect in other Chinese restaurants in the capital except for the sizzling beef or the ribs. Where salt content was not overdone, sweet or acid sometimes took over making the flavour unbalanced. Such was the case of the lemon duck fillet and the sweet and sours. The food overall felt slighly greasy, including the rice where it felt buttery and not as light and fluffy as you'd expect rice to be. In the end, the winning dish of the evening was the roast duck. It tasted good in your mouth, well seasoned at the right point, and all of us had nothing to object.

As we sipped some strong rice wine liqueur with 52% alcohol , which the Chinese waitress was not able to explain how it was made, we reflected on our fourth Wimbledon Eatery event. If you are out on the town with a group of friends, it is a good place to pop in and enjoy a meal together on a nice round table. It may be just above average but you can make it worthwhile.

Our verdict is as follows:

Quality of Food        3.17
Hygiene                     3.83
Value for Money      3.17
Speed of Service       4.50
Quality of Service    4.00
Ambience & décor   3.50

Confucius gets an overall rating of 72.4%

THE TERRACE - WE & the Sunshine Bland

The glorious sun blessed us on this second weekend in the Wimbledon Championships. A warm mini heatwave started blowing over the hill and blue skies were suddenly a common view from our windows and balconies. The next eating occasion had to take advantage of the sunshine and summer breeze. And if you think about it, Wimbledon struggles when it comes to outdoor eating and drinking that does not entail sitting on tables by the side of a busy road. Since the options were few to pick, we ultimatly decided for The Terrace.

Situated just above the secondary exit of Wimbledon station and the main entrance to the Centre Court shopping centre, The Terrace has been a key building and reference point for more than a decade thanks to its central position. You cannot miss the bright green entrance that takes you to up to one flight of stairs and then into the main round space completely surrounded by glass panels. The atmosphere is entirely dictated by the flood of naturalight, which is partly filtered by green leafy plants and partly sucked in by a heavy black and white furniture.The blazing sun outside helped the colours shine but the lack of air con meant an ever rising indoor temperature.

We could not book in advance for an outdoor table so get there early. The outdoor, however, is not as spacious as the inside. It is simply a balcony running the edge of the perimeter, which is split into outside bar and outside restaurant. Due to the space limitations, a group larger than six is going to struggle to sit down at the same table and enjoy the company. This is what happened to our group as we were forced to have two tables, and still we were not as comfy as we wished. The larger table holds six but the oversized chairs made it difficuly to sit without elbows in people's face. The good weather helped push aside the discomfort and enjoy the company.

Menu choice is pretty varied at The Terrace, with a good continental selection on offer, from pizza and pasta dishes, to salad and meat dishes. Waiting for someone to take our order and waiting for the orders both took quite some time, and it made us feel slightly grumpy under the scorching sun without a refreshing beverage at hand. What made it worse was the mistake on one or two drinks, where we got what we actually did order. The food finally came, at the same time as drinks, and we started flavouring the dishes as the early afternoon sun placidly wrapped his warm hands on our tender skins.

Opposite to what we experience on our last Wimbledon Eatery session, this time we felt the lack of seasoning. We missed the salt, the spices, the pepper, the punch on your tongue. Althought it could be down to personal taste, we were surprised that around six dishes out of eight felt bland in our mouths. Even the basic house salad with either chicken, or calamari, or goat's cheese, felt tasteless and did not seem outstanding. Moving onto the Pad Thai Noodles, where thai food needs the kick to be what is famous for, it just did not meet the basic expectations of taste. Food was really bland, including a pizza that did not differentiate it much from a Domino's one. Fortunately, we had exceptions to the rule in regards to the sizzling faijtas and the fresh mussels. Flavours here did not abandon us, although we recommend to go for chicken rather than steak faijtas as we felt the meat was a bit too tough and fatty.

Service overall let us down as well, not just from a waiting perspective, but also for two other reasons: (1) food came before cutlery and serviettes; and (2) waiters did not seem able ti give us their attention on a half-full stretched balcony. To their loss and also our deep regret, we did not have the chance to order and try a refreshing icecream or sorbet under the glorious. We just settled for the bill and left. Thank God, the good weather helped.

Our verdict is as follows:

Quality of Food        2.67
Hygiene                    3.83
Value for Money     3.00
Speed of Service      1.83
Quality of Service    2.67
Ambience & décor   4.00

The Terrace gets an overall rating of 59.4%

COAL's - the Attack of the Vampires! (NOW CLOSED!)

Second episode of our saga! This time we stayed in the centre of Wimbledon, the focal point of all Wimbledonians' lives, the good ol' round Wimbledon Piazza. You pass through it day and night, on the way to work, on the way to the Morrisons supermarket, or the Odeon cinema, or the Nuffield gym, or when European outdoor markets are on display.

Hold on! Something tells me I missed something. What is that black box dominating most of the Piazza with dark tables and chairs outside? For most of us, Coal's has always been a blind spot. Always there but always missed. It must be the slightly cheesy sign with characters in red and yellow flames, which we all thought needs revamping as we approached this small bar and grill chain. The inside reminds you of a Swedish sauna for the amount of vivid wood that prevails all around the place, from the bar to the tables. To our surprise, the reserved table waited for us with a nice trio of balloons red and yellow although it was nobody's birthday party. It did help though break colours.

On this occasion the Wimbledon Eatery reached a welcomed and outstanding attendance of 10 people and we were ready to place a large order to the 2-waiter staff on duty. The restaurant was not as busy as expected for Friday lunchtime and we all had the impression the place is favoured as a dinner time joint. In any case, we proceeded. This time, however, we had an ace up the sleeve that would test the restaurant's capabilities: our vegan member had proudly decided to join us at a meaty grill bar. The staff was prepared for the specifics: they knew the pasta contained eggs! Unfortunately, there was no offer from the restaurant for a special dish and it had to be just a nice vegetarian salad with chicken...oops, sorry...let us remove the chicken for you and add more vegetables! The rest of us carnivores ordered a wide range of meals and waited for the food to come.

The wait was about 20 minutes and we considered it within the average expectation for a large order like ours. It is strongly recommended not to come here if you are looking for a quick lunch as this is more a sit-down-and-take-your-time restaurant. Food came all in one go and it was now time for the next step.

Food came in decent portions, and slightly large for some of the meat dishes. There was still some sense of disproportion on the plate, as if you had too much of something (e;g; a whole chicken) and almost nothing of the other (e.g. chips). Our teeth sank into juicy burgers, crunchy leaves, fried fish, and thought it over. First word that sprang to mind: garlic. Quite a lot of it. Good for the savoury palate, yet overpowering over your meat, or your potatoes. As I am writing this, I still taste garlic in my mouth...and it is no coincidence I feel invincible against vampires! Second buzz word was sauce, any of the different ones that had been splashed over our plates. Each of us had a feeling there was too much of it, and also something dodgy in their after taste. The peri peri sauce was spicy but tasted of ketchup after a while. The ranch dressing tasted of salad cream. But the tartare sauce was actually nice. All in all, it was a shame to miss out the full taste of the freshly grilled meat these sauces were meant to augment.

The whole restaurant selling point is on grilled meat (as the fish options are quite scarce ) and you can witness it yourself through the open kitchen or also on the large menu sheet with its wide range of options on all kinds of meat, from beef, to pork and chicken. Pizzas and usual finger food are also available. All looks good and appetising until you compare prices and quality. Coal's may appeal to some but it rates average on many aspects, or should I say, it is not really outstanding on the Wimbledon scene. Perhaps you readers may be luckier with a dinner event. Whatever you do, remember you have to sit down and take your time so don't go there starving. And as a little gift note, we recommend the Lallapalooza as a dessert to share with friends. Just like balloons, it brightened our day on the way out!

Our verdict is as follows:
Quality of Food        3.10
Hygiene                    3.80
Value for Money     2.20
Speed of Service      3.50
Quality of Service    3.50
Ambience & décor   2.60

Coal's gets an overall rating of 63.0%

CHIPOTLE - if Argos sold food...

Our blog would have probably preferred to start off with some chic restaurant or independent café. Yet, work constraints had us pointing for a lunch service closer to the office with an eye on good food but also quick turnaround. Nevertheless, we were still going to start this off in style and by the rules of engagement.

Six of us from the Wimbledon Eatery visited Chipotle Mexican Grill, an American food chain offering gourmet burritos and tacos which only opened around 6 months ago. Concept is similar to other recent tex-mex food joints that opened in London: you start your order at the counter, follow your dish as it is "built" in front of you, add sides, pay straight away and off to your seat.

Service is quick and fast as the friendly staff dynamically takes your order step by step with great synchronicity. It is a well-thought production chain: you order, you go! Queue was not very long on the day but at busy times you can imagine very little space available as we were bordering the main entrance (and fortunately we were not sticking out in the drizzling rain). Ordering process is still quick so be ready before you queue up, and have payment at hand or the end of the queue will turn into a traffic jam, with dishes, cards and hands overlapping. Apparently there were many cooking and waiting staff but only 1 cashier!

The menu is very brief and lacks a few details that may catch you unprepared, and it did for a few of us. Drinks are listed by categories, not by brand. Yet, you pick up the drinks from the chilling cabinet situated a few feet beyond the till which you only notice after you have paid. If they do not have the flavour of juice you want, or the brand of soda you like, you should have checked before queuing up. There is a silver lining: we think you could order water or the cheapest drink, and perhaps grab the most expensive drink unnoticed...cheeky!

The internal décor is not really Mexican, but it is also far from having any form of décor at all. Very minimalist, with great emphasis on metal and wood, it can be easily labelled as the cold version of McDonald's. Seating is self-contained, with six-seaters similar to a diner. There is also an outdoor area which looks nicer than the inside and it is a shame the weather was not in favour. Anyway, we sat to enjoy the first taste of our 50-restaurant long journey and finally tasted the food.

Flavour was nice, rich, and not artificial. Their big claim is on organic food and free range, which we appreciated and it seems to reflect on the taste buds. Meat and beans tasted fresh, and the same for guacamole and sour cream. The bulging meat-beans-rice filled burrito was rather filling, but the vegetarian salad was no less. You can of course help yourself to paper napkins and plastic cutlery, but remember tacos and burritos are messy finger food so be careful as it will spill here and there. You also eat from plastic baskets as you would with street food, so your expectations should be resized - this is not a typical restaurant but rather a fast food chain selling on the basis of good quality foods that you can be satisfied of!

Our verdict is as follows:
Quality of Food        4.50
Hygiene                     3.67
Value for Money       3.50
Speed of Service       4.33
Quality of Service    3.50
Ambience & décor   2.00

Chipotle gets an overall rating of 75.6%

RULES OF ENGAGEMENT

We are not a lifestyle magazine, we are not a food club, and we don't get paid.
We meet and eat - that's all!

On irregular occasions the group will pick one of the many eating venues from the tip of Wimbledon Hill to the Polka Theatre. It could be a pub, it could be Italian food or that well-known fast food chain - if you can eat there, it is on our list.

Yet, some key rules will apply to set the scene going forward...

1. Sit down meal only; no takeaways!
2. Meals will mostly happen at lunchtime (12.30pm to 2pm)
• Dinner event may be organised from time to time
3. In each session, each person must order a different mains dish from the rest of the group
4. In each session, each person must have either a starter or dessert (or both)
• For budget or stomach capacity reasons, starters and desserts can be shared
5. Each person can choose any drink they want, either alcoholic or non-alcoholic
6. The total bill will be split evenly across the group
7. At the of each session, each person will give a rate from 1 to 5 (where 1 is poor) for the following criteria:
• Quality of Food
• Quality of Service
• Speed of Service
• Ambience
• Hygiene
• Value for Money

BON APPETIT!

INTRODUCTION

Placed in the southwest outskirts of London, Wimbledon is a fine, idyllic location with the scent of the great metropolis only a 15 minutes away by train. Divided between the "Hill" and the "Broadway", the town is a busy hub between Central London and the last SW postcodes before entering Surrey. Settled families, young urbanites, tennis players, the mélange of inhabitants and visitors that come and go every day make it a key place to visit and why not stop for a few beverages and a nice meal.

I have worked and lived around Wimbledon for almost 10 years. I tasted fine ale in the local pubs, visited the good old restaurant chain, tested food in side street joints, and many places opened and closed over the years. I wish some places were still around.


In the spirit of grasping the food spirit of Wimbledon, please join me and a few other "wannabe" food critics in this food expedition through which we hope to shed light on the many places to eat and drink, either in the summer breeze of outdoor grill on Wimbledon Hill or the coziness of hearty pubs along the Broadway.

We do this because it is fun, we do this because we love where live or work, but above all we do this because we love food!




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