Uk Barblog

Reef Bar (Paddington Station - London)

Reef Bar

Situated in front of all the trains in a glass complex is this chain bar-come-cafe. It is on the first floor of this tiny mall and you have to walk through a few small tables on entrance to the bar. These tables are exhibiting very large umbrellas for reasosns unknown since the place is covered with a reather high, rather secure roof... Inside the bar is stocked but not impressively so. Its quite a big venue but with very little seating. I get images of drunken travellers waiting for their trains on their suitcases with pint in hand. There is food available but it is typically expensive, the bar service is friendly but very slow and the bar never really gets busy unless there are train delays. A bottle of wine will set you back £12 but i really cant see why you would come here to drink.

It is a rather out the way bar which appears to be used mroe for the toilets than the beverages but its clean and a good place to stop if you can find a spot to sit down - 4/10

Neighbourhood (Westbourne Park - London)

Neighbourhood

Unrivalled by a difficulty to locate, this underground alternative music venue and club is one of london's prime choice cuts of city nightlife, or at least it would be if it was closer to the rest of the action. Its a multi-tier warehouse out in Westbourne park, never venue here without a map since it requires navigating underpasses, needle infested alleyways and dodgy entrances to bring you into a busy, but not overcrowded club. The place is probably london's best location for live drum & bass and urban acts and brings into its limelight some very fresh talent on a repeat basis. The venue itself however is often part-closed off and you cannot always get to the best bits. There are great light shows but the drinks are extortionate at £4.00 for a bottle of beer and upwards. The staff are friendly and accomodating and if, like me you find yourself dancing to the thumping bass on couches embedded in raised platforms by the stage in the thicket of the action its totally worth the trip.

Overall its a complete schlapp and a total effort to locate- getting back can also be pretty difficult if you don't live centrally or westward of the city. The drinks are too expensive and really its only the lightshow and the acts that make the place. As a venue its not worth much but as a night out its awesome - in balance 7/10

E&O Bar and Restaurant (Notting Hill - London)

E&O Bar and Restaurant

Admired by some as the nicest thai fusion restaurant in these parts if not in London but I have to disagree most plainly. The bar itself sits as the bib to the small ground level restaurant behind it, taking the mess of customers and popping a drink in front of them while they await a table. The drinks are expensive but to be fair the restaurant could charge the earth for them and doesn't. A beer will set you back a fiver and a cocktail as much as fifteen pounds. The wine, although reasonably priced flash fancy words around where its actual wine cellar is someone depleated in the vintage department. There are very few tables at the bar and looking out onto the street while you drink is relaxing but not expected.

Overall the food here is fantastic and the service is very polite but the bar is just not the place to drink in even for a business meeting, it feels like a diner crossed with a waiting room and the itchy feet of everyone waiting at the bar for a table in the restaurant is all to clear. Defintiely hit a pub down the road for drinks after the meal. Overall 4/10