Great atmosphere, good selection of drinks (especially wines), friendly staff and good prices…read more. I do really like this place! I could see it being perfect for a laid-back night of drinking or even for a date!! If I lived around town, this would be a good stop for me! I can understand why my sister really likes this place!!!

Amazing little surprise, the place is sweet and friendly, it doesn't have a menu but food keeps…read morecoming. The Italian feast makes you regret none but want to eat more! First comes the honey-twisted salad with thin cut ham, light enough to carry on with 8 more plates. Then the seafood, grilled prawns and scallop are rich flavored and herbs on the topping. The pastas, with a thick creamy cheese on the top, best I ever had. After that it's the meat session. Pork for our night! The whole meal lasts for 3 hours, wine is perfect, everything is perfect. Do make a booking in advance as its fully occupied!

Back home across the pond we have a sort of reverence for Italian food that's evident in our…read morecultural stereotypes but more hidden in our dining habits. Everyone can imitate an Italian chef, but none of us talk about a new Italian restaurant the way we might about a new sushi restaurant or a hip Korean/Mexican fusion joint. In many ways, Italian food seems to have won the fight against the modernisation. People generally still look for quantity and quality in Italian food over ingenuity and risk. That makes Italian food less exciting. Less sexy. So how do you keep Italian food exciting when the popular opinion tells you it isn't, and shouldn't be? I think you could start with the lamb at Al Boccon di'vino. To get there you'd have to get through 10 to 17 courses though. None of which you'd know about before hand. All of which seem to have been plucked out of thin air by the chef. Each course is served simultaneously to the entirety of the restaurant, the final main dish is literally served with applause. That's right. Without any prompting, people at this restaurant actually applaud the main course as it's served. This has happened every time we go to this restaurant and each time it's a different main course. Portion control is out, and there's nothing sexy about that, but there's still something exciting about having a meal that's truly memorable, and each time I've eaten here that's been the case.

Fed up with dull supermarket wines? Seek out Wined Up Here in Norbiton Village to find great wines…read moreof character that offer superb quality and value. Artisan cheese and bread adds to the appeal to making this a one-stop shop for the perfect ingredients to make that dinner party even more special. Wined up here is an independent wine merchant established in 2007. They stock over 250 wines from around the world which have been carefully chosen to over deliver. They also stock a wonderful range of artisan cheese, craft beers, cigars, specialist spirits and fresh bread baked on a wood-fire oven.

This very attractive independent wine shop - with the punning name - is a recent addition to the…read morearea. Not the place to visit if you're after a bottle of cheap plonk for a budget night in, instead it beckons when you want a special occasion wine for yourself, to complement a memorable meal, or to offer as a gift. The name theme continues with many of the wines; film aficionados are sure to be tempted by Francis Ford Coppola's 'Director's Cut' Chardonnay at £14.65 or his Pinot Noir at £17.75. If you're a fan of full bodied Aussie beauties opt for the intriguingly titled 'Cockfighter's Ghost' at £15.50, a Tasmanian Pinot Noir. A townie with countryside cravings might weaken at the sight of 'Ten Minutes by Tractor' (another Pinot Noir from Oz). When you are recovering from the night before, and still have a healthy wallet, your tipple of choice could be 'Dead Arm' Shiraz (Aussie again) at £27.25. For the dedicated oenophile, or enthusiastic imbiber, there's an excellent choice of wine-related accessories to choose from encompassing bottle openers, wine savers, glasses, silver champagne buckets and exquisite swarovski butterfly stoppers. The very knowledgeable, friendly and welcoming owner holds tutored and informal tastings on a regular basis.

What better way to enjoy a summers evening than kick back by the river with a glass of wine or a…read morepint of the cold stuff? I've found Kingston to be a little hit-and-miss when it comes to bars and pubs but Woodys is the perfect spot for those long warm summer evenings us Londoners like to take advantage of. We visited for a friend's birthday last month as she'd spotted the pub on her jogging route and we were all smitten by its charm. Inside is a mish-mash of furniture with arm chairs, kitchen chairs, dining chairs and an old piano sitting in the corner. They even have a box of toys for the kids (although the Mr Potato Head may attract the likes of me also) so mums and dads can relax while the kiddies play. The prices were reasonable and while I hit the wine menu many of my chums opted for their cider. The food coming out of the kitchen looked tasty although we didn't eat there, and the staff were extremely friendly and attentive. The whole place has a lovely vibe and indeed, as the manager says, it feels like an extension of your living room. If you're out and about in Kingston and fancy a beverage head over to Woodys for a lovely chilled out vibe...and perhaps a bit of play time with Mr Potato Head.

Woody's is an ok bar in Kingston, its nice that its one of the last of the independents, but there…read moreis a number of things wrong that serious deride from the experience. The entire bar decor could be described as shaby sheik run amok. The crowd is an odd crossbreed of hipsters and wanna be yacht club members (60+). Its not a great place to go and have to good of a time, you might disturb the status quo. Its obviously the victim of wanna be middle class gentrification, and also don't go hungry, you won't find more than a bag of crisps. The location is great, and at least they have a clean toilet. Don't disturb the blonde bald dragon (barkeep) and keep to the status quo (tightpants and bangs over your eyes) and you might just fit in nicely at Woody's.

I arrived around 8:15 and to be fair it seemed like they were already shutting up shop. The young…read moreguy who checked they were still serving was polite but after he left me at the table I started to notice things. There was rubbish lying around, there were ants on the March up my table and the two girls at the next table were drinking and loudly gossiping, apparently about the guy who showed me to my seat. I think it was his girlfriend. I have it a few mins and left. I went to Haché instead. Lovely food and very quick service.

Sept 4. Lunch with wife. Excellent service and food. We ate from the 2-3 course menu. Very…read morereasonable. Great location on the river. Highly recommend.

Bar 191 is essentially a tapas bar that has a Mediterranean feel with an art deco hint to it…read more The atmosphere was relaxed and I found the tapas tasty. Especially the ribs and prawn dishes. Although you need to order at least 3 tapas each to fill the gap as they tend to come up small. However I found the service was not really that good and sometimes the dishes did not come out together so you can be left waiting for certain orders. wine list is extensive with around 80 wines, both new and old world, and most of them are available by the glass. Talking about wines, they do this unique option to order 'flights' of wine which is 3 good sized samples of a particular grape i.e. 3 Sauvignon Blanc, giving you the opportunity to compare wines from different countries and price points. Not bad for this neck of the woods where it can be hard to find a good restaurant.

I've lived in Raynes Park all my life but have only eaten out there a handful of times. Last night…read moreI decided to change that and embark on a new wave of exploration into my local town. I grabbed a willing sidekick and rocked up at Bar 191. We walked in and were given a choice of tables (see Zizzi's Twickenham review. Grr. I'll let it go at some point!). The lady who came over was polite but very firm. She did not smile as she greeted us which was a little off putting. We sat down and looked at the wine list which had an international bouquet of choice and was impressive for a small restaurant. Each bottle was described well, making it easy to blag some wine knowledge to a hot new date, and most are served by the glass as well as by bottle. We ordered a Spanish Birlocho due to it being 'Citrusy with notes of fennel and a fresh & lively taste. Good balance and long aftertaste. Very dry.' (See what I mean?). It was a very good choice and with the amount of wines available, the menu will satisfy the pickiest wine anorak. The food menu was split between hot and cold tapas, mains, including three types of paella, and desserts. They suggest ordering two or three tapas per person which is about right. I went for Chorizo in cider, Wild Boar and peppers and Anchovies with citrus while my friend opted for Battered squid with lemon mayo and a greek salad. The food comes out when it is ready so the dishes hit the table at different times. I prefer it this way so I know everything is piping hot and anything that gets me eating quicker is fine with me! It was well cooked and tasty. The portions vary in size and its probably best to go for three per person. The anchovies were very small whereas there was loads of chorizo so its all a real toss up. The only downer was the service. The staff were rushed off their feet (best to book if your coming after 8 o'clock incidently) and I do have a lot of sympathy and respect for what they do but it doesn't hurt to smile. When the dishes were put on the table they set them down and walked away without saying a word or even breaking their stride. To give them the benefit of the doubt, it was rammed and it looked like they only had two people serving. All in all, this was a good experience. The food was reasonably priced and the service, although unfriendly, was quick.

Yes this is good. Don't judge a bar, by the people you see when you look through the window…read more I avoided going in here for about 2 years, because i thought it looked a bit ...poncy? But... It is actually a lovely place for a drink and some snacks. If you get there before 6.30pm you can order 2 things off the menu for £6.95, and the portions are huge. I ordered some chips and there were enough there for 3 people !! Chip heaven! It's not a place i would stay in for hours, but it's nice to drop in.

This is a quietish corner pub, though it can get busy later in the evenings. Reasonable choice of…read morebeer, London Pride plus keg beers and lager. The food is hyper expensive , a good place to go Dutch! Decor and furnishings are modern. I get the impression this is the trendy place for the young affluent types. It makes a change from The Antelope, though which gets very crowded.