The Isambard, Paddington

The Isambard gave me one of the weirdest sensations I've ever had walking into a pub. First of all, it's a dinky little rectangle of space just on the edge of the busy Paddington concourse, low and squat, resembling nothing so much as a 21st century pill-box.

But upon entering, one is surprised to note the canny use of space, which makes the experience of walking into The Isambard something akin to discovering that the Dr has hung up his last Dalek and renamed his Police box "The Tavern". I still don't know how they managed to fit toilets into the mix, as the drinking space seems to me bigger than the bygone Boots ever was, but it's one thing I'm willing to take on faith.

The Isambard has a humble selection of drinks, plus plenty of comfortable seating. Just the ticket when you've got enough time for a pint and need to block out the fact that outside is the maelstrom of madness that is Paddington.

16 Nov 2006 12:31

The Barley Mow, Histon

Wait a minute - shouldn't this pub (bar, actually), have been airlifted to Chelsea by now? It's obviously escaped from ChiChi captivity and needs to be restored to its rightful place. If nothing else confirms this, the prices do. It's a good thing the interior is so sterile - the lung I coughed up when I was told the price of my beer was easily scooped up off the floor and replaced (sorry, I can't - and daren't - recall the price again here).

I would echo everything in the previous review, and add that the only reason we went here - and the only reason anyone else seemed to be there - was because The Red Lion (~100m down the road), was closed for an hour during one of the World Cup games.

3 Aug 2006 16:51

The Cricklewood, Cricklewood

Solidly average pub, most notable for a couple of very handsome Eastern European barmaids (yes, it wasn't just Kevin), who unfortunately don't seem to be there anymore either. Fruit machines, Sky TV, beer, and men's toilets without a sh*tter. Awesome.

So it seems to have come under new management, as the aforementioned lovelies have moved on, and the menu has completely changed to a sort of provincial Wetherspoons mimic - "2 meals for �6 after 3pm on a leap year if you're dressed as an elf" kinda thing, although the food is at least what you expect - no more, no less. Clientele also seems to be shifting from primarily Eastern European to Irish. Where have the Polish gone?

My mate used to travel down from Cambridge to go there with me (refer barmaids comments), but I think he's given up now.

NB: there was a brief period there when the upstairs part of the building seemed to be a homespun prostitute's rave or something - bright lights flashing through macrame curtains and the requisite "THUD-THUD" of the "Best Techno Album In The World - EVER"-style soundtrack cranked up inside. Saw some brilliantly trashy girls and guys exiting, spewing, starting up on the street, for about 3 Saturdays in a row, with the attendant gorillas on a suitably dark and dingy door, but I've not seen it again. Anyone know about this? Cheers

3 Aug 2006 16:31