The Begging Bowl

[taper]

Here's the Standard review, from Andrew Neather.

http://www.standard.co.uk/goingout/restaurants/the-begging-bowl--review-8112622.html

[annabel42]

Hi IJJ1963

Please could you advise when the reviews appeared in the Southwark News and the Evening Standard as I would be interested in reading them?

[annabel42]

Thank you taper. Do you have a copy of the Southwark News review?

[tomy]

Good to see the restaurant get a positive review in the Standard.

Off on a slight tangent here, but when will writers reviewing restaurants/bars etc in Peckham find a more original and less cliched context to their piece than 'I trekked all the way down to deep dark Peckham for this, it's good compared to all the other cr*p around there'. The same thing has happened when reviews have been written for Ganapati, Frank's Cafe and others.

Don't get me wrong - I'm not blind to Peckham's stereotyped image in other parts of London, and some of it is justified (can't deny the abundance of chicken outlets). But it now comes across to me as lazy journalism when the same old "who'd have thought - something good in Peckham?!" subtext pervades every article written about something in the area. Let's hope for some more originality in future reviews.

[annabel42]

Apropos of the OP's comments about writers' perceptions of Peckham, I was in St Agnes in Cornwall recently in a gift shop. Admiring their wares, thinking I was buying gifts hand made in Cornwall, I saw they were, in fact, made in Peckham - and really lovely they were, too!

Peckham is also home to natoora (I think) and, fairly recently, to Sparrow Gin, the latter, in particular, a huge plus!

So yes, Peckham deserves the shedding of its stereotyped image.

[taper]

Annabel42

I don't, nor have i read it.

Tomy

Agreed, Very annoying. He even makes out the Begging Bowl's predecessor, SLA 168, was some sort of bog-standard pizza joint (which I wasn't - I wish it had flourished and remained).

Camberwell used get similar treatment, but less now it has a string of top notch eateries.

Anyway, good on the BB. Looks like it will long remain in what has been a difficult site to make work.

[IJJ1963]

Annabel42-The Southwark News you want is from 2 weeks ago. It rated FOOD 5/5 Stars and VALUE FOR MONEY 4.5/5 Stars, which speaks for itself, and described the food in far more glowing terms than I did. I see you have info on Evening Standard above which awarded 4/5 Stars. I was not insulting anybody but merely defending myself from false deformatory accusations made by some anonymous malicious uninformed individual hideing behind his PC and who sounds like the sort of nonse I would not feel comfortable around my children. I am neither trying to do BB any favours nor urge people to go there (the fewer that go the easier it is for me to get seated) I just gave an honest opinion and followed it up with a more informative post following points raised by forum users. OK it was a bit press-like but thats one of the downsides of retirement-too much time on your hands. I have since learnt that they take bookings for parties of 8+ so that may be the best option for those who dont like to queue. Of course, that means you have to have at least 7 real life freinds-no good to Giddyaunt then.

Giddyaunt-the only upcoming deal or promotion i am aware of is that I have heard that they are planning a special loners promotion night of pre-booked tables for one where they provide a space for your partner (PC). I understand that there will be life coaches and therapists available for advising saddoes on how to get more out of their pathetic lives. I will post you further details as soon as I know more. All the best.

[Sue]

IJJ1963 Wrote:

-------------------------------------------------------

I was not insulting

> anybody but merely defending myself from false

> deformatory accusations made by some anonymous

> malicious uninformed individual hideing behind his

> PC and who sounds like the sort of nonse I would

> not feel comfortable around my children.

xxxxxxx

And you are accusing this person of defamation??

ETA: And your last paragraph was pretty nasty as well :(

ETA: If you don't like anonymous people posting on here, how about telling us your real name?

[granadaland]

Tomato

[annabel42]

No, I didn't say it was everyone's overall opinion. I said it is the overall opinion of posters i.e. a summary of what posters have said in general. As I have stated the good points on which posters have expressed favourable opinions as well as points of disappointment, this is fair, unbiased comment. I have not expressed an opinion either way.

If I owned any restaurant, I would be grateful for this kind of feedback and would address and improve all negative issues,.

[annabel42]

IJJ1963

Your post is highly offensive; no-one on this or any other forum or anywhere else deserves this kind of treatment.

[taper]

Indeed. I think my position has reversed on the matter of apologies!

And I don't even like Thai food. One burp and you're hungry again.

[Gidget]

IJJ1963 Wrote:

-------------------------------------------------------

> Annabel42-The Southwark News you want is from 2

> weeks ago. It rated FOOD 5/5 Stars and VALUE FOR

> MONEY 4.5/5 Stars, which speaks for itself, and

> described the food in far more glowing terms than

> I did. I see you have info on Evening Standard

> above which awarded 4/5 Stars. I was not insulting

> anybody but merely defending myself from false

> deformatory accusations made by some anonymous

> malicious uninformed individual hideing behind his

> PC and who sounds like the sort of nonse I would

> not feel comfortable around my children. I am

> neither trying to do BB any favours nor urge

> people to go there (the fewer that go the easier

> it is for me to get seated) I just gave an honest

> opinion and followed it up with a more informative

> post following points raised by forum users. OK it

> was a bit press-like but thats one of the

> downsides of retirement-too much time on your

> hands. I have since learnt that they take bookings

> for parties of 8+ so that may be the best option

> for those who dont like to queue. Of course, that

> means you have to have at least 7 real life

> freinds-no good to Giddyaunt then.

>

> Giddyaunt-the only upcoming deal or promotion i am

> aware of is that I have heard that they are

> planning a special loners promotion night of

> pre-booked tables for one where they provide a

> space for your partner (PC). I understand that

> there will be life coaches and therapists

> available for advising saddoes on how to get more

> out of their pathetic lives. I will post you

> further details as soon as I know more. All the

> best.

Your true colours are emerging. How did you know on the 5th September about an Evening Standard review that wasn't published until today, the 6th September?

You are a deeply unpleasant person.

[Jeremy]

tomy Wrote:

-------------------------------------------------------

> when will writers reviewing restaurants/bars etc in Peckham

> find a more original and less cliched context to

> their piece

I agree, but it is understandable. People's opinions of Peckham won't change overnight, and for a long time it had very little going for it. Even though the Bellenden Rd area is now finally reaching its potential, first impressions for visitors arriving at Peckham Rye station are still pretty bad. These things take time.

[tomy]

Jeremy,

They do indeed - and I doubt Peckham Rye is the only place in London that gets this. I certainly don't expect or want people visiting (and reviewing) the area to ignore the not-so-salubrious bits. I just feel it's a lazy, default starting point for lots of what I read, and I wish I could read something a bit more imaginative.

Most importantly though, they gave the Begging Bowl the thumbs up. Which I think it deserves; there have undoubtedly been teething problems, but the food is delicious.

[annabel42]

BB We have seen the Evening Standard review on which congratulations. Would it now be possible to post the Southwark News review to which Ilk1963 refers?

[IJJ1963]

Giddyaunt- what is your problem? you were posting (mis-infomed and mis-understood) comments on the ES review 4 days ago! and a link to the article was placed on the forum by, unlike you, a usefull member (taper) this morning. Are you some sort of imbecile? Whats the next accusation you would like to make-that I work for the ES as well as the BB (hardly feasible given the state of my punctuation which you are at pains to point out)?

Annabel42 and Sue-sorry if you found offensive my response to some nasty, pernicious, malicious and defamatory accusations made against me by some spineless, anonymous loner hideing behind his computer but I was only saying here what I would happily say to his face. I posted an opinion on a new place at which I had eaten and found myself the subject of a vile, unprovoked attack by some sad, gutless weirdo-excuse me for being a bit cheesed off!

[Cassius]

I think the last statement of the ES review (although glowing) would explain why I'd stick to the Thai Corner Cafe - 'dinner and wine for 2 ?70 with tip'. Same at TCC (albeit with brought in wine) - mmm about ?20 max.

[annabel42]

Personally, I am a great fan of Tamnag Thai in Crystal Palace. No queuing, own table and magnificent food. Beautiful fresh tropical fruit salad.

[annabel42]

IJJI 1963 Please could you post the Southwark News review on this forum?

[annabel42]

As the Evening Standard review came out only today, I doubt whether Gidget would have been posting on it four days ago and I, for one, certainly did not see any posts by Gidget on that review. You did, however, on the 5th September refer on this forum, to the Evening Standard review, which appeared only today.

Would you care to answer Gidget's question as to how you knew yesterday what was going to be in the Evening Standard today?

[edcam]

If I had never been to East Dulwich I'd read this thread and think what a vile bunch of self-obsessed arseholes. With a few exceptions.

[maxxi]

IJJ1963 Wrote:

-------------------------------------------------------

>I am neither trying to do BB any favours nor urge

> people to go there

Earlier...

"my advice is to get down there

> before they start charging what they really should

> for cuisine of this standard."

A little later...

" it was really great value get

> down there before they realise they are

> underpricing themselves and put their prices up. I

> thoroughly recommend the place."

Well, shit man, I certainly felt urged.

[DulwichFox]

Not Urged...

Fox

[standswithfist]

antantant Wrote:

-------------------------------------------------------

> They just tweeted that the Evening Standard are

> coming to review tomorrow...

this was posted on the 31st Aug