Sheryl B.'s Profile

Traveling to London?  You'll love Kandy Tea Room @ 4 Holland Street in the Kensington area of London.  This simple, but tasty place is located about two blocks from the Kensington High Street tube station.  They have really good food....soups, quiche, pastries along with all kinds of traditional tea/scone/sandwich combinations.  The service is excellent.  It's a great place to kick back mid-day for a snack or meal while you are out and about seeing London.  If you are a traveler on a budget, don't miss having your British tea room experience here at Kandy Tea Room.  I'll definitely be going back again when I'm in London.

I live in Cambria and this is one of the places I go when I want to treat myself or celebrate someone else's special occasion.  Although it's rustic in nature, (I believe its a former lighthouse keeper's home) it has a simple charm.  They serve British fare....soups, salads, Ploughman's Lunch, etc., as well as various tea packages.  I usually get the Duchess Tea ($9.95) which comes with my choice of tea in my individual teapot, a delicious scone with devonshire cream and preserves, and a quartered tea sandwich.  There are several sandwiches to choose from.  Yesterday, I had the Harvest sandwich...a combo of dried cranberries and other delicacies which was perfect for the fall weather.  

I recommend reservations on the weekends as Cambria gets alot of Hearst Castle visitors stopping in town.  It can be quite busy.

This was the venue for my daughter's wedding in Sept. 2007.  Everything about it was wonderful....the staff, the gardens, large patio where we held the reception, etc.  The house itself lends a very personal touch to a wedding.  And it allows guests to sit in comfortable chairs (grandmas, etc.) if they are wanting to sit inside later following the ceremony when the music is playing.  At night the house is lit beautifully and it looked even more enchanting than I could ever envision.  This venue holds about 110 people max for a wedding.

The only drawbacks are that you have to rent most everything and have it brought in.  And you need to hire their recommended valet service.  Guests need to be prompt in arriving as this is a residential neighborhood and parking is limited.  The valet service they use did a great job.  

The music has to be turned off by 9:30 so this location is best for an afternoon or early evening wedding.

The photos I've posted were taken by shawn k photography, San Diego.  http://www.shawnkphoto...   He's great too.

This is an eatery where you get in line to order and then they bring the food to your table.  Excellent menu...there is something for the dieter and the extravagant diner as well.  I had spinach salad and a half portion of a chicken sandwich.  The grilled chicken breast was moist and tender.  I tried a bit of my daughter's cauliflower soup....excellent as well.

We ate outside on the patio under the umbrellas.  It was a quiet setting...perfect for a Sunday afternoon before driving out to watch the sunbathers jump off the rocks at Sunset Cliffs.

The location is a bit hidden.  You have to park in the large lot off Rosecrans and walk through the shopping area to the rear to find it.  But it's worth the walk and also very quiet for a peaceful dining experience.

Okay...now for my experience at the Spicy Pickle.  

I've been there twice and both times it's been good.  I didn't use a coupon or ask for anything extraordinary in the making of my sandwich.  I think their food is much more creative than Quiznos or Subway.  It's more on the order of Panera Bread in ingredients and style.  

Business seems to be strained by the slow economy (our kids who live in Poway told us this)...they've cut their hours and there was a sign that their prices have been raised and new menus will be printed soon.  

But I like eating here.

The owner was quite friendly and personable with our party of four.  A little old lady with a walker entered and he greeted her by name and told us later that she had a birthday recently and how everyone in the deli joined in in singing Happy Birthday to her on her special day.  

That being said, I can see how the owner would offend some people as he has a fairly outgoing personality and could seem opinionated.  My guess is that if you are pleasant and he isn't, you can try to encourage him with a compliment and see if that helps turn around his mood.  i think he is genuinely glad you are there, but he feels the pressure of making it in a bad economy.  While that's no excuse for poor customer service nor is it the customer's responsibility to cheer up management, it might just be your good deed for the day in response to the great food they serve.

I've noted that many Quiznos have closed in So. Cal in the past few months.  Sandwich shops must be taking a big hit.

This is our 3rd time here.  We stopped on a Monday afternoon at 2 and had lunch. Beautiful sunny day and we ate outside on the patio which overlooks the scenic sidewalk walkway above the beach.  The Avila Pier is in view from the outside dining areas.

I had an avocado BLT w/ a choice of several sides.  I chose potato salad.  My husband had a grilled chicken breast sandwich with a small green side salad.  Excellent food, large portions. We took leftovers with us.  The view is great from the outside dining area.  It was pretty quiet when we were there on a weekday afternoon and we got plenty of attention from our server.  On weekends, check to see if you can make a reservation.  It does get quite busy.

We've been attending church here since January.

This is a friendly place.  The first time we walked in the door, we were greeted with smiles and hellos several times before we got to our seats.

We love the contemporary worship music.  It really sets the stage for the rest of the service and focuses our minds on God's presence.

Pastor Ron is a genuine man with a giant heart for God.  He loves to reach out to those in need and is a great encourager.  He knows his Bible well and speaks in practical ways so that even someone who isn't familiar with the Bible can walk out and feel they've learned something.  You can tell he really believes what he's talking about and lives his faith to the fullest.  

If you are looking for a church or just curious, be sure to come to this church.  They have a Sat., 7PM service as well as 2 services on Sunday.

This is a great place, especially for families.  

Its casual and the food is fantastic (but not so healthy.)  They had great hot dogs and fries.  

They have a very large outdoor patio which accommodates strollers and small children very well.  And there is indoor dining as well.

Condiment service area is poorly placed so that people have to cut through the waiting line to get their toppings for burgers, etc.  It should be on another wall.

The only drawback is that you often have to wait in line on weekends.  It's very popular, but worth the wait.

Not a great experience.  Can be summed up in a few sentences.

Average food
Small portions (I know fondue portions are small, but for a group of 6, it was very small.)
Very over-priced and we realized the waiter made an error and charged us even more.  
Left feeling like we'd been "taken."

Not impressed at all and won't ever go to another one no matter where the location.

This is a great little window into the past.  The era of hometown diners with wood floors, etc.  If you love the 50's and 60's, you'll enjoy Gilley's.

My husband and I always enjoy going here when we're in the San Jose area.  Some of their entrees are better than others.  I think their breakfasts are the best...lunches less impressive.  But it's the atmosphere, pleasant service and homestyle food that make it so special.