The Tiroler Hut, Bayswater

27 Westbourne Grove, Bayswater, London, W2 4UA

Oh my, The Tiroler Hut is SUCH a random place. Located entirely underground, this Austrian-themed restaurant is, well, just a bit bonkers really, with waiters and waitresses decked out in traditional outfits and red and white checked material as far as the eye can see.

It's chirpy and welcoming in here, and you can pop in for a huge beer or a Jägerbomb at the bar, or make a night of it and devour some 'Gulasch' or 'Wienerschitzel' in the restaurant, followed by a yummy pastry. But whatever you do, you'll have a blast.

Cosy rating: 8/10 - Very low beamed ceilings - it is a cellar after all - and the walls are plastered with photos of celebrity visitors.
Secret rating: 5/10 - Tourists love it, so do book if you want to stay and eat. That said, the tourists do appear to be confused by the theme - I overheard a table of New Zealanders trying to decide between American and Russian...
Best bits: Hearty Austrian food and live music most nights - although I have yet to witness this I've heard rumours that it involves a cowbell.
Worst bits: The prices. Be warned, it's a fiver for a Dortmunder beer in here (or at least it was for us), and that wasn't even one of their renowned massive steins. Though, to be fair, it was a delicious pint, served in an ice-cold frosted glass tankard.

VOC bar, King's Cross

Potions and punch at VOC

I've worked in King's Cross for a few years now, and I've known this tiny bar in the Regents Quarter 'zone' to have undergone at least a couple of makeovers in that time. Its previous incarnation was as 'Cellar N1', a nice enough little cocktail bar, which sadly never really found its feet.

The latest occupant - and let's hope it's here to stay - is VOC bar, which describes itself as a modern day interpretation of a 17th Century Punch House, inspired by the Dutch East India Company - or Vereenigde Oost-Indische Compagnie - hence VOC. Crikey, that's a niche and a half.

But actually, niches work quite well in this tucked away part of King's Cross, with Bar Pepito a couple of doors down, specialising in sherry, doing very well indeed. VOC similarly seems to be establishing itself quite nicely since it opened last summer, and my apothecary-style bottle filled with a 'raspberry shrub' cocktail (apparently 'bottle matured' for at least 7 days) went down very nicely (and easily) indeed.

There's seating outside, but bag yourself the sofa, tucked away corner or the mezzanine snug and swig your grog like it's 1606.

Cosy rating: 6/10 - really quite tiny with a couple of sofas and secluded corners. We were there before 7.30pm so I'm sure cosiness would increase as it got darker outside.
Secret rating: 7/10 - Regents Quarter is like a mini-maze, and despite some great reviews it was easy to get a table.
Best bits: Really unique booze, pretty candles (this is the 17th century, after all...!) and service with a smile.
Worst bits: Definitely not 17th Century prices (around £8 on average - if you paid that in the 1600s that would equate to about £4,000 in today's money...!). Music was *just about* quiet enough for a decent natter.