The Misty Moon is just another one of Bethnal Green’s uninspired drinking holes that comes complete with a rather staid English vs Thai food menu.

The Venue
The Misty Moon is a tidy collection of pub cliches - it bonds a Wetherspoon aesthetic with... not much else unfortunately. Insanely bright chandeliers swing from the ceiling and try to compete with the fruit machines in the battle to attack your retinas first. Beyond this there is nothing outstanding about this pub. Oh, there is a dado rail that runs throughout, breaking up the large expanse of wall, giving way to the different decorative finishes - murky green below and depressingly boring beige above. Nice.

The Atmosphere
Most must come to the Misty Moon out of habit because having already counted out the venue as a possible reason to return, the atmosphere doesn't seem to be helping. There is no music, and even though the pub is often fairly full, it's usually quiet – that is until the silence is broken by the sound of a Popeye-voiced man ranting about the number of plasma screens there are hugging the walls. There are three and they are the best things about this pub - a clear view can be had from almost any angle.

The Food
A look at the menu in the Misty Moon and things start to get interesting. It is split, half and half. On one side there is a good long list of Thai dishes and on the other side under the title English food there is a list of, well, English food: fish and chips, sausage and chips, sandwiches and Sunday Roast. Surely there has to be a better list of English food to try to compete with the Thai dishes? Not here sweetheart. So, when it comes to actually eating the food the English is no match for the Thai - the chicken padang is pleasant and has fresh lime zest on it.

The Drink
The spirits are lined up in front of a mirror behind the bar and every one of them has its own cheaper twin, so if you want vodka you might choose Smirnoff, or if you're a little strapped for cash you could try Grant (how very Eastenders). With the financial markets in such a crazy spin it’s important to remember the old maxim, 'a penny saved is a penny earned'. The offers don't stop there either. The most expensive draught lager is just £2.60 a pint.

The Last Word
If you can stand the dullness of the Misty Moon then you can revel in the cheap pints and beautiful views - of plasma screens - from any angle.

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