Water House Restaurant

Many people in the neighborhood have been very pleased when the Water House opened and I have been 4 times at the beginning. The food is really delicious, but unfortunately the portions are small and it's totally over-priced for this area (Hackney). In fact, i can eat in the city in a Italian fine dining restaurant for less and will get much larger portions and wont have to pay for bread, olives and sides. Many neighbors/friends have been having the same experience. Nothing wrong with a pricey restaurant in the West End, but in Hackney? I wonder how well they will last ....
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Overall rating
Food 9 | Service 4 | Atmosphere 5 | Value for money 1
Friday, May 23, 2008

I visited with some work colleagues on a Tuesday afternoon. Have been to both Acorn House and Konstam and so the idea of another sustainable/social enterprise intrigued me not least because I'd read about it with mixed reviews.

Over all I'd heard poor reviews - not least AA Gill's stinging one recently so was primed for the worst.

Feel of the place is a little laid back - in amongst a Hackney/Hoxton housing association block, however you have to appreciate the sentiment. The building is partly run on solar power aswell as ground-source or canal-source heat pumps. It has that slighly industrial edge but is certainly not edgy. It has a nice terrace overlooking the canal, which on today's sunny weather would have been lovely. On this occasion is was half-full with a couple of lively tables, but wasn't really busy.

Starter of ricotta ravioli in a wine/butter sauce with fresh herbs was lovely - light, tasty moreish. The slight sourness of the ricotta complimenting the buttery sauce. Other starters looked huge and met equal success with colleagues

Main of pork belly with glazed baby carrots and onions was very good indeed. Moist tender meat, just a hint of very sweet fat, with divine light crackling and extremely tasty baby veg. Presented nicely and tasted better.

Coffee but no desert apart from a spoon of pepper ice-cream which was really interesting.

Prices are keen - but as I wasn't paying I didn't feel it. Starters from about £7 mains from £14

Downsides was the service - which was slow and shy/un-polished. Certainly not service with a smile, but given that this emulates the same 'eco-training' model at Acorn house by sourcing local youf it's perhaps somewhat understandable - this will come with time I'm sure. It's a young restaurant and given time I believe it can meet the same standards as it's sister restaurant.

All in all a pleasant experience and one to recommend.
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J
Overall rating
Food 9 | Service 5 | Atmosphere 6 | Value for money 7
Tuesday, May 13, 2008

I visited The Water House on a Sunday morning hoping to find myself a new breakfast/brunch spot in an area which badly needs one.

First impressions are not great, the restaurant is located within a new build housing block which seems to have been inspired by a prison. We arrived at half past twelve and the place was pretty much empty. Staff were very polite and even offfered to explain the menu to us, it seems quite obvious but perhaps this is now the done thing?

The choices are not brilliant, toast, pancakes, granola etc, it seemed to lack any sort of inspiration and was woefully inadequate compared to my hopes. I ordered a burger (lamb) and an orange juice. Having being informed that oranges were not in season I was offered a range of different juices; apple and pear being two which I was surprised by - surely not in season in April.

When the burger came it was a sorry looking thing, for £12 I had expected a mighty beast but was faced with a tennis ball sized piece of meat plonked in the middle of a huge (very dry) bun. The chips were very limp and each one seemed to have absorbed enough grease to have kept the restaurant frying for weeks.

The overall feeling was of a golden opportunity missed by a mile, the sister restaurant Acorn House is a superior offering, if only The Water House could match it.
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Thomas James
Overall rating
Food 3 | Service 7 | Atmosphere 7 | Value for money 4
Monday, April 07, 2008

This was the latest of several cafes and restaurants I'm trying breakfast at, in line with a general boom in eating breakfast out. Despite its website stating it opened at 8am for breakfast, my arrival at 8:20am seemed to catch staff off-guard and the sole waiter had to check with the kitchen before I was seated. I remained the only diner throughout.

On a sunny spring morning it's a delightful space, with views right onto the Regents Canal. In the surprising absence from the menu of eggs benedict (which all good breakfast menus should have), I ordered a five-item English breakfast, which came with baked beans and a mushroom instead of the bacon and black pudding I ordered. No filter coffee was available, so I ordered an Americano - which was undrinkable. The service was Gallic froideur personified. I was not bonding with the Water House.

But the food improved my mood. Good quality sausages, slightly overdone but very tasty; eggs, perfectly poached; rosemary potatoes, bacon and black pudding (when they arrived) all hitting the spot, although the bacon was a little too greasy. Toast and freshly pressed carrot juice were fine. The waiter eventually warmed up too, and by the time I paid the bill his formerly stoney face was yielding smiles and his manner had become friendly. And I wasn't charged for the foul coffee that I left untouched.

The Water House is relatively new, so teething problems are to be expected. This has the potential to become one of London's most appealing breakfast spots - the morning sun hits the space just right. But if they're going to bother serving breakfast they need to commit to it, do it propertly, get it right and then start telling people about it. I may go back and give it another chance, but only after it's had time to find its feet.
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Bel Ludovic - View all reviews by this user
Overall rating
Food 6 | Service 5 | Atmosphere 3 | Value for money 4
Thursday, April 03, 2008

I admit I was a little wary of eating at the Water House, given the talking up it has received as a primarily 'eco-friendly' restaurant. Not a bad thing from my point of view, I just wanted to escape the everyday round of recycling, composting & the car-free lifestyle I've been allotted. However, it actually appears to wear this mantle very lightly; sos much so you'd be forgiven for not noticing anything particularly eco-friendly once inside! It has a fresh and modern interior and the staff are very professional as well as friendly. The menu is fairly short & to the point & changes seasonally. It's not blow-you-away stuff, but the food was well-executed and very tasty (including duck confit with cardamom risotto, pork loin with aubergine, spaghetti with mussels). We had a really nice Austrian wine we don't often spot on restaurant menus which came in at a reasonable £22 & the pudding menu was interesting enough for us to find a little extra room. We'll be heading back to try out brunch with the kids; a terrace overlooking the canal should be a bonus in good weather & they told us they do pancakes! All-in-all a great new local restaurant in an area which doesn't boast many. Recommended.
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Overall rating
Food 7 | Service 9 | Atmosphere 8 | Value for money 8
Monday, March 03, 2008