The Village Kitchen

My first visit to village kitchen and was a little taken aback with the combination of flavours for the main courses......sea bass with passion fruit beurre blanc, venison with ginger bread ice cream, something with a strawerry chive coolis. However, by all accounts the venison/ice cream combo worked and it's always good to see something different/interesting on a menu.

Starter of wild mushrooms with almonds and spinach was simple and tasty, followed by a main of duck breast (slightly chewy), beetroot (too vinegary) and pak choi. Although slightly disappointing, it was nevertheless tasty and well executed. My wife had a great french onion soup to start and rack of lamb (perfectly cooked and nice and soft) with a sweet potato dauphinoise i'd like the recipe for.

Generally, a good meal, with friendly staff, good service, relaxed atmosphere. Would certainly return and recommend a visit
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Overall rating
Food 7 | Service 8 | Atmosphere 7 | Value for money 7
Sunday, January 20, 2008

My fiancee and I have now been to the Village Kitchen twice since moving to E17, and both times have walked away saying what a good evening it had been - the food, atmosphere and service were all first rate and we will going back. I had monkfish fishcakes to start (very nice), lamb shank in Morrocan chickpea and aubergene sauce (tasted homecooked I thought) and my old favourite a creme brulee. Overall, I couldn't really fault it, and based on my experience I'm extremely surprised at some of the reviews below, which is why I am writing this. I can't exactly call myself a regular in the Village Kitchen, but as someone who dines out alot, I think this place is really rather nice and on a par with any of the restaurants visited in Islington where I lived before. And both times (both saturday nights at about 8pm) it has been full.
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Neil, Snaresbrook
Overall rating
Food 9 | Service 9 | Atmosphere 8 | Value for money 8
Saturday, January 12, 2008

I went to the Village Kitchen just over a week ago and I had a spectacular meal. Not only that, but the ambiance, the staff attentiveness and basically the whole experience was great. I live in the West Mids and was down visiting friends, in Walthamstow, over the New Year. They go the Village Kitchen quite often and suggested that we go there as part of our night out. There were 7 of us in all and we had a superb evening. The place was very busy and the service was spot on. I don’t claim to be a connoisseur of wines, but I do like the odd tipple, plus I know a little. I thought that they had a great choice of wine, at reasonable restaurant prices, and they were very helpful with our choices.

It’s interesting to read the disparity in the reviews on here. Like the last guy said…all restaurants have bad days, i.e. staff sickness etc…maybe that was the case.

I eat out a lot, especially in Birmingham, and I wish they had a restaurant up this neck of the woods!!!

Dan
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Dan
Overall rating
Food 10 | Service 9 | Atmosphere 9 | Value for money 10
Saturday, January 12, 2008

I can't believe these reviews are for the same Village Kitchen that i have visited.

Some reviews seem like the same person has written them.

I have also visited this restaurant on numerous occasions and was last there on News Years Eve and had a fantastic time. The food was lovely and the staff friendly which has always been the case. I am taking a few friends there for my birthday very soon.
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Frank Haughey
Overall rating
Food 9 | Service 8 | Atmosphere 8 | Value for money 9
Friday, January 11, 2008

Is this the same VILLAGE KITCHEN as I have dined at on numerous occasions?

It can't be, All restaurants have bad days, but I've always found the food in this restaurant to be delicious, the staff attentive and enthusiastic and the atmosphere buzzing. My one minor gripe would be that maybe the sevice upstairs (which I assume is where they seat larger parties) could be a bit quicker, but on a busy night surely that can be excused?

Which begs the question, How can different people have such differing views on the same place? THE ANSWER- don't take too much notice of reviews, good or bad and make your own mind up.!!!!
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JUSTIN HANNANT
Overall rating
Food 9 | Service 8 | Atmosphere 9 | Value for money 9
Thursday, January 10, 2008

A group of 10 friends and I went to the Village Kitchen in E17 for a friends birthday. I have to say that it is the worst dining experience I have ever had. The starters were stone cold, the champagne cocktails tasted like Ribena. When the main meal finally arrived about 2 hours after we sat down, they were all stone cold. I sent my pasta back to be reheated, it came back lukewarm. The side dishes came out about 15 minutes after the mains, also stone cold and the mash tasted old and was extremely lumpy.

We tried to complain but the manager refused to come to the table and just kept passing messages to us via the waiter.

In the end a friend had to go downstairs to find him. When he finally came up to the table he said that he was trying to have dinner with his girlfriend and "didn’t need this cr*p". I was astounded by this awful customer service and will never be going back to VK ever again. My friend, who's birthday it was, was offered a free meal as compensation if she wanted to return but to be honest I don’t think she'd waste her time.
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Overall rating
Food 1 | Service 3 | Atmosphere 2 | Value for money 0
Monday, December 10, 2007

I dont know what the bad reviews are all about, me and a group of 10 mates went to the village kitchen for the first time on Saturday and we thougt it was fantastic. We are now a big fan and will be back. I had a fillet of beef which came with wild mushroom and wilted spinach, the beef just melted in my mouth and the jus and the wild mushroom were orgasmic. My friend had a seabass which had all these funny coloured oils, which to be fair just complimented the dish!
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mike garcia
Overall rating
Food 10 | Service 9 | Atmosphere 8 | Value for money 8
Tuesday, December 04, 2007

........great service, yes

........pretty decor, yes

........good drinks selction, yes

........food. Dull, uninteresting, bland and over priced........... 1/10 for vegetarian menu.
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Overall rating
Food 2 | Service 6 | Atmosphere 5 | Value for money 2
Wednesday, November 21, 2007

I went there for as friends Birthday recently and I can safely say that this was the worst meal I have ever had. The cocktails just tasted watered down, I had never tasted a cosmopolitan that did not have any kick at all. I ordered the scallops with a burger (!) to start. When it arrived it contained only one grossly overcooked scallop. The staff ignored our initial complaints; everyone got their starters at different times. Our main courses took an age to arrive and when they did my fondant potato had a strong taste of a day old potato. The £3 portion of mash (we finally got 20mins after half the table had their mains) was cold and lumpy and also has the taste of an old potato. My fillet steak was supposed to be stuffed with truffles... when we enquired where it was (there was no evidence even in taste) we were laughed at by the waitress. When the Birthday girl asked for her steak to be cooked a little more she didn't get it back to 20 mins. It as the stuff of a comedy sketch show. I have to say i will never go to this restaurant again. I believe this could benefit from a visit from Gordon Ramsey... this was honestly a kitchen nigtmare.
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Lorla - View all reviews by this user
Overall rating
Food 1 | Service 0 | Atmosphere 0 | Value for money 0
Monday, November 19, 2007

A few weeks ago we booked out the Village Kitchen for our wedding reception, and it was great. We agreed a menu with the chef (who then cooked a sampler version for us to try before agreeing it), and the management were very helpful with all the organisation, seating plans and decorations etc. On the night, the food and service was excellent - friendly and efficient. We were so glad we went for this option rather than a traditional "wedding venue" place. Many thanks to Aga and her team for all their efforts.
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Louise Symons
Overall rating
Food 9 | Service 9 | Atmosphere 9 | Value for money 8
Friday, October 19, 2007