The Village Kitchen

After visiting the VK on Saturday night for the umpteenth time, once again had a great night. Food was great, service was fine, waitress was pleasant and efficient. One comment: please bring back the home made bread and butter pud, it is the best i have ever tasted. On several occasions - not meaning to sound greedy - I have asked for another portion, it is that good, but then I have never had a bad dessert there anyway. Nice friendly lively atmosphere. Recommend 100%. I have never looked into prices as good has always been yum and enjoyed it so to me its fairly reasonable. I have had a lot worse food for a lot more money.
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ELLIE
Overall rating
Food 10 | Service 9 | Atmosphere 8 | Value for money 8
Tuesday, September 09, 2008

After not visiting this restaurant for a year I desperately wanted it to be good - especially as the excellent La Ruga trattoria down the road appears to have shut down.

I hate to say it, especially as I usually enjoy eating out pretty much anywhere, but the evening was very disappointing. Despite the restaurant not being full we were seated at the back next to the kitchen door. It was hot, far too brightly lit, and we could see the waiting staff arguing with the kitchen staff through the serving hatch.

We had to wait more than ten minutes before we were brought a menu. I was close to walking out. The waitresses seemed very sweet but the service was, at best erractic.

The food was less than average. I had an unpleasant livery tasting chewy steak, my partner had a fish dish of poor quaility.

Walthamstow is very short on good places to eat out, but I wouldn't eat here again.
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- View all reviews by this user
Overall rating
Food 3 | Service 2 | Atmosphere 1 | Value for money 4
Thursday, July 10, 2008

i went to this restaurant with two friends last night on a friends recomendation and it was superb. The service was great we were looked after the minute we walked in, our drinks all came on time and the waitress looking after us was very polite and considering they were very busy they did not leave us waiting for anything. the food was the best ive had for some time, for starters i had the asparagus wrapped in parma ham with rasperries which was a excellent combination then for mains i had the lamb marinated in red wine and fresh mint which was cooked to perfection.

I dont know about these other reviews but this resturant is one of the best that ive dined in considering i usually dine in the west. i recommend it to anyone, they also have a greek night coming up which i have made a booking for.
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thomas - View all reviews by this user
Overall rating
Food 9 | Service 9 | Atmosphere 8 | Value for money 8
Saturday, July 05, 2008

We went to the Village Kitchen last night and were a little disappointed.

Service was sporadic. The waitress took ages to bring our bread and olives and was a bit put out when we asked for them, explaining that of course they'd come before the starter. They did, by about a minute. We were constantly being asked if everything was OK, by three different waitresses, but then when we actually needed some service, it was hard to get. Once we did get attention, we'd then get someone else coming over a few seconds later. i.e. three waitresses serving us with no coordination between them whatsoever.

Food was pretty average. My vegetarian lasagna was undercooked and the monkfish my companions had was overcooked.

It was reasonable value (£15 for 2 courses), but we won't be hurrying back.
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Sarah, Walthamstow
Overall rating
Food 3 | Service 2 | Atmosphere 4 | Value for money 5
Tuesday, July 01, 2008

A group of us went there at the weekend after hearing good things about the restaurant. I was very suprised to see the restaurant quite empty considering I had only heard good reviews of the restaurant. Although we couldn't fault the service, the food was awful. Both my dishes came out luke warm and my friends all complained their dishes were bland and certainly not worth the money. Paid far too much for what was a very disappointing meal. Won't be going back anytime soon.
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Caroline
Overall rating
Food 0 | Service 5 | Atmosphere 5 | Value for money 0
Tuesday, May 27, 2008

I have to say how disappointed I was to have the worst meal I've ever eaten at the Village Kitchen last week. I have been to this restaurant many times previously and have always been happy with the quality of the food, so much so that I have recommended it to many local friends. However on my last visit the food was awful. I'm not sure the chef even tasted anything that sent to my table because it was disgusting. I ordered a goats cheese with diced vegetable for my starter and a butternut squash filled with mushrooms for the main course. The goats cheese was far too salty and the diced veggies were nearly raw then the butternut squash was the weirdest thing I've ever seen as a vegetarian main course. The mushrooms were half cooked and served inside of the squash which still had the skin and was impossible to eat. The dish was served with a tomato sauce which tasted like it was out of a bottle and an utterly disgusting combination with the rest of the food on the plate. I told the waiter how unhappy I was with my meal but instead of offering me a discount I was given a lemon tart to take home for dessert. Would you believe that when I tasted the lemon tart I had to spit it out because it tasted as if someone had substituted salt for the sugar in the recipe, making a salty lemon flavoured mess. I will never go back to the Village Kitchen and will go out of my way to tell other people to avoid it!
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Overall rating
Food 0 | Service 2 | Atmosphere 1 | Value for money 0
Tuesday, May 13, 2008

Went back to the Village Kitchen for the first for a couple of years, because I’d heard they had got it together again with the food. They have – but what a surreal evening!

Arriving at 9.30pm on a Saturday night we were told they were out of a couple of dishes ‘because it was so late’. Fair enough – but to be then informed that they were out of the first three wines on the wine list was pushing it, and then the piece de resistance – on ordering some sparkling mineral water we were told they were out of that as well! Couldn’t they nip over the road and buy a bottle of Pellegrino from the newsagent’s? Apparently not.

Despite being out of sea bass, red wine and mineral water they did manage to have kangaroo and parrot fish on the menu. As both are natives of Australasia only they must have been frozen, so instead we went for the specials – which were delicious. Calimari was tender and perfectly cooked, pork belly was sublime. And the apple and cinnamon tart was light and fresh. The American waitress too was accommodating and very apologetic about the missing items, and only a machine-made cappuccino let the evening down food-wise.

All in all it was a strange evening, and judging by the empty tables surrounding us the VK still has a way to go to shrug off the damage caused when it went rapidly downhill a couple of years ago.
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Mike Martin
Overall rating
Food 9 | Service 9 | Atmosphere 2 | Value for money 5
Monday, April 28, 2008

I have eaten in the VK on a number of occations and i have never had anything but friendly attentive service. The food is always top quality and reasonable priced. Its true that vegetarian options are limited but what there is is also excellent.

I would recommend this restaurant for a quiet meal or a larger group, in fact im taking some friends there tommorrow night.
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Barry
Overall rating
Food 8 | Service 9 | Atmosphere 9 | Value for money 8
Thursday, April 24, 2008

I have been to the VK twice. The first time we were put under the stairwell before I asked to be moved. No drinks offered and we had to wait a long time before they arrived. OK the food is good but not great. Veggies beware, only one dish.

Service (diy)

My wife however, enjoyed her meal regardless that the staff / service were below par for the price you pay. Anyway, we went back a second time more by chance than design, being in the area etc... . The service this time - Wednesday - was comically bad. Gordon R would have loved it. Slow, waitress not trained, ... late ordering, didn't clear plates way, filter coffee - unfiltered with bits, stale milk with the coffee fantastic, the couple on the next table stood up to pay at the bar after waiting forwever to pay... I wanted to stay longer and see what else they did, but it was 11.00 by then (we arrived at 8.45 and we only had two courses.....yes, it was everything you dream of in a good C4 food show.

Enjoy, but don't go if you are fussy.
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Steve
Overall rating
Food 7 | Service 1 | Atmosphere 7 | Value for money 5
Thursday, February 14, 2008

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