In praise of Eat 17

Being something of a food enthusiast, I have always felt lucky to have so many great restaurants and cafes within walking distance of my home here in E17. Orford Road in Walthamstow village in particular has several such eateries clustered together along a short stretch of the village high street. When I ask my fellow Walthamstow'ers to name their favourite local restaurant, the most common reply I get back is 'Trattoria La Ruga' which is undoubtedly deserving of it's high reputation. In recent months however, I have found myself repeatedly returning to 'Eat 17', just across the road, which is rapidly establishing itself at the number one spot in my own personal estimations.

The past few years have been a rather turbulent time for this particular establishment; since I have been resident here I have seen it transform from Thai place to Waffle kitchen, then incorporating the East London sausage company in an adjoining deli, and finally into it's present incarnation where it hopefully seems to have stabilised. The present format seems to work well; the old deli next door has been opened up and converted into a beautiful bar area where customers can come for drinks or to wait for a table to become free. This modification has given so much more light and space to the restaurant and really changed the whole atmosphere and ambience of the place.

But the one thing that keeps me coming back here time and time again is the food! Every meal I've had here has been superbly cooked not to mention great value for money. I love all the quirky presentation details: the handcut chips come served in a mini chip-fryer basket (see photo), the bread rolls individually baked in little metal pots, starters elegantly arranged on black slates or wooden boards. The staff also have always been immaculately well presented, polite and knowledgeable. So, my advice, go to Eat 17 and enjoy! Just make sure to book a day in advance!

Eat 17 is located at 28-30 Orford Road, Walthamstow E17 9NJ

You can check them out here: www.eat17.co.uk