IT MIGHT be somewhat of a cliché, but you do tend to get what you pay for in life.

With that in mind, I headed to the Village Kitchen hoping to be impressed.

Two of my companions had been before and assured me that although you will pay more here than at most eateries in Walthamstow, you definitely get value for your money in terms of the food.

We went on a balmy Thursday evening, and it became obvious the nice weather had lured people out of their homes with similar intentions because even when we arrived after 8pm, the restaurant was still relatively busy.

Disappointingly and despite having made a reservation, we were seated at the back, away from the spacious area by the windows.

This section of the restaurant, probably intended to resemble the charming atmosphere of the front, had an unfinished appearance reminiscent of an upscale diner.

The only compensation was our ability to keep an eye on the vibrant open kitchen.

Fellow diners consisted of other groups of adults and couples, as the atmosphere of the Village Kitchen does lend itself nicely to a romantic meal for two.

The decor isn't too busy, the staff are friendly without being overly intrusive, with tables sufficiently spaced to offer plenty of privacy for whispering little niceties.

Visiting in midweek meant we were able to take advantage of the restaurant's set menu offering two courses for £17.50.

We passed up on the bread and olives (£3) while pondering our options, and ordered drinks from the bar.

Two bottles of Peroni beer (£2.75 each), a Coke (£1.55) and a glass of rosé (£3.65) added £10.70 to the bill.

And although the beer was slightly tepid, you couldn't otherwise argue with those prices.

The menu seems to change quite regularly, and we were given a choice of about eight starters and a similar number of mains.

Despite its warm and welcoming atmosphere, the Village Kitchen may not be a hit with children as it is definitely posh nosh' with fish fingers and chips nowhere to be seen.

The selection of starters was plentiful, three of the group were swayed by the leek and potato soup with homemade bread. An excellent choice, which did not disappoint, the soup was green, creamy and tasty.

One observation was the absence of butter to go with the bread, which may actually have been a bit much considering the soup was rather rich and filling.

The remaining member of our party opted for the warm potato and sun-dried tomato salad with melon; an interesting combination, but one that he felt worked well.

For the two vegetarians a limited list of mains could have proven problematic.

However, both seemed more than happy with what they ordered.

While they battled with their marinated polenta and gnocchi, the two carnivores tucked into some very tender and tasty rare' beef with dauphinoise potatoes and green beans.

The meat was plentiful and perfectly done, but for someone with an insatiable appetite like me, more vegetables would have been appreciated.

The near-empty plates and satisfied looks indicated that the non-meat eaters had thoroughly enjoyed their meals.

Certainly everyone seemed sated, and were happy to wave away the dessert menu without any regrets.

Overall, the food was lovely, albeit vaguely evocative of a fancy home-cooked meal, and would definitely get my recommendation.

However, if you do book, make sure to ask for a table at the front.

THE VILLAGE KITCHEN,
41 Orford Road,
Walthamstow.
Tel: 020 8509 2144