Hadley House must have been in Wanstead for over a decade and was the first of a slew of restaurants that sprung up as the area evolved into a young professionals commuter base for London, as a result of which, it has inevitably acquired the suffix "Village".
It was always a solid local with a pleasant room from which to watch the high street action but the food somehow lost its way and a strange meal liberally strewn with sun dried tomatoes several years ago left us strangers. This no doubt led to the arrival of the new chef-owners, Jon Simister and Terence Hau and what a difference they make.
The menu is now threefold. A grill and specials menu during the week and an a la carte throughout. The inclusion of mutton and mackerel on the evening we visited offer excellent value for money and demonstrate a close understanding of ingredients and margins which ensures that they will make a fair return for their effort. We attacked steak from the grill with relish, that being a description of our pleasure rather than an accompaniment to the dish.
Desserts stood out. An Ice Cream Sandwich offered an artful combination of ice cream, wafers baked on the premises, cocoa jelly and tiny chocolate truffles whilst an Apricot and Almond Tart was pleasantly fragrant. This restaurant now leads the pack in this stylish suburb and comes warmly recommended.
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