ROMFORD
Gingham Kitchen

Gingham Kitchen

5 Stewards Walk, RM1 3RJ, ROMFORD, United Kingdom

Cafés • Kebab • Asiatic • Kitchen


"Went to a nearby cafe in the centre for breakfast, but after sitting 10 mins and not approached by any staff I cut my losses and left. Thought I’d be on to a sure fire winner here as cafe was busy, and usually has been anytime I’ve past before, plus it does look clean and stylish. Approached for my order pretty much straight away, fancied a breakfast roll and a black tea, pretty straightforward you’d think. Out comes a milky tea which I just accepted even though I’m not keen on the taste. Was really hungry by now, but my roll was taking ages, then again most tables were taken so assumed kitchen was busy hence the delay so fair enough. I started to get a bit suspicious after about 25 minutes or so when I noticed food coming out to tables who ordered after me, but I didn’t have the time to reorder as I had a lot of errands to get done, so off I trotted hungrier and thirstier than ever as I couldn’t drink much of the tea. So unfortunately my experience was really poor, perhaps they struggled with my accent to end up with the situation. However, the place is busy and the plates of food that were coming out looked well cooked and were decent sized portions. The waitresses were pleasant enough, and one of them did realise there’d been an error when I went to pay as I was leaving and did offer to take my order. Overall I think I was just unlucky as it seems to be popular with the locals. Next time I’m in the area though will give it a miss and try somewhere else."

Kervansaray

Kervansaray

160 Balgores Lane, ROMFORD, United Kingdom

Kebab • Kitchen • European • Vegetarian


"There’s now an inviting bar area where guests can enjoy drinks if they arrive a bit early. The bathrooms have also been elegantly decorated with beautiful crystal stones. I particularly enjoyed the iconic photos of legends like Elizabeth Taylor, Audrey Hepburn, and Marilyn Monroe—a delightful touch! It’s clear that a lot of thought went into the planning of this restaurant, making it a resounding success. The new leather seats are comfortable, and the stylish chairs, paired with Turkish lanterns providing pleasant lighting, enhance the atmosphere. The redesigned menu includes not only terrific food options but also an impressive wine list featuring new cherry and large wine glasses. Everything has been carefully curated to create a five-star dining experience. While the prices for food and wine have increased, we really enjoyed their Turkish white wine, which was delicious and still reasonably priced. The dishes we tried were fantastic as usual, especially the lamb döner served with a generous selection of salads and rice. The eggplant with béchamel sauce was simply delightful! There was just a minor hiccup regarding table spacing; they are a bit close together, which could be slightly uncomfortable. However, I’m sure they’ll address this issue. Living in Gidea Park, we have a variety of Mediterranean and Turkish restaurants around us, but this one is definitely the standout in the area. The downside is that word has gotten around, so reservations are a must unless you’re lucky enough to get a table. I must say, the staff are excellent and do their best to accommodate everyone. Conveniently located near Gidea Park station, this place was always bustling, and I can only imagine it becoming even busier in the future due to the quality of food and reasonable prices. It's a bit disappointing for us locals who wanted to keep it a secret! Speaking of the staff, Vera always welcomes us with such warmth and a beaming smile, along with the rest of the team who are a joy to interact with. They truly strive to provide top-notch service. This restaurant is perfect for couples, families, or groups, but if you’re seeking a quiet, candlelit setting, this may not be the place for you. Kervan Kitchen has a cozy atmosphere, stylish decor, fantastic food, and everything is offered at a very reasonable price. We won't wait long before returning. What a fantastic addition to the Gidea Park, Romford, and Hornchurch area!"

Zizzi

Zizzi

UNIT FR5-7 The Brewery, RM7 9, ROMFORD, United Kingdom

Pizza • Pasta • Cheese • Seafood


"No complaints from me! The food was delicious and importantly it was nice and hot. I used to be a chef in a 5 Marriott hotel and I enjoyed the meal. These are just some constructive comments for you to consider: Just a tiny little bit of greenery in the form of some salad leaves etc, served with the calamari would be a beautiful touch. The calamari itself was wonderful but… Very ”same-ish” and repetitive. Just break it up a bit with something else (a tiny amount) on the plate. It’s an 8 starter approx and you can do that without massively denting your margins. the seabass main dish that we both had… We thought was fantastic… So well done to chef Luke! Personally, I also appreciate the generous touch of providing me with a few more potatoes. I am a one diabetic and I know when I looked at the plate having injected, the very small amount of potatoes that were originally provided would not be enough for me…. So again I appreciate our lovely waitress Liga and Chef Luke combining to bring a more normal portion of the same potato dish so that I could eat it with my meal. Finally we were first seated in a booth… But unfortunately this was right underneath one of the speakers that played music. I asked the first waitress that had seated us if the music could be turned down. She told me that unfortunately she had no control over the music level. I think this needs to be changed as in the end we had to be moved… Music should be distinctly in the background and not invading your meal experience.It was too loud and also in my opinion not gentle but way too lively… We had come for a meal not to a nightclub! These are just constructive feedback points that I hope you will take in the spirit that they are intended. Our waitress was Liga. Now she is an absolute asset to your company… she went out of her way to accommodate us helped us to move tables when the music was too loud and sourced the extra potatoes for me for my main course. What I liked about Lea was that she treated us like individuals… Not just a number. She was personable and professional throughout a great ambassador for Zizzi And she deserves to be recognised for this. She made the meal experience the best it could be. Thanks Liga from Latvia The food tasted great. I’ve only given three stars rating to the atmosphere as the music didn’t help and there was I think only two other tables in the whole restaurant with us so it was a neutral atmosphere during that time. But we both enjoyed it and we will be back. Happy to discuss if you have any other Qs. Regards, Kevin p.s. not on your list below but we both highly recommend the Sea Bass dish. Perfecto !"