Seems that Kirkdale’s has unfortunately bitten the dust. A double blow after the loss of The Loaded Dog. The way things are going pretty soon there won’t be anything left in Leytonstone!

Very sad to hear news that The Loaded Dog in Leytonstone is closing. This was a key music venue in the area and was widely respected as being one of the best small venues in East London. Just goes to show how, like many other long gone bits of Leytonstone High Road, if we take these places for granted, we risk losing them. I count myself among the guilty there as I never actually ventured into The Loaded Dog – kind of regretting that now.

The Your London Website carries hygiene ratings and reports  for food businesses across London. Ratings are based on the good old Amazon style star system, zero (very poor) to five (excellent). Looking at E11, there are quite a few surprises….

• The Walnut Tree (four stars)
• Costa Coffee in Tesco (four stars)
• McDonalds (four stars)
• Singburi (three stars)
• Golden Curry (three stars)
• Meze Patisserie (three stars)
• Elche (three stars)
• Petch Sayam (two stars)
• Star of India (one star)
• Chopsticks (no stars)
• Tesco Supermarket (no stars!)

Big shock there for Tesco – their staff canteen is rated at four stars by the way. Also a big shock to see Star of India, Waltham Forest’s Restaurant of the Year in 2005 rating so poorly. Hopefully those with lower scores have now addressed any issues raised.

In Wanstead, things seem to be somewhat better…

• The George (five stars)
• Applebees (four stars)
• Loon Yee (four stars)
• Gioberti (four stars)
• Starbucks (four stars)
• Hadley House (three stars)
• Somerfield (three stars)

For more info, visit the excellent http://www.yourlondon.gov.uk/.