Empressive Dining

This page is dedicated solely to the best restaurants and bars that I have had the pleasure of dining in or visiting on my Empressive travels.



My first experience comes from a wonderful experience that I had recently thanks to a new channel 4 show to be aired May 2013.
The premiss was to see if it's at all possible to get things for free in the local area. Luckily for me i live in a very affluent and popular area in Woodford and there are a number of restaurants and coffee shops.

My challenge was to approach the manager of different restaurants and coffee shops and ask for a free lunch, to my surprise, all the places i entered were so accommodating and helpful and i ended the day with not one but 4 free lunches.
The first place up was the local chippy...shock horror you may be thinking but actually it's the most perfect chip shop in the world.

So let me lovingly introduce you all to.... 
                     
George's Souvlaki Bar
                              
164 George Lane, South Woodford, London E18 1AY  Tel: 020 8989 3970

So this place is amazing...yes on the outside its a regular chip shop but what you need to know is the magic that happens once you enter.

First you are met by the Empressively handsome manager George and his great staff.

George immediately makes you feel at home and welcome, and as you make your order he cracks jokes and makes it all the more pleasurable...great customer service is hard to come by!
So George kindly listens as i ramble on about my quest in search of a free lunch, at first (maybe he felt sorry for me) offering me only a free bag of chips! All the while im buzzing because regardless I've completed the challenge, in my eyes a bag of chips is still a free lunch. However George being the gentleman that he is, offers me some grilled chicken and asked what drink i would like;with me being cheeky & trying to make this worth my while i order my fave..a glass of Rose...RESULT! Now i have a full free lunch...what i wasn't expecting though was the gorgeousness of what i was about to receive.

I mean that in every sense of the word, this restaurant is NOT just a regular chippy but an exquisite dining spot with fabulously delicious food served and presented so elegantly, you pretty soon  forget that out front you can get your Fish & Chips to takeaway wrapped in paper.


I was escorted to my seat by Kostas, a cute little Greek man with bundles of personality and pizazz, he was very courteous and brought me a Large glass of Rose after passing a cute little bar situated between the front shop & the restaurant in the back.The décor of this restaurant is breathtaking and I was so surprised to see how beautifully done up it was, gorgeous sparkly chandeliers that hang perfectly above as you dine, soft leather seating in a creamy white colour that complement the chandeliers. Dark floors, walls & furniture make it very rich and warm, accompanied by two great and grand mirrors, its such a romantic and intimate space. The feeling of luxury & opulence pours over you and i actually felt like I was under dressed in my sneakers and purple hair...LOL I think a sparkly gown would suffice to suit the décor.

Stunning Chandelier

Luxury Interior

Warm & inviting decor
Then my food followed shortly....
Now remember, I was only expecting some chips and a piece of grilled chicken but what appeared was this jaw dropping plate of green salad filled with so much flavour (I could've eaten that alone and still been happy), accompanied with the grilled chicken skewers, plate of fresh piping hot fat chips, and some pitta bread. I was so shocked at the presentation, taste & efficiency of the food that I am already planning my next visit. The kicker is...it was all free, & because George was so gracious and welcoming in assisting me with this challenge that I have agreed to make Georges Souvlaki Bar the first Restaurant review on Empressive Me, to be honest after tasting the food even if I HAD paid for it I would've still done this review as it's well deserved.

My gorgeous & delicious meal...it was soooo good!
This has to be my most favourite dining experience and the food was so good that i cannot deny i will be making many more trips to Georges. I'm a very fussy eater and I don't really eat out much because of this, but Georges has changed my perception, and now I am more confident and up for trying new food and restaurants.
If you are looking for a unique and affordable night out or dining experience then please take a trip to lovely South Woodford and try out this great place. Its affordable and on a Tuesday evening its Buy one get one free, so its definitely worth having a pop in with a few friends, & its also very family friendly, the customer service alone is worth 5 stars. The décor and friendly staff makes it all the more special and I promise you will NOT be disappointed.

For more info, menu's & contact information please visit: http://www.georgesfishbar.co.uk/

George & Staff @ Georges Souvlaki Bar in South Woodford
Left: Kostas - Waiter    
Middle: Jess -Counter Staff
Right: George - Owner




Lily's Indulgence...

 

Now this review is a continuation of the above & the challenge set by Channel 4 is still in effect but i came across the cutest little coffee shop further along the road called Lily's Indulgence.
Being a lover of cakes, biscuits and sweets this place is for anyone who has a sweet tooth.

                         

Lily's Indulgence in South Woodford

Bundles of choice & healthy options
 The shop is very cosy and inviting, with pink coloured walls and motifs, art deco style mirrors and dark wood furniture, its very appealing.  Behind the large glass cake filled counter, large mirrors add to the décor and the lighting is just perfect, an ideal place to sit back and enjoy the atmosphere and the alluring aroma of fresh coffee.
 

Sue, the lovely owner of the shop again  agreed & offered me a free lunch, not a being one to turn it down i took her up on her offer & she promptly arranged for me to get a cheeky cup of Hot Chocolate & some cake. And now with the snow slowly starting to fall on this glorious day i was so pleased and happily welcomed the hot chocolate.

My warm & creamy hot cocoa and slice of cherry cake


As most coffee shops offer a place of solace for some people to work and relax. Lily's is no different, its very tranquil and i saw a number of people situated all around, busy but not crowded at all. The large space allows for you sit and have your own little piece of Lily's without the worry of the hustle & bustle of the lunch time crowd or children.

Really lovely staff at Lily's Indulgence

Lily's would make a great meeting place for small non formal meetings or gatherings, and appears to be a great place to study or work from. The customer service is excellent and i really enjoyed the banter Sue provided, she made me feel at ease and even when i asked her for the free lunch she didn't at all make me feel uncomfortable in fact she made me feel like i had known her for years when in actuality i had just met her! This is why i love South Woodford, the people have a great sense of community spirit and are willing to help local residents, if asked nicely.
Some grown up cakes & pastry's...hmmm lots of cream!
 They have a great menu covering everything from cakes & cookies to Paninis & baguettes. So i would recommend this place to anyone for breakfast & lunch.
The menu appears to have a wide variety of choices and healthy options are available too, as i spied a lovely lady receiving her order of what looked like a cheese salad panini laid out to perfection, and it almost made me feel like ordering one myself.
Some gorgeous looking cupcakes
Lily's is very family friendly and looks to be a popular choice amongst Mums after picking up the kids from school, as you can probably see why...what a selection! Its also a great place to meet local residents as there were two ladies sitting in there as we filmed then i saw them later on in the day  near my house and they were so sweet, made me feel like a neighbour.

So overall i would recommend this place to anyone looking for a place to fulfil all your sugar desires or just looking for a local spot to relax and read or study, as i mentioned before its a great place to take the kids and treat them as well as indulging yourself in something naughty!!!

107B George Lane, South Woodford, London E18 1AN
Tel:020 8989 7446





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