So farewell then, Wanstead’s Green Fish restaurant.  Even though the blackboard outside still proudly advertises a £16.95 Sunday lunch special, there’s a “closed” sign on the window, and the decor is being removed. It’s a little over a year since the restaurant opened.
Soon to fill the Cambridge Park spot once occupied by Applebees is – wait for it – an Indian restaurant to be called Zainab (the name feeling perhaps a bit more E20 than E11?).
Fans of Indian restaurants in Wanstead are becoming slightly spoiled for choice. Nearby there’s Purbani, Cinnamon, 52Spice, Bipasha and The Lane, with the Tiffin Tin delivery mopeds never far from sight. Some might event think a bit more diversity in menu choices would be a good thing; the market however seems to be able to support the current number of players even though some rarely appear to overflow with diners.
One Wansteadium reader tweeted his reaction:
[blackbirdpie url=”https://twitter.com/#!/pvmullen/status/151430372872294402″]
Ironically, the Southend Echo seems to be hinting at a similar but slightly different situation there, as Robins Pie and Mash announces another branch there. Once councillor told the paper: “It is another pie and mash establishment. We already have one or two in the town.”
Suki Orange, Wansteadium’s food blogger, adds:
It’s always sad to see something you admire fail, so I’m sorry to see the Green go. But of course I wish Zainab well. I can’t help thinking, though, that from a customer’s point of view, we just don’t need any more choices for Indian restaurants in Wanstead. I know I’ve said it before, but what we could really do with is something a degree or two more mainstream – though with two restaurants closing in the past 18 months this does not appear to be the ideal spot. Â There’s clearly a demand for weekend lunches – just look at the Cuckfield on a Sunday after Desert Island Discs. Wanstead is brimming over with young families and not many places for them to eat comfortably together. At the risk of looking spurned, I’ll repeat my invitation to Strada. It’s a chain, yes, but it might be just want our menu needs.
Shame to see the green depart but it was over priced. Re strada probably better than most chains. But an independent restaurant is better provided it understands the market.
We dont need another Indian.
It would be better to have a Thai place or something a bit different. Incidentally, does anyone know what has happened to Cinnamon? It appears to be closed…hopefully just for Christmas….? It’s the best Indian in Wanstead!
Perhaps a Polish restaurant would be good?
Of course Wanstead doesn’tneed a chain, what a silly suggestion. So they undercut independents and they close down? Agree somewhere child friendly is needed.
Good, fresh, reasonably priced Italian would be good and couldn’t fail (along the lines of Carluccios). I appreciate we already have 2, but both are overpriced, and one is downright awful.
Or possibly a Thai. Or anything other than another Indian. They must be mad – the spot is not good and I give it a year. It will have to be very good indeed to get me out of 62Spice.
Used to really enjoy Fish On The Green, but Zainab is excellent – same people working there so great fish dishes with a difference as well as standard Indian favourites. Sunday buffet looked very tempting, but the whole spiced sea bream won out this time.
I think the choices of Indian restaurants in our neighbourhood is a positive. Zainab is pretty darn good.. 2nd best in Wanstead after the Lane IMO. Haven’t tried the new Thai yet and never been to the Vietnamese next to the George.. Just always think if I’m considering one of those, or a Chinese: “why, when I could have a curry instead?”