Food & Drink 3.5
Service 1.5
Atmosphere 2.5
Value 2.5
Whilst no one could deny the food at The Easton is mostly delicious (apart from my friend who had such a fatty bit of pork even the staff agreed it looked awful and she wasn't charged for her meal) the set up on a Sunday is confusing at best, rigid at worst.
My veggie mushroom and leek pie with roast potatoes and carrots was delicious and just the right amount. In fact they were some of the best roast tatties I have had in a while and the complimentary bowl of potatoes for the babies was a nice touch. The various meaties (lamb, pork belly or beef) feedback was varied from delicious, to not enough, to not great at all to ‘what no yorkshire pud?’.
Don't be fooled by the Easton's cosy, homely, good looking appearance, this isn't a relaxed nor particularly welcoming affair on a Sunday, it's a sit down restaurant no more no less. Don't try and order drinks at the bar…it's forbidden. Don't go with friends with kids, they're not really welcome (made clear by the lack of high chairs and lack of space). Don't go with a large group – it's just too much for the staff.
As far as The Easton are concerned It's as simple (in their eyes) as this: It's a restaurant on a Sunday, so treat it as such please – it's not a pub.
If some of you want to sit there for 6 hours drinking fine red wine getting a bit sloshed in the corner and others just want to join for a meal, it's just not the place for you, go to The Royal Inn in Victoria Park (moody staff but ultimately super relaxed). The Easton is only suitable if you are arriving and leaving altogether, meticulous about working out and paying for exactly what you have had, or all so well off you can divide the bill and not mind your 1 pint cost you 2 bottles of excellent wine…
If you are a large group of 20+ willing to share £500 of your finest pounds for a delicious relaxed Sunday lunch go somewhere less stressful (like Eat 17 in Walthamstow village for, arguably, London's best Sunday roast and service with a rare smile; The Charles Lamb in N1 or The Spurstowe in E8).
By all means try the Easton, just ideally in a group of 4 and just tread with caution. We, however, won't be back, thrice bitten twice shy.