Conveniently close to the bus and tube stations at Walthamstow Central, At 216 High St, the China Ocean Buffer Restaurant has until recently offered an all you can eat buffet from Sunday to Thursday for £4.99* , with children's meal for youngsters under 120cm tall at £3.49* and children under five being catered for at £1.49*. (*Drinks not included).

For those who wanted to order à la Carte, or dine on Friday or Saturday, they could choose from a wide range of mains and starters, including mussels in sake, stuffed crab claws, squid in ginger and spring onions and curry tofu, as well as all the usual Chinese food one expects from a modern take-away in the UK: 'special fried rice', crispy aromatic duck (1/4 duck £5.90, whole duck £19.99, including pancakes, cucumber, spring onion and hoi sin sauce), sweet and sour ribs, chicken with cashew nuts, Singapore chow mein etc. China Ocean has the capacity to cater for larger groups and parties and will negotiate a discount rate on a 'buy 10 get one free', basis.)

As they say in their window, 'Why Cook?', when you can call (Tel)020 85206622. Well, the answer to that question is an interesting one. To my mind it includes taking into account the possibility that eating out in a filthy restaurant can kill. No-one as far as I know has died eating at the China Ocean, but that may be because the restaurant was recently shut down before they had a chance to do that to one of their hapless customers. The delicious ribs were found along with rice and noodles being stored at room temperature on “filthy cardboard” while bluebottle flies and cobwebs were spotted where the food was kept. Magistrates handed down an emergency hygiene prohibition order on June 19, meaning the restaurant must remain closed until it is brought up to standard. They also ordered £635 costs to be paid.

China Ocean is across the alley from Sweets & Treats, and next door to By Design. The other main oriental 'buffet' restaurant on the High Street, Tropical Taste, near St James Street Station, is slightly larger, and has a wider variety of cuisines on offer. For people who need a traditional Chinese take-away fix there is also Wong Chung on Blackhorse Road.

[Updated 22 June 2009]