A quick lesson in lunch

Arnold Circus, with its raised bandstand in the central garden, is the core of the Boundary Estate - originally 'model' housing for Bethnal Green slum-dwellers constructed by Victorian philanthropists at the beginning of the 20th century.

The handsome building that housed Rochelle School on Arnold Circus has been turned into studios for artists, designers, photographers and the like. In the former playground is the kitchen for the catering company Arnold and Henderson - Nose to Tail Eating, where tables have been added for weekday lunches.

Melanie Arnold and Margot Henderson both worked with their husbands, Jon Spiteri and Fergus Henderson, at The French House Dining Room in Soho before they launched the outside catering company in 1996.

To try their cooking - unsurprisingly, agreeably in tune with the spirit of St John - and perhaps plan a party, dinner or do, you can ring on the doorbell marked Canteen by the gates to the school any time between 11am and 3pm from Monday to Friday, or ring to book for lunch.

I went with my sister, Beth, last week and we squashed onto the end of a long table filled with bods from the studios opposite who, armed with their own bottles of wine, were appreciatively lapping up inviting dishes at demure prices. They won't be thrilled by this review.

Steamed mussels and clams came freshly opened in a big white bowl with potatoes, onions, fennel and fresh herbs. The fennel had been added judiciously so that the broth was just faintly, winsomely aniseedy.

Mushrooms on toast can be a great dish, and it was here, with slices of fried shaggy black field mushrooms leaking inky juices into soft bread.

Oxtail stew and swede would have been a good riposte to the rain which hammered down in unpredictable bursts, but we chose leek tart plus a green salad (well put together and dressed) and cold lamb with new potatoes and anchovies.

Rhubarb-and-apple compote was pink and pretty but we denied ourselves that, as well as chocolate tart, chocolate brownie and even Welsh rarebit - which is what I would have chosen had I not been going out to dinner that night.

Functions catered by Arnold and Henderson can be held in the lofty, liberated white-painted spaces of Rochelle School.

Rochelle Canteen
Arnold Circus, E2