We had spent most of the afternoon strutting around Brick Lane with our digital canons, nikons and XA2s. Even though we didn’t know it yet, it was the maiden meet-up which served to incubate the now infamous FM2 trio currently with plans of flickr domination, then google, before taking over the rest of the universe. We even have coordinated monochrome twitter icons – all three are black & white images. Muahaha. Now you know what I do when I’m not eating. Giant Mango Lassi, anybody?

Euwen had joined the FM2 trio (Me, SuperCharz and FbMark) arrived at 6.45pm to beat the Sunday queue, and it appears that Tayyabs is still very much the crowded favourite. Once we were at the hour mark, the meandering line of faces started to plug their way into any available gaps within the restaurant.

The busy restaurant was incredibly lively, and I couldn’t help but notice the long faces of envy, staring at the sitting diners wolfing down prized gastrogems – the one tip for when you want to get a table at Tayyabs (whether you call to book or not) : get there by 6.30pm, to avoid waiting.

So let’s get things kicked off with the spectacular Mixed Grill.

While you won’t find the mixed grill listed on the menu, it is largely just a selection of starters. The bill shows that they’ve just basically charged the same price as if you’ve ordered multiple items from this section of the menu, namely, chicken tikka, seekh kebab, and lamb chops. The first time I had it, the dish was sizzling, this one was slightly lukewarm (note: no rising steam in the photograph). Taste-wise, it was still the same spicy supercharged tikka extravaganza, soaking in muscular flavours – especially the lamb chops – the mixed grill was still a formidable dish, however, congealing grease is no comparison to burn-your-mouth-off juiciness. Some will say ‘send it back’ to top up the heat, but we just gobbled it all up anyway.

We also ordered a smattering of main dishes; Karahi Bindi (Okra) , Dry Meat , Chicken Curry (can’t remember which one) and the Sunday special Tinda (pumpkin) Masala.

The tinda masala tasted like curry that had gone off as an uncharacteristic sourness took over the palette, and the chicken curry was largely tasty, though not special. We had already touched on the silky ladyfingers with the natural stickiness proving to be a hit in the first review, but my sampling of the dry meat was overwhelmingly positive. This dish was by far my favourite, the chunky tender cubes of meat was a well packed flavourbomb, very appetising and it raised eight satisfied eyebrows. It is not as parched as the name implies, being coated in a thick sauce.

Well, what more need I add to Tayyabs that the rest of the London food bloggers haven’t already. Food is bloody amazing and surprisingly cheap in large groups (about £15 per person I reckon). Having said that, this place does have a couple of blemishes and I wonder about its consistency since it is almost always over subscribed. Also you will do well to avoid the torrid desserts; the gulabs were bread pudding balls swimming in a sugary cesspool, and the kulfis were pre-wrapped popsicles, which were quite frankly, distasteful and overpriced. Unnecessary surcharges that you need not add to the final bill. But don’t let those last words of doom scare you, if you haven’t been to this institution as yet, then it is about time you seriously consider it.

The Gist of It

Tayyabs official site
83-89 Fieldgate St. E1 1JU
Tel: 020 7247 6400
£15pp, BYO (!)
Tube: Whitechapel

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I’ve been looking at Parisian Foodblogs for places to eat since I’m going to be there this weekend, and kept longing a summary or list of the best restaurants/bistros/cafes to try; suddenly lists are such useful things. It’s given me motivation to do an update to my all time favourites list. Anyway, if you’re coming to visit London or just feeling peckish then here are ten personal favourites; a mix of cheap/expensive eateries suitable for all kinds of appetites…

1. St John (British) £40pp

Even though it has a michelin star, the prices have stayed surprisingly decent. Chef Fergus Henderson pioneers ‘nose to tail’ cooking so you’ll see alot of offals and lesser known cuts of meat on the menu. Its not a perfect restaurant and they are not into the latest in the wide world of molecular gastronomy. Instead what you’ll find is really good, really hearty Great British cooking. If Great British Cuisine is what you are after, this institution is a great ambassador. The bone marrow is to die for. Expect to spend £40 for three courses. Closest Tube Station is Farringdon.

2. Cambio De Tercio (Modern Spanish) £45pp

Reviewed in September 2008 I said: “I’ve left it to last. I love Cambio De Tercio. They tick all the right boxes for me. Spot on, zippy service, waiters who know their menu inside out and they make educated recommendations. A robust wine list consisting of the best Spanish Riojas, and one that spans all budgets. The decor that oozes flair, character and is relaxed, just a nice space to eat in.”

They serve modern Spanish food and everything is gently cooked, and cooked very well indeed. The dinner taster menu is £37, and I will admit that there are a couple of bump dishes, sometimes. But on the whole, it is a lovely little restaurant. It has a special place in my heart, it’s my personal favourite in London and I’ve had many a great meal. If I had to choose one to go back to again and again and again, Cambio would be it. She’s the one folks, she really is. Closest Tube Station is Gloucester Road.

3. Sushi Hiro (Sushi only, seriously) About £20 pp ….. £25 if you are greedy like me.

Reviewed in Nov 08 I said: “If you’ve always been curious about raw fish, then I wholeheartedly recommend you go here to get your introduction to the Japanese delight. For everybody else, you’ll remember why you love sushi all over again, it’s really that simple.”

Sushi Hiro is actually only a 15 train ride from my workplace, and needless to say, I’m a regular sushi bingeing junkie. This is one of the few places that I pop back into every now and again, and its because it just does slap bang perfect sushi on the cheap (relatively anyway). If you love Sushi and you live in London, just go already. Closest Tube Station is Ealing Common.

4. Dinings (Japanese) , £40pp

Reviewed in May 09 I said: “Unrestraint and free from pretension; Dinings is a mellow and comfortable restaurant where one can sample some ethereal Japanese fusion. Its not glamorous, nor is it cheap, there are some dishes which appear underwhelming and in comparison to some of the luminaries in Green Park – cooking is not as clinical. But what you get instead, is lovingly cooked food, a subtle rainbow of flavours and sushi that just tastes great. Folks, this restaurant is a little special and if you’ve never tried euro-japanese food before, then I suggest you try the epitome that is Dinings.”

If Sushi Hiro served hot food – it would be called Dinings. My love affair with Japanese food continues and this well-liked restaurant is excellent. Its a romanticised version of Nobu, bit like Renee in Jerry Maguire compared against Renee in Chicago. She ain’t special, she ain’t perfect but that’s why I love her. Cue Bruce Springsteen, Dinings had me at Wagyu tataki. Closest Tube Station is Edgeware Road.

5. Tayyabs (Pakistani) £15pp

It’s just beginning to get a few mixed reviews at the moment, but on my visit, it was pretty amazing. The sizzling dishes were colourfully spicy, yet they were skillfully balanced against a vibrant palette of herbs. I had a great time, and if nothing else, you eat like a king on a shoestring. Bear in mind, this place is almost always packed out, so you’ll need to either make reservations, or be prepared to queue for hours. BYO too. Not close to a tube station, but is near Shoreditch area.

6. Franco Manca (Pizza) £6 per pizza

When I was photographing the pizzas on my visit, one of the guests sitting on the opposite table looked at me and told me to go back to my ‘Pizza hut’ bosses to tell them that this is what ‘real’ pizza tastes like. Such is the fanfare that surrounds Franco Manca. Widely recognised as the best Pizza place in London, and deservedly so. If you even remotely like pizza, you’ll be glad you tried this place out. Closest tube station is Brixton.

7. Great Queen Street (British) £25pp

This great British gastropub is often forgotten about, but it serves lip smackingly able British food and it has great ambiance with a kind of lowly lit, family friendly pub atmosphere. You must try the crabs on toast here, it is simple yet stunning; their whole chicken roast is great for sharing and they rotate their menus on a daily basis. A gem in the city, and it is convenient in terms of its location in Covent Garden. Closest Tube station is Covent Garden.

8. The Ledbury (French) £25 set lunch , £50 lunch £60 dinner

Reviewed in March 09 I said: “I enjoyed the Brett Graham show, alot. I think the young Australian is chock full of talent and he rightly deserves his rising two star status. If he keeps up this standard of cooking, he will rocket all the way to the top.”

On my visit, the salt crusted ash roasted celeriac with truffle mayo was perhaps one of the tastiest things I’ve ever put in my mouth, and that says alot. The memory of the meal is still fresh in my mind. The bleeding edge of the michelin star. If you choose only one posh meal in London, forget the Ramsays, Corrigans or Olivers, and be prepared for Brett Graham. About a 10 minute walk from Westbourne Grove Tube Station.

9. Pearl Liang (Dim Sum) , About £15pp plus tea

Reviewed in April 09 I said: “Wonderful, simply wonderful dim sum and this has displaced the special place in my heart, which was previously occupied by Royal China. I must say, the prices here are very competitive, my bill, 9 dishes, plus service came to just under thirty squiddodles for two, most importantly, food is excellent – mostly it is characterised by lots of melt in your mouth sensations”

There are actually alot of nice places in London to get Dim Sum, and Pearl Liang is definitely one of them. The benchmark dishes in Har Gao, Shui Mai, Char Siu Bao, Cheung Fun and the eggtarts are all spot on. And they even do a £10 dim sum sample set which is not only great value, but is delicious too. This place is my Dim Sum place of choice at the moment. I would also try Royal China, and if my pockets were deeper, then I would go to Yauatcha, for the century egg congee. Closest Tube station is Paddington.

10. The Butcher’s Block at Hotel Malmaison (British) £45pp for three large courses

The Butcher’s Block is actually a private dining room situated in a hotel in the Farringdon area; the room is of course, free to book out and it can accomodate about six people. Not world shaking technical quality; instead they served very robust and classically delicious dishes. Great terrines, a HUGE roast rib of beef with all the trimmings and rice puddings so hearty, I was stuffed silly. This place is great for family events or a group of mates and for celebration. Closest Tube station is Farringdon.

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Tayyabs official site
83-89 Fieldgate St. E1 1JU 020 7247 6400
£15pp, BYO (!)

I did it, I finally did it. I went to Tayyabs for the very first time and you already know what my response is going to be like, in fact, you’ve read all the other all too positive reviews floating about. Drop whatever you were doing and prepare to suspend your imagination for just five minutes as LondonEater brings you, the much hyped, the much talked about, the one and only London foodie institution: Tayyabs.

Don’t you remember, You told me?

Based in Whitechapel, serving Pakistani style cuisine since 1974; Tayyabs is an overwhelming superstar, much loved by critics and worshipped by legions of hungry Londoners. Its hard not to get caught up with the whirlwind fandom that surrounds Tayyabs and a quick experiment to test that is to tell twitter you’re going to Tayyabs and just sit back and wait for the dish recommendations to roll in. Yes the mere mention of Tayyabs elicits the kind of response normally reserved for the likes of say, Beck’s pecks.

(Bad analogy, I know.)

The foodie in me was an ecstatic jackrabbit when it finally came time to eat here; the objective critic in me is ever so wary. Then again, eight million Londoners can’t be wrong.

The first time, ever I saw your face.

Lets play guess which song lyric, I nicked the sub headers from. Seriously we are playing that game.

I visited on a Saturday and I was lucky to have made reservations because the restaurant was packed to the brim. And this was 7pm. The queue meandered from one end of the restaurant to the other. I counted roughly 50 people standing in line, mostly in puppy-dog mode although they stared at the food with dangerous intent. Even more amazing were the hoards of people dunking their bottles, awaiting their turn. If I was a passerby, I could have easily mistaken Tayyabs for a Depeche Mode comeback gig – such is the spectacle.

Righto, lets get on with the eating.

First things first, order the Mix Grill. You will not see this on the menu, but as it implies; the mix grill is an assorment of tikkas from the starters section. Separate orders of the Lamp Chop, Sheesh Kebab, Fish and Chicken Tikka, epically served on a piping hot plate.

Still sizzling with visible rising steam, the entire dish was a magnificently exciting sight to behold. One which I couldn’t help but gasp as it came to the table. I went straight in with the lamb chops first…… wow. It’s amazing. You can taste the charcoal! The smoke, the sizzle, wonderfully infused within the meat. Perfectly spiced, tingly and yet its not too hot, or overcharred as I didn’t feel like my throat was on fire. It was surprisingly balanced. There were distinguishable citrus hits and the coriander helped to even things out further. To sum up this dish: Vibrant.

Similarly, the chicken and fish tikka were succulent, juicy with beautiful charcoal sensations, although my favourite were the seekh kebabs. The mince was seeped in intense herby spiciness – with a large concentrated saltiness and interesting dark chocolate flavours – it was certainly one of the best grilled minces I’ve ever had.

A great mix of tikkas; the meats were perfectly grilled. There was amazing depth of flavours, welcomingly balanced whilst maintaining a high intensity. A spicy punch without the burning. For every hint of chilli, there was a dash of citrus.

Next up, one from the main dishes section: Karahi Chicken. The waiter informed me that it was a special on the night. Hmm.

I was slightly sceptical of the visibly oily dish at first, but I quickly forgot all my fears as I experienced a right explosion of flavours. Rich cherry tomatoes criss-crossing with the citrus and coriander, it opened up my appetite. The chicken was tender and moist, the only criticism being that the sauce was not consistent enough to soak my nan bread. I can still smell the aromatic spices, sweetened tomatoes, effervescent.

I am driving, 85 and.

I was amazed with the speed at which food flew out of the kitchen. Even with the restaurant being overcrowded, service was still personable and you know what, I’ve never met a bunch of waiters who were as cool headed as the Tayyabs lot, I suppose they’re used to the action. Ten minutes from ordering to piping hot plate up – that must be some kind of record.

Karahi Bindi (Okra)

Ladyfingers.

As much as I enjoyed the tikka, I thought the Okra was the best dish of the night. It was abit more unique from the decidedly perfectly grilled meats and I didnt quite know if they were going to get the ladyfingers right or not, what with the slimy characteristics. This foundation of flavours were in the similar vein to the chicken with the interplay of citrus-tomato-spice, here’s where it really takes off: the unique characteristic of the Okra. It wasn’t much too sticky, it was delicate and had just the slightest crunch, and the distinctively fresh flavour of the okra, coupled with the bursting okra seeds, left me never wanting to stop eating.

Although we’ve come, to the end of the road.

Everything came to £32. I was so overstuffed to the bone, we had to doggie bag the leftover chicken and okra, which you will be glad to hear, has been made into a curry infused risotto.

Yes, Tayyabs is very good indeed. It is perfect for large groups and you will all expect to be wowed by an exceptionally large range of spice infused flavours. I think the chefs have mastered the art of balancing flavours and they have indeed honed their epic high wire act. How they can manage to pull in so much vibrance in the spicy end of things, whilst maintaing a neutrality with the citrus is beyond my young palatte. As for the tikka – it is charred to perfection. Realistically, it’s abit of curry and naan bread – how could it go wrong? Few go too far wrong, but even fewer get it so right.

It is often thought that the most common dishes are also the hardest ones to cook because everybody already has preconceptions of what it should taste like and this idea can arguably be applied to Tayyabs: I walked in thinking I knew what Curry and Tikka should taste like, but Tayyabs has redefined my view of Indian/Pakistani cuisine.

And as if that weren’t enough, we bumped into Susan the delightful Word of Mouth editor, a pleasant surprise indeed. What a day, what a meal, what a restaurant. May Tayyabs continue to prosper as The London Foodie Institution.

The Gist of It.

Tayyabs official site
83-89 Fieldgate St. E1 1JU 020 7247 6400
£15pp, BYO (!)
Verdict: The best Pakistani restaurant in London period.

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