Everyone has a food that they could eat practically every day and not get tired of, right? Well for me, it’s curry. From Thai green curry to Nepalese chicken dhansak, I just can’t get enough of it. And it’s clearly not just me. Chicken tikka masala was named the national dish of Britain. And for decades, literally decades, THE curry house in London to go to was (and still is) Tayyabs for traditional Punjabi dishes. (If you don’t take my word on it see what The Observer has to say.)
Dishes that Tayyabs is famous for? Pretty much all the breads and meats. But especially the starter lamb chops. People travel to London just to eat these things. The dry meat curry is supposed to be amazing too but I’ll have to go back another time to experience it. I’m hardly a critical judge of naan, because I’ve never met a naan bread that I haven’t enjoyed but I can attest that Tayyabs is especially heavenly! Hot, buttery, light…..mmm…
Sam and I started with a plateful of spicy popadoms because those little crispy delights are a personal addiction of mine. The spicy tomato chutney is awesome. Full stop. With our mains we split an order of pilau rice and tandoori naan (a steal at £1). Sam had the Kahari lamb chop masala, and I had the Kahari chicken tikka masala. (Both about £7.50).
I pride myself on always ordering the tastiest dish, but I admit defeat this time. One bite of Sam’s lamb chop will have me singing Tayyabs praises to everyone. His lamb chop was one of the most flavourful pieces of meat I’ve ever had. My chicken tikka was excellent, juicy with a really condensed impact. The food is amazing, and the price is tantalisingly cheap for the quality.
The only problem is that the restaurant usually has queues that go out the door and down the street at pretty much anytime of day. It’s advised to book for lunch or dinner. We somehow lucked out and popped in at a time when there was no queue. We were sat immediately, but by the time we had finished our lunch the queue was several people deep outside the restaurant! Apparently this is a complete anomaly. Most reviews that I’ve read on the internet of people without booking had to wait about an hour. Moral of the story: book a table. It’s also so busy that it you aren’t going to get the most attentive service, so be patient. (Also it’s BYOB with no corkage fee. You can thank me later.)
Beautiful chutneys.
My favorite snack ever: popadoms and dips.
Tandoori naan.
Kahari chicken tikka masala.
Karahi lamb chop masala.
Pilau rice
My chicken tikka in all its spicy glory.
Fennel, sugar cubes and anise as a cleansing post-meal treat.
Tayabbs is located 83 Fieldgate St, London, E1 1JU.
I was in no way compensated for this review. I just love food.
How do you feel about curries?
