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New Tayyabs - review by Niamheen

Tue, 17 Jun 2008 11:08:13 +0000

New Tayyabs - review by Niamheen

Rating: 4.6

Location: 83-89 Fieldgate St, E1 1JU, London, United Kingdom

Phone: 020 7247 9543

Website: http://www.tayyabs.co.uk

Tags: lively, cheap eat, crowded, indian

New Tayyabs - review by Niamheen

Tue, 17 Jun 2008 11:08:13 +0000

New Tayyabs - review by Niamheen

Rating: 4.6

Location: 83-89 Fieldgate St, E1 1JU, London, United Kingdom

Phone: 020 7247 9543

Website: http://www.tayyabs.co.uk

Tags: lively, cheap eat, crowded, indian

New Tayyabs - review by Food_Snob

Thu, 28 Aug 2008 08:05:14 +0000

New Tayyabs - review by Food_Snob

Rating: 4.6

Location: 83-89 Fieldgate St, E1 1JU, London, United Kingdom

Phone: 020 7247 9543

Website: http://www.tayyabs.co.uk

Tags: lively, cheap eat, crowded, indian

Illustrated Critique:

http://foodsnobblog.wordpress.com/category/restaurant-reviews/new-tayyabs-restaurant-reviews/

Text-only Critique:

For those of you unfamiliar with New Tayyabs (and there cannot be many) it is one of Londonâ¬"s great bon marchÃ©s â¬ authentic Pakistani cuisine served in generous portions with a BYO policy and no corkage, all for under Â£20 a head. The restaurant is ubiquitous among blogs, restaurant reviews and discussion boards, always highly rated and recommended, indeed often highlighted as an essential stop for anyone visiting London.

Thus, equipped with my Google-sourced map of East Aldgate and a vivid sense of adventure, I set off in search of Fieldgate St and the legendary bastion of Asian cookery that is New Tayyabs. It is a short and straightforward journey â¬ I work in the City and am heading there after work on a Friday â¬ but I have the constant impression I am going the wrong way and in the wrong place. A few minutes walk from Aldgate East, leaves me on Fieldgate Street and although I know I must be close, I cannot shake my doubts; could one of Londonâ¬"s most popular eateries be hidden on this quiet backstreet between a mosque and apartment blocks? I am not sure what I expected: bright lights, hustle and bustle in the streets, long queues of hungry dinersâ¬¦.I cannot say, but expectations are high

When I reach the entrance, there is no fanfare, no circus awaiting me, instead a smiling waiter waiting to show me to a table. The dÃ©cor is simple, quaint and Asian in style, there is a carafe of water and assortment of condiments (chutney, raita, etc) already on each table and the simple menu offers a decent choice of starters (mostly tandoori dishes), chicken/meat/vegetarian mains (mainly karahi style), daily specials and customary rice/bread. Apologies if I start to hurry here, but I am eager to describe the food

I am placed very close to the kitchen and the aromas wafting towards me are exotic and enticing; this is probably why I proceed to order much more than I can finish! For starters (yes, plural, but at such prices why not?), I opt for lamb chops (Â£5.20), panner tikka (Â£2.80) and a sheekh kebab (80p).

The lamp chops with the dry meat main are arguably the two most talked about dishes on the menu and with good reason. The four large juicy chops have been smothered in a spicy garam masala marinade, which after roasting, encrusts the meat with a deep and rich, smoky flavoured coating. Possibly still intoxicated by those aforementioned aromas, I lose all sense of decorum and find myself unabashedly, but quite rightly, eating with, then licking clean, my fingers. The chops steal centre stage, but the sheekh kebab is also tasty and flavoursome and is served together with the chops upon a sizzling skillet, whilst the panner (below), resembling my favourite cheese, hellim (also known popularly as halloumi), is firm yet velvety and complements the meat well.

For the next course, I order the dry meat (Â£5.60) and karahi chicken (Â£5.60) with a nan (Â£0.80) and later, tandoori parata (Â£1.80). I cannot do the dry meat justice; it is simply the tastiest curry I have ever had. Beautiful morsels of lamb are roasted slowly until they literally melt into the satisfyingly intense sauce. What is left is the most delicious spicy caramel paste that should be lovingly ladled from the pot to the lips with the aid of a freshly-baked nan or parata (both excellent). The karahi is nice too, made with juicy chunks of chicken, but is thoroughly eclipsed by the lamb.

At this point, I am totally stuffed, well, almost totally as I still ask for a dessert. I know I will not, I cannot, fully appreciate it after such a gross amount of food, but as those that know me would testify, I cannot not order dessert. As I am relatively naÃ¯ve when it comes to Asian sweets, I ask the waiter for his recommendation and he brings a portion of gulab jamun (Â£2.00). These are basically small balls of dough, cream and flour in a sugar syrup infusion, somewhat similar to Turkish lokma. They are brought piping hot and prove intensely sweet; a decent offering, though not one I am eager to retry.

The bill comes to a princely sum of Â£24.60 â¬ regulars will tell you what an achievement it is to break the Â£20 barrier and one only realised by me ordering two starters and two mains i.e. enough food for two people

It is hard to find fault with New Tayyabs; at what they do, they are terrific. The food is delicious, the staff are friendly and there is a nice buzz generated by the open kitchen and large groups of diners. However, if I really wanted to be captious, I could complain that the waiter asked me twice whether I was ready for my main dishes, whilst I was still very obviously enjoying my starters and that my nan order was misplaced, forcing me to wait anxiously for something to dip into that delicious lamb dish, but such minor blunders can easily be forgiven.

I thoroughly enjoyed the meal and will surely return the next time I fancy a curry. Indeed, were I a bigger fan of Indian cuisine (I maybe eat it 2/3 times a year), I would most probably proclaim NT as one of my favourite London restaurants, but instead, I am afraid it will have to make do with being only my favourite Asian restaurant.

83 Fieldgate Street, London, E1 1JU
tel: 020 7247 6400
nearest tube: Aldgate East, Whitechapel
www.tayyabs.co.uk

New Tayyabs - review by Dharminder

Wed, 20 Aug 2008 11:09:12 +0000

New Tayyabs - review by Dharminder

Rating: 4.6

Location: 83-89 Fieldgate St, E1 1JU, London, United Kingdom

Phone: 020 7247 9543

Website: http://www.tayyabs.co.uk

Tags: indian, good value, crowded

Ok so it can get busy, but it kicks the 'wotsits' out of the brick lane (gravy curry joints).

The best 'panjabi' style food you'll find in the area. The service is efficient, which is just what you need in a place like this.

It doesn't get much better this side of southall, green st or brum.

It doesn't get a 5* though, as you can never beat authentic indian/panjabi food in India/Pak itself or when its homecooked by people from that region.

Only tip i can give is that, if you don't wanna smell of spices afterwards don't order a 'sizzler' as that stuff is like a volcano, the fumes are just toxic (in a good way)

New Tayyabs - review by Busi_78

Mon, 18 Aug 2008 13:42:17 +0000

New Tayyabs - review by Busi_78

Rating: 4.6

Location: 83-89 Fieldgate St, E1 1JU, London, United Kingdom

Phone: 020 7247 9543

Website: http://www.tayyabs.co.uk

nah, don't book, queing's half the fun!
This is my local curry and grill joint, and honestly, I wouldn't deign to go anywhere else for a mixed grill. Their curries lack a kick and they could update the menu from time to time. That slight critism is made up for by the sharp and friendly service / ridiculously cheap, not to mention fresh and as tasty as anything food and no corkage BYO policy, a winner !

New Tayyabs - review by bellaphon

Sat, 16 Aug 2008 07:23:42 +0000

New Tayyabs - review by bellaphon

Rating: 4.6

Location: 83-89 Fieldgate St, E1 1JU, London, United Kingdom

Phone: 020 7247 9543

Website: http://www.tayyabs.co.uk

Tags: lively, family & home feel, cheap eat, good value, crowded, indian

Had lunch today and totally lost for words. So I'm now handing the rest of the review to chrisp's comments on my review of the Lahore Kebab House.

''I went to Lahore on Tuesday and Tayyabs on Wednesday, and to be honest Tayyabs beats them hands down. It's cheaper, they don't charge for water and even their lamb chops are nicer.''

Thanks chrisp.

New Tayyabs - review by chrisp

Wed, 13 Aug 2008 13:57:14 +0000

New Tayyabs - review by chrisp

Rating: 4.6

Location: 83-89 Fieldgate St, E1 1JU, London, United Kingdom

Phone: 020 7247 9543

Website: http://www.tayyabs.co.uk

Tags: indian, cheap eat, crowded

I'm always rather wary of writing about "ethnic" foods - not being able to provide any particular insight into the style of cooking or a bunch of ingredients I've never heard of, I'm worried I might end up coming across as even more of an amateur than usual. I can bluff my way through French cooking, even Spanish or Italian on a good day, but when confronted with a curry all I can usually do is mutter "oh that's good" but have no idea why. The reason I'm breaking my own embargo for Tayyabs is because it's probably the best Indian meal I've had this year, and just because I have no idea why is not going to stop me writing about it.

Tucked away on an improbable anonymous backalley somewhere near Whitechapel, the place itself is notable first of all for the huge queue of people waiting to get in, this at 6:30 on a Thursday night. I've mentioned before that this is usually a good sign, so along with the healthy buzz of recommendation I'd been receiving over the past few months, my interest had certainly peaked. Inside, a throng of excitable diners tucked into some spectacularly noisy (due to the hot plates) dishes of bright reds and greens under claustrophobically low ceilings, surrounded by almost as many waiters in smart black & white outfits.

After a 10 minute wait or so (pretty good really considering we hadn't booked - in fact I'm not sure you can anyway) we sat down and a the whirlwind of activity began. Popadums were popped down with the requisite sauces and salad before we'd even caught our breath. Our order was taken about 30 seconds later. 30 seconds after that the food began arriving, and didn't stop until there wasn't a single spot of tablecloth left.

It was all delicious - the mixed grill of tandoori meats (lamb chops, chicken and kebab thingy) were cooked perfectly and spiced to perfection (as far as I know). Dry Meat, despite the offputting name, was actually a moist bowl of what I'm guessing is lamb with strips of tasty fried onion. Karahi King Prawn (the most extravagant item on the menu) was creamy and tomatoey, if a little bit chewy, and Sag Meat (why so shy about saying which meat? Maybe it depends on availability) also drew a chorus of approval. Even the popadums were unlike anything you'd get at your average takeaway - a lot drier, interestingly spiced and incredibly moreish.

We wolfed it all down in about 20 minutes, with the last of the empty plates being whipped out from under our noses even as the last forkful of rice was still airborne. The bill was slapped down almost immediately, we paid with cash and were back out on the streets of the East End about half an hour after we'd been queueing up to get in. Out of the corner of my eye as we strolled away I noticed a fresh serving of popadums appearing in front of the next set of stunned diners at our table. Service therefore was nothing if not efficient - but pulled off the impressive feat of being very friendly too, so you ended up with the impression that it was in fact your idea to get in and out of there so quickly, and not just a clever ruse to get more covers done in an evening.

On our way home we passed a mosque and a synagogue literally right next door to each other. Probably some town planner's idea of a joke, but it was nice to see, and with our bellies full and wallets only Â£15 lighter each, we wobbled off into the night.

P.S. I've been reliably informed Tayyabs is Pakistani. So now I know.

New Tayyabs - review by Niamheen

Tue, 17 Jun 2008 11:08:13 +0000

New Tayyabs - review by Niamheen

Rating: 4.6

Location: 83-89 Fieldgate St, E1 1JU, London, United Kingdom

Phone: 020 7247 9543

Website: http://www.tayyabs.co.uk

Tags: lively, cheap eat, crowded, indian

Fantastic pakistani and punjabi food: lamb chops, masala fish, karahi chicken, dry meat (yes! but itâ¬"s good), dal, thereâ¬"s something for everyone here. There's also daily specials, on a Tuesday I had the quail, and it cost all of Â£6. Fabulous mango lassis.

Be prepared to queue every day of the week, if youâ¬"re clever you can book the day before. Ridiculously cheap - starters Â£4.50 (thatâ¬"s for 4 lamb chops or 3 pieces of masala fish) and mains on average Â£6 for small. Trust me, thatâ¬"s all you need! Does it get better? Yes! Itâ¬"s BYO and thereâ¬"s no corkage.

What are you waiting for? Get down there!

New Tayyabs - review by nopstar

Thu, 15 May 2008 18:03:39 +0000

New Tayyabs - review by nopstar

Rating: 4.6

Location: 83-89 Fieldgate St, E1 1JU, London, United Kingdom

Phone: 020 7247 9543

Website: http://www.tayyabs.co.uk

Tags: lively, cheap eat, good value, crowded, expensive, indian

If you find yourself near brick lane, then keep walking another few blocks. Youâ¬"ll find yourself at the doorstep of Tayyabs. Itâ¬"s a tasty Indian restaurant; oh for our Muslim friends Tayabs is also halal.

Make reservations! I made a reservation and was shuttled passed the 20+ person queue... I was aghast by how packed this place was. Normally when you see a place this packed itâ¬"s only full of tourists, it was reassuring to see loads of Indian people filling up on the food.

As the other reviews state, the service is ridiculously fast... they food is inexpensive so they need to make it up in turn over. Youâ¬"ll be rushed, but donâ¬"t take it personally their just trying to get in as much business as possible.

The lamb chops for a started are pretty good. They came out suspiciously fast though, like theyâ¬"ve got dozenâ¬"s already on the grill. , The Chicken Tikka was dry... order the seek kebab really hard to mess those up. Skip the Mango Lassi, itâ¬"s tasted more like sherbert lassi...

The place is packed and itâ¬"s loud. Youâ¬"re not going to be able to hold a substantive conversation as the place is roaring. Youâ¬"re also packed in pretty tight, but then again youâ¬"re there to enjoy the eats right?

New Loon Fung Chinese Restaurant - review by gizmogirl

Tue, 20 Nov 2007 16:23:44 +0000

New Loon Fung Chinese Restaurant - review by gizmogirl

Rating: 3.0

Location: Above Floor 42-44 Gerrard Street, W1D 5QG, London, United Kingdom

Phone: 020 7437 6232

Tags: expensive, chinese

STay away from this restaurant. Food are not fresh and i heard from a friend who use to work there that the hygiene is very poor!

New Tayyabs - review by t0m

Sun, 18 Nov 2007 17:42:34 +0000

New Tayyabs - review by t0m

Rating: 4.6

Location: 83-89 Fieldgate St, E1 1JU, London, United Kingdom

Phone: 020 7247 9543

Website: http://www.tayyabs.co.uk

Tags: lively, cheap eat, good value, crowded, indian

This place is pretty unique. Although off the beaten track, they were queuing out the door on a Monday evening. We had made a reservation and, although we were 45 minutes early, were ushered immediately to a table, skipping the queue. Excellent service.

The service is almost impossibly fast - you probably don't come here for a long night out. It's speedy service, and they will want your table for the next customer.

The food is fantastic, and ridiculously cheap - partly due to the BYO policy. Highly recommended are the Seekh Kebabs as a starter, at just 70p each!

A meal for 3, which we didn't get close to finishing because there was so much, scraped Â£23.

Highly recommended!

New Tayyabs - review by janie_lou

Wed, 26 Sep 2007 15:57:00 +0000

New Tayyabs - review by janie_lou

Rating: 4.6

Location: 83-89 Fieldgate St, E1 1JU, London, United Kingdom

Phone: 020 7247 9543

Website: http://www.tayyabs.co.uk

Tags: lively, cheap eat, good value, crowded, indian

We took my parents here a few months back. They have been to Brick Lane quick a few times and were a bit nervous about trying somewhere slightly away from familiar curry territory, even though it was on the recommendation of a trusted friend. To be honest, I was a bit nervous too, but I hate getting dragged into curry houses against my will as is the case on Brick Lane (I'm weak) and wanted to try somewhere new!

It was a bit cramped and very busy, although there appeared to be a few large groups in. Luckily we had booked and were immediately seated. I was jammed in against the wall and an awkward bit of alcove, but seeing how busy it was I was just pleased that we'd been able to make a booking! Any other BYO place I've been to keeps your drinks in the fridge but we had to keep our BYO wines under the table. The waiters seemed too busy to take them off our hands but we didn't like to pester them about it. Thankfully we had got cold ones.

The menu was varied and there were a couple of things that seemed unfamiliar. We picked plenty of starters and main courses so that we could try a bit of everything. Most dishes were slightly hotter than we expected but that's authenticity for you. None of us are particularly sensitive about heat but be careful what you order if you normally struggle with a korma! The quality was great and we were stuffed to the eyeballs. And taking into account that there were no drink charges (other than a small corkage fee) it was really quite a bargain.

My parents, who like to cook their own Indian food at home, were most impressed. As were we. This is now certainly my first choice restaurant over places in Brick Lane. I can't wait to go back and try out some of the other dishes.

By the way...remember I said it was busy? Well our table was booked for 7.30pm. By the time we left at about 9.30pm, there was a queue snaking through the restaurant and out into the street. Some of this could have been for takeaway food, I'm not sure. Either way this is clearly a very popular place.

New Loon Fung Chinese Restaurant - review by elliemoff

Wed, 18 Jul 2007 17:22:07 +0000

New Loon Fung Chinese Restaurant - review by elliemoff

Rating: 3.0

Location: Above Floor 42-44 Gerrard Street, W1D 5QG, London, United Kingdom

Phone: 020 7437 6232

An authentic restaurant (which is what you would expect in the heart of China Town!). Always bustling and open late at night too so perfect for an apres theatre dinner.

The dim sum list is impressive - I recommend the sticky rice. By far the best I have had in London. The green crab dumplings and crispy beef noodles are also a favourite!

The only thing I would say is that it is a shame their dim sum menu ends at 5 as they could benefit from continuing this menu for those wanting an early dinner.

This restaurant is situated on top of a supermarket, which is also owned by the restaurant - you can pick up various Chinese delicacies here and is worth a look around - esp the fresh chinese veg which is difficult to get in the regular supermarkets.

I am more tempted than ever to go there now that the smoking ban is in force as the smoke was a bit of a downer sometimes.

New Tayyabs - review by AbigailTye

Fri, 06 Jul 2007 13:22:37 +0000

New Tayyabs - review by AbigailTye

Rating: 4.6

Location: 83-89 Fieldgate St, E1 1JU, London, United Kingdom

Phone: 020 7247 9543

Website: http://www.tayyabs.co.uk

Tags: lively, family & home feel, cheap eat, good value, crowded, indian

The food is very very good and quick. The service is good too - only problem is that it can get extremely busy and you often have to queue inside the restaurant.

Don't be put off though, we've never had to wait for more than 10/15mins and it's worth the wait.

Another bonus is that it's bring your own booze, which keeps the cost down...

New Tayyabs - review by srahman

Wed, 16 May 2007 16:50:44 +0000

New Tayyabs - review by srahman

Rating: 4.6

Location: 83-89 Fieldgate St, E1 1JU, London, United Kingdom

Phone: 020 7247 9543

Website: http://www.tayyabs.co.uk

Tags: spicy, homely, savoury, halal

awesome awesome! the q can be long but it's well worth the wait. the sizzling karahi style food will make yout taste buds tingle with delight, surrounded by the typical hustble bustle of east lodnon. when i went, i ordered all the starts coz they were so tasty! the lassi is simply awesome too - and all at a very reasonable price.