New Tayyab

[Romaney O'Malley]

thanks Gary much appreciated

last time I 'booked' I have to say it didn't seem to actually mean anything so we'll just turn up with the masses I think

can just taste those chops and dry curry mmmmm.....

sorry if I'm making you jealous

[Bapi]

can just taste those chops and dry curry mmmmm.....

sorry if I'm making you jealous 

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Yes- you bloody well are. Stop it!

[Romaney O'Malley]

can just taste those chops and dry curry mmmmm.....

sorry if I'm making you jealous 

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Yes- you bloody well are. Stop it!

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Well Bapi - I'd love to tell you we were disappointed - but that would be a big fat lie..

Started with a few drinks at the top of the gherkin but by then it was past 8.30pm and I feared the worst. I have to confess I was pretty shocked at the transformation - the place is massive now. Needless to say there were hoards but we were seated in less than 15 mins and stuffing ourselves within 10 mins after that.

We had lamb chops, kebabs and chicken tikka to start with after some of those lovely fiery poppadums (and amazingly things came in order).

Then onto dry curry (better than ever), chicken Karachi (delish), baby pumpkin curry (so so) and meat biriyani (good). Along with some rotis, nans and parathas and we were a very happy party indeed.

Finished with some delicious kulfis - heaven

All washed down with some cold beers and a couple of wines - was heaven.

I will also add we weren't rushed one bit - maybe one advantage of getting there later

Can't believe I suggested defecting somewhere else - wash my mouth out with soap

[reddevil]

Can anyone confirm whether or not Tayyab's is open at all during Ramadan? I just phoned but the person who answered couldn't understand me and I couldn't understand him.

Ta.

[Bapi]

Can anyone confirm whether or not Tayyab's is open at all during Ramadan?

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I haven't been for a while, as I no longer live in London. But yes- it did and I assume still does close for Ramadan.

Cheers

B

[vytoh]

My other half tried his luck last Saturday evening. Half the restaurant was open but they were serving buffet only. really not sure why they bothered?

[Clerkenwellian]

Does anyone know if Tayyabs is open on Christmas Day?

[Clerkenwellian]

Does anyone know if Tayyabs is open on Christmas Day?

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I finally got through - they're open throughout the holiday

[Pweaver1984]

Just wondering what time is best to get here for food tommorrow evening without a reservation?

Tried booking a table via the email but was informed

"due to the high demand of bookings for the 31st, we are unable to offer you a table.

You are most welcome to come in and queue up for a table."

My own stupidity for leaving it to the last minute..

also if this fails, where else is of similar standards?

Cheers guys, Paul

[Food Snob]

Hi Paul,

From personal experience, turning up before 6 has meant getting a table without queuing. I reckon from 6.30/7 it starts to fill rather fast, but I am not an authority on this place.

Check out this review: Cheese & Biscuits - Mirch Masala

The author is/was a serious Tayyabs fan, but says this place could now be his curry house of choice, plus its also cheap and also in Whitechapel, if that helps.

[Gary Marshall]

get there early take your beer/wine and sup it in the queue if there is one, they don't hang about service wise so you won't wait too long.

have the lamb chops/sheek kebabs, things like the dry meat curry are good too.

[chrisp]

Hi Paul,

From personal experience, turning up before 6 has meant getting a table without queuing. I reckon from 6.30/7 it starts to fill rather fast, but I am not an authority on this place.

Check out this review: Cheese & Biscuits - Mirch Masala

The author is/was a serious Tayyabs fan, but says this place could now be his curry house of choice, plus its also cheap and also in Whitechapel, if that helps.

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So this is the reason why my site is suddenly inexplicably popular with the eGullet crowd

Thanks for the mention FS - and my comments about Mirch Masala still stand. I have heard (very) mixed reports about the other branches in Tooting and elsewhere, but I am a dedicated Mirch Masala Whitechapel fan.

Tandoori chicken wings, jeera chicken and the Shammi kebab are particularly good.

Of course, Tayyabs is still slightly ahead in terms of the standard of cooking overall, but with the effort and pain required to get a seat, I am a far more regular visitor to MM these days.

Chris

[Winot]

East is East on the Commercial Rd is also a pretty good fall-back, and there's always room.

[Harters]

Had a good solitary lunch at Tayyabs a couple of weeks back. Place was packed but only had to wait 5 minutes for a table.

Chicken tikka starter. Saag meat main. Rice & roti with. Couldnt fault anything. Very reasonably priced as well for "down south".

Edited November 1, 2008 by Harters (log)

[joesan]

Does anyone know of a source of good, authentic recipes for the type of food they serve at New Tayyabs?

Recipes I've tried previously lack any ooomph or true savour. I always feel that the recipes in places like NT have considerably more spice, garlic and...well...scrummyness.

[Harters]

There's probably been no recent mention of Tayyabs as everything that can be said, has been said.

So, having taken Mrs H there today for her first visit, I'll confine myself to just saying - lamb chops, pakora, karahi lamb, dry meat curry, tandoori roti: all very good and we thoroughly enjoyed. Although herself says the karahi lamb is cooked better and spiced better at Akbars in Manchester - and I think she has a point.

[david goodfellow]

Is it hyped a bit John?

You should know. You like a bit of Indian food do you not?

[Harters]

I think it gets a lot of hype. That said, it's bloody good.

[david goodfellow]

Thats good enough for me. Have to make the effort to try it out.

[Gary Marshall]

It's a different beast from its origins , due to its deserved success it has expanded and must be over 100 covers now, but the food and the prices remain excellent.

kebabs/grills still the star of the show, but curries are much improved, and i agree that often akbars can match the lamb chops and curries but tayyab is usually pretty consistent, still go to casual in london, it's the one place i take visitors to that they always request again.

It is however very busy and increasingly (especially downstairs) very noisy a quiet meal a deux it is not, and it will all come at once, which is fine if you are rushing but can be a bit of a pain if you're not.

[rudallrose]

Have you also tried the Needoo Grill... any comparison with Tayyab? I know some people who prefer the former but have never been to either. Thanks.

Edited December 11, 2010 by rudallrose (log)

[Winot]

Have been to Needoo once about 5 years after giving up on Tayyabs as being too busy. Was good although not quite as good as Tayyabs, or at least my memories of it which may be elevated.

For those that don't know, Needoo was set up by an ex-Tayyab chap (Ali, iirc) and is just around the corner in New Road.

[Gary Marshall]

yes tried needoo, if you dig out jay rayners review his experience was about the same as ours, from memory stale popadams and blaring indian tv in the restaurant! in isolation its fine but i wouldn't walk past tayyabs to go there, yes owner is ex tayyabs. It's not 5 years old though, unless the last few years have really ripped by!

[Winot]

You're right Gary, Needoo's isn't five years old, we had a few years in the middle going to East is East on Commercial St (which has now closed ).

Front table upstairs in the window of Needoos is fine - wouldn't go if I had to sit downstairs.

[Gareth]

Can I add my vote to Chris's and the other fans of Mirch Masala? Having tried a few times to get into Tayyabs only to find it rammed, I've virtually given up on the place.

On one of these occasions simply decided to try our luck on the Commercial Road, and Mirch Masala was the first place we bumped into. Excellent. In particular the Haleem (one of their weekend specials, a lamb dish cooked for so long that the meat effectively purees into the spices and lentils).

Next time up I ignored it, though in favour of Needoo. Why? Partly, because I'd heard good things about Needoo - including on DH - and partly (food snob that I am) I couldn't bring myself to accept that a curry house that was clearly part of a "chain" as MM is, would be as good as a one-off operation.

More fool me. Needoo was crowded and unpleasant. The room had all-dominating Hindi-pop television with a decor that reminded me of the tackier end of my 80s discoteque experiences. And the food was pretty dire. The haleem which had, at MM, been a revelatory, perfumed thing, here was a kind of lamb-based wallpaper paste. Ugh.

My own fault. I was simply paying my stupidity tax for not trusting my own tastebuds and instincts first time round, ignoring the chain-factor, and sticking with MM. Now, also, my number 1 choice in the area.

Gareth