Richard's review of Tayyabs

If there is a better value restaurant in London, then I have to find it: forty notes for four people; BYO vino; the best lamb chops ever. What is there not to like?

Well, judging by the complaints about the waiting staff, there is clearly that. But come on, this is a curry house in the heart of the east end; what do you expect? It is noisy, cramped and hot. It buzzes. The Ritz it ain't. If you want fancy curry, with fancy waiting staff and a (fancy) tablecloth, Rasoi Vineet Bhatia would get my vote. Mind you, it's not really a curry house is it; I mean, its in Chelsea. If you don't know that when you arrive, boy do you find out when they present the bill. And its not really curry either; yes it has lovely spicy flavours, beautifully cooked, perfect proportions etc, but really, where's the chicken tikka? No, if you want a true London curry experience, Tayyabs is very hard to beat.

The other niggle seems to be the queue. Now I know that this may be odd, but if you call their telephone number beforehand, you can make what is called a “booking”. Very hi-tech and slightly off-beat, I know, but give it a whirl. It works. Then you get the chance to swan to the front of the queue and wonder at the people who hadn't thought of it. Makes you feel all superior. Always a good way to start dinner.

The food itself is standard curry fair, but at a much higher standard than you'll find down the road in Brick Lane; the aforementioned chicken tikka is there, the tandoori terrific, the chops legendary and the keebabs just fine. And it is BYO, so you can have a Corton-Charlemagne Grand Cru should you desire. I'd stick with something from Alsace myself mind; whether that is an Adelscott or a Trimbach is really down to taste.

A final word of warning: do not, under any circumstances go for a romantic dinner a deux. The couple next to us last time had done this. Mistake. Big, big mistake. This is a four-of-you-or-more kind of place; lots of dishes, lots of sharing, lots of fun.