Review: Tayyabs

Tell us about your first impressions when you arrived.
Most nights you’ll be waiting for at least half an hour before entering this famous Punjabi diner in Whitechapel, your appetite raging as the aroma of Tandoor roasted meats pervades everything. Tayyabs is not a huge place, hence the lines, and the tables and chairs are pretty basic, but, of course, no one’s here for the décor.

What was the crowd like?
Tayyabs is loud and no one’s here for a romantic encounter. The noise and chatter and constant hustling of the waiters alongside the palpable buzz coming off diners who have purposely starved themselves all day for this, sipping on mango lassies as they wait for plates of naan and lamb chops.

What should we be drinking?
This spot is strictly BYOB. Tayyabs doesn't have a license to serve alcohol, which means they can do what they do best: serve sizzling plates of meat. A few cold beers from the nearby corner store will do you right, but if you're not feeling alcohol, the various lassies—sweet, salty, mango and banana—are a clean, cold treat.

Main event: the food. Give us the lowdown—especially what not to miss.
You’re at Tayyabs to eat meat and bread. The main attraction is the lamb chops, served up spicy and marinated in a kadai masala with coriander, sliced onions, and chillies, roasted to a smoky richness so good I ditched the cutlery and gnawed every bit off the bone with my hands. But don’t stop there—other must-orders are the soft tender chunks of chicken tikka, the seekh minced lamb kebabs, and the dry meat lamb signature dish, which is dense yet succulent and drowning in the homemade sauce. Swallow all of this down with freshly baked rotis, parathas, and naans (go for the one mixed with garlic and butter) and you’ll leave happy.

And how did the front-of-house folks treat you?
The staff are quick, brusque, and efficient—they've got a roaring trade to manage, after all, and that's ok. The food comes as it's cooked, and that's as it should be. They're also good at working out how much food you'll need based on how big your party is, and with me they've never gotten it wrong.

Who should we bring with us?
Out-of-towners, people who live in places where good Indian and Pakistani food is hard to come by should all come to Tayyabs. It's also great for big groups, as it's such a good value.