Smokey's is good, not great. Huge portions for the price, and some good bits. Overused the BBQ sauce a bit when I went, but still fairly good. If you find yourself up in London try Porky's Barbecue. They've got a couple of locations and it's really good, brilliant value, very friendly servers. Been four times and enjoyed it every time. Would recommend the sandwiches over the burgers.
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Smokey's is good, not great. Huge portions for the price, and some good bits. Overused the BBQ sauce a bit when I went, but still fairly good. If you find yourself up in London try Porky's Barbecue. They've got a couple of locations and it's really good, brilliant value, very friendly servers. Been four times and enjoyed it every time. Would recommend the sandwiches over the burgers.
If you're in London try Pitt Cue Co.
A quick Google suggests it's a bit pricey with small portions? Worth it?
thedonkeycentrehalf
Moved back to wear the gloves (again)
- Jul 7, 2003
- 9,346
Pitt Cue is the best BBQ place in the UK. Not sure where they get pricey with small portions. Always come out stuffed and found it good value for money. Some people don't like it because it is very small and you have to share tables.
BrightonCottager
Well-known member
Semolina on Baker St (off London Road) is worth a try. Very decent food at a reasonable price and friendly service from the female part of the married couple (the husband's in the kitchen cooking by himself). Vaguely Mediterranean theme going on. Part of the London Road renaissance.
gregbrighton
New member
I will try this as I only live round the corner.
Machiavelli
Well-known member
I'm probably rather late to this, but a couple of months I discovered The Little Blue Smokehouse at the Street Diner. Needless to say, I've been back. Regularly.
BensGrandad
New member
One, wife and I like and visit is La Campana Tapas in Haywards Heath very large portions for a tapas in comparison to those you get in Spain.
Last edited:
HAILSHAM SEAGULL
Well-known member
- Nov 9, 2009
- 10,359
SHOCK NEWS...........Bens Grandad is a Bigamist
- Jul 7, 2003
- 47,634
I thought tapas was supposed to come in small portions, that's kind of the point, isn't it? 
BensGrandad
New member
In Spain if you get a tapas and there is two people you usually get 2 or 4 prawns or whatever. At La Campana you will probably get 6 or 8 hence we always tend to over order and have loads left. I know we should have learnt by now but I will order 3 dishes and so will my wife. We should share some of the dishes especially potato or rice but we both like different dishes. We will learn one day.
thedonkeycentrehalf
Moved back to wear the gloves (again)
- Jul 7, 2003
- 9,346
Have you seen their weekend announcement? They will be moving in to the refurbished Seven Stars when is reopens.
thedonkeycentrehalf
Moved back to wear the gloves (again)
- Jul 7, 2003
- 9,346
Finally made it to The Coalshed on Saturday evening and wasn't disappointed. Started off with aperitifs, I had chicken, ham and chorizo terrine with homemade piccalilli while Mrs DCH had the soup. We both had fine lumps of cow - myself the large ribeye, the wife a small sirloin - with various sides. The roasted bone-marrow jus was very nice. We also, managed to squeeze in a couple of desserts which were both very good.
A very nice meal and will definitely go back again.
A very nice meal and will definitely go back again.
My lamb-chop starter from Tayyabs in Whitechapel. Glorious. Really recommend this place http://www.tayyabs.co.uk
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13: Tayyabs, London
One of the clearest trends of the past decade has been the growing recognition that non-European food is not one bland homogenous mass; that while Britain's high streets may be full of something called Indian restaurants, there really is no such thing as an easily codified "Indian" culinary tradition. The subcontinent (like China; see the entry for Barshu) is a huge place with cooking styles as diverse as – or even more so – than those in Europe. Goa, Rajasthan, Nepal, Bengal and more have all begun to show what they can do.
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It would be pushing it to describe Tayyabs in London's Whitechapel as a direct part of that. It has happily been putting out its full-on brand of Pakistani meat-and-bread-based cookery without the dribbling attentions of restaurant collectors for many years; in 2012 it celebrated its 40th anniversary. But there's no doubt that in the past 10 years its star has been burnished. It has continued to expand and tweak the interior to become, these days, a little flash compared to the simple canteen serving the local community that it once was.
What matters, though, is the food. Venerable chains like Mirch Masala and the Lahore Kebab House, which cook from a similar repertoire, have laid down a challenge. But for many, me included, Tayyabs remains the very best at this sort of stuff.
Its kebabs and, most especially, its dark, sticky, spice-encrusted lamb chops, which arrive issuing ribbons of pungent smoke, are completely compelling; a hands on, heads down, bone-stripping meat fest.
Start with those and then move on to the dry meat curry, a fiery, powerful tangle of long-braised lamb with a flavour that just goes on and on. Indeed it goes on for so long, it's best to go with a close friend, because you will doubtless carry its mark the next morning. The breads are always crisp and fresh and there's a counter full of sweets that will send you on a joyous trip to type two diabetes.
Some people complain about Tayyabs. They say it is noisy, that waiters hurry you in and out and can be offhand and rude, that it isn't as cheap as once it was. All of that may be partially true. Then again the prices used to be so low it felt like larceny. Today those lamb chops cost just £6.20, which is hardly profiteering.
At those prices don't expect frills. Do expect flavour.
Tayyabs, 83-89 Fieldgate Street, London E1. 020 7247 9543; tayyabs.co.uk. Meal for two £30 (BYO)
Jay Raynor
One of the clearest trends of the past decade has been the growing recognition that non-European food is not one bland homogenous mass; that while Britain's high streets may be full of something called Indian restaurants, there really is no such thing as an easily codified "Indian" culinary tradition. The subcontinent (like China; see the entry for Barshu) is a huge place with cooking styles as diverse as – or even more so – than those in Europe. Goa, Rajasthan, Nepal, Bengal and more have all begun to show what they can do.
Advertisement
It would be pushing it to describe Tayyabs in London's Whitechapel as a direct part of that. It has happily been putting out its full-on brand of Pakistani meat-and-bread-based cookery without the dribbling attentions of restaurant collectors for many years; in 2012 it celebrated its 40th anniversary. But there's no doubt that in the past 10 years its star has been burnished. It has continued to expand and tweak the interior to become, these days, a little flash compared to the simple canteen serving the local community that it once was.
What matters, though, is the food. Venerable chains like Mirch Masala and the Lahore Kebab House, which cook from a similar repertoire, have laid down a challenge. But for many, me included, Tayyabs remains the very best at this sort of stuff.
Its kebabs and, most especially, its dark, sticky, spice-encrusted lamb chops, which arrive issuing ribbons of pungent smoke, are completely compelling; a hands on, heads down, bone-stripping meat fest.
Start with those and then move on to the dry meat curry, a fiery, powerful tangle of long-braised lamb with a flavour that just goes on and on. Indeed it goes on for so long, it's best to go with a close friend, because you will doubtless carry its mark the next morning. The breads are always crisp and fresh and there's a counter full of sweets that will send you on a joyous trip to type two diabetes.
Some people complain about Tayyabs. They say it is noisy, that waiters hurry you in and out and can be offhand and rude, that it isn't as cheap as once it was. All of that may be partially true. Then again the prices used to be so low it felt like larceny. Today those lamb chops cost just £6.20, which is hardly profiteering.
At those prices don't expect frills. Do expect flavour.
Tayyabs, 83-89 Fieldgate Street, London E1. 020 7247 9543; tayyabs.co.uk. Meal for two £30 (BYO)
Jay Raynor
Butch Willykins
Well-known member
Seconded! I used to go here all the time when I worked in the City. People would literally queue out the door and round the corner to get in! Cracking food and it's BYO!
Eggman
Well-known member
Hola.
Can anyone recommend a place around the Swiss Cottage area? Open to any cuisine.
Can anyone recommend a place around the Swiss Cottage area? Open to any cuisine.
Monsieur Le Plonk
Lethargy in motion
So which is the better restaurant. GB1 at the Grand or The Salt Room at the Metropole?
Vegas Seagull
New member
- Jul 10, 2009
- 7,782
Table 26 @ The Salt Room
You might get a few mixed answers to that. Been to both this year. I preferred the Salt Room, wife preferred GB1 and it's split the vote with some friends of ours too.