Despite its efforts to stand out, shiny Kolapata's mediocre food is a throwback into obscurity.

The Venue
There is no shortage of Indian restaurants on Whitechapel Road, but Bangladeshi restaurants are a bit harder to come by. That Kolapata chose to set up shop in this solidly ethnic neighbourhood could be a blessing, or an extremely risky business move. Either way, the main strategy seems to be to stand out: a clean glass exterior holds within an even cleaner, brightly painted rectangular space reminiscent of a cafeteria. A closed kitchen sits in the middle and is flanked on both sides (front and back) by seating areas.

The Atmosphere
Until it has fully broken into its premises, Kolapata holds the trophy for being the most well-kept restaurant on the block. The brightly coloured walls are trendy but generic at the same time, exuding a somewhat detached atmosphere. Service staff hope to make up for this through friendliness, but not efficiency. Unfortunately, these might be the very reasons Friday night dinners are quiet.

The Food
Kolapata brands itself as a Bangladeshi restaurant and fast food establishment. This categorization is confirmed by how quickly the food is served after ordering - Rupchanda, one of the signature dishes (a small, soggy pan-fried pomfret served on a dish way too large for its fins, and topped with a mild and mediocre curry sauce - £3.95) arrives almost immediately, curiously before the sag bhaji (£1.95), chapati (75p), and dry pilau rice (£1.70) and parota (£1.25). The creamy and warm sag aloo (£1.95) is its only redeeming dish.

The Drink
Cheap drinks galore: tea is at 75p per cup, coffee at 95p, mineral water at 60p, and lassi at £2 (£2.50 if you add mango or banana flavour). Alcohol is not served here but you can bring your own for a cheap fee. If you run out of alcoholic beverages, there are numerous convenience stores in the area, all very reasonably-priced.

The Last Word
The food may be mediocre, but it takes just a little planning and assertiveness to make this a good place for chilling and drinking.

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