It was the talk of the town a few years ago and this place remains pretty impressive. If you love eating authentic food in a fantastic atmosphere, this place down a backstreet in Whitechapel is definitely for you.

The Venue
A short walk from Whitechapel Station and down a quiet little street parallel to Whitechapel Road, Tayyabs is pretty hidden away – especially if you’re not familiar with East London. However, if you do know about the recent popularity of the area, you’ll be aware this street is nowhere near as quiet as it once was and now a couple of cafes have also popped up since Tayyabs started getting the column inches. The restaurant still stands out, though, and you really can’t miss the crowds queueing outside, or indeed the neon red sign that shines brightly on to the street.

Once inside, the sheer size of the restaurant will hit you (as many tables as possible are crammed into the two sections of the subtly lit restaurant), as will the elaborately decorated VIP room. The queue weaves round the door, back to the toilets and out in front of a small glass counter displaying starters and desserts. If you are in the queue, you can pore over the wall-full of reviews and information on the restaurant’s history. The kitchen is open so, if you’re sitting close by, you can see the food being dished up - not to mention the rows of tempting poppadoms stacked up next to the area.

The Atmosphere
If you hate queueing or busy packed spaces, and enjoy lingering over your meal, this place isn’t for you. However, if you don’t mind waiting up to an hour for a table (and will put up with people bumped up the queue in front of you if their group fits a particular space) it’s worth the wait. Staff are efficient and take the crowds in their stride. Once you’re actually seated, food is served incredibly quickly and you’ll be ready to give up your table to another hungry customer in no time. The clientele includes everyone from locals to tourists, and despite the waiting about and somewhat hurried nature of the meal, everyone is in good spirits.

The Food
While the menu has little or no description of the dishes (don’t be shy to ask the waiters), and there’s a lack of the ‘English’-style Indian dishes a lot of people are used to, the food here is incredible – and authentic. On sitting down, deliciously crispy spicy poppadoms and dips are delivered to your table shortly after the menus and you can munch on these while you choose the rest of your meal. All dishes are really reasonably priced – starters are priced from around 95p up to £6, while main courses are around £5-£6.

For an authentic Punjabi starter, the barbecued tikka and kebab dishes, which come sizzling and smoking to the table, are hard to beat. The chicken tikka (£3) is a portion of five chunks of gently spiced, tender and succulent meat that are pretty hard to beat. If you want to up the spice, just ask. If you’re a veggie, the soft juicy pieces of panner tikka (£3) taste divine. The pakora (£2) is another authentic dish, made from fried onion; they're crispy, spicy fresh-tasting and great for dipping.

For main course, the karahi dishes, which are served in small pots, are heavenly. While the meat dishes are undoubtedly delicious, the karahi mixed veg (£5.20) comes full of fresh peas, juicy onions, succulent peppers and large slices of soft aubergine - and tastes amazing. Other good veggie options include the sag aloo (£5.20) – full of pureed spinach and big tender chunks of potatoes – and the chana (£5.20). Meat fans will love the karahi chicken keema (£6.50), which is a generous-sized dish of mildly spiced shredded chicken, as well as the chicken biriyani (£6.50), which is full of large pieces of chicken and accompanied by a spicy curry sauce. For sides dishes, the pilau rice (£2.95) is light and fluffy and not too heavy, while the naan bread (£2) is slightly different to the naan a lot of people are used to - it's almost like flatbread, and has a bit of crunch.

The Drink
There’s no alcohol served at this Muslim-run restaurant, but you can bring your own if you want – and staff will be happy to open bottles of wine for you with no corkage fee. Soft drinks on the menu include deliciously creamy lassis (£2.50 a glass/£6 a jug) which are perfect if you have a spicy meal.

The Last Word
With friendly staff, a fabulous atmosphere and delicious food for around £10 a head, this restaurant remains, without a doubt, a must-visit.

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