Any restaurant that not only opened in 1972 but has expanded its premises since then must clearly be doing something right. That there are often customers queuing (an hour’s wait is apparently not abnormal) is further testament to Tayyabs. Based on our recent week night visit – which fortuitously did not involve any queuing – the reason is very apparent. It has nothing to do with the insalubrious venue/ décor, and everything to do with the food: which was top-quality and delivered at compelling prices. My comrade and I dined at Tayyabs for ~£20/head and came away highly contented. The culinary angle is Punjabi cooking, where lamb is the main meat under consideration and the emphasis is on either grilling or slow-cooking it. The restaurant’s lamb chops (priced at 4 for £7.95) have assumed an almost legendary status in some culinary circles and I was informed that no meal at Tayyabs was complete without sampling said dish. They lived up to the promise, delivered to us dark and sizzling, spicy and smoky to taste with a comforting chewiness. Combined with tender chicken tikka pieces and a pleasingly sweet seekh kebab, the starter selection would have been enough for many. Nonetheless, we resolutely pushed on to mains. Diners get to choose from around a dozen meat and a further dozen vegetarian options as well as a range of specialities including a novel daily dish. I went for the latter, as much as anything since I had never sampled curried quail (pictured) before. The meat was wonderfully tender and melded seamlessly into the chilli-infused sauce. A thumbs up too from the chicken and spinach main selected by my comrade. The tables are cramped, service is performed without much love and the venue can get very noisy, but none of this matters when the cooking is this good. There is no alcohol licence at Tayyabs so there is the added bonus on being able to bring your own booze: a sure-fire method for improving the evening.
Tayyabs: Old school rules