I’ve worked in or around Soho for the past 8 years and one of the best things about working here are the awesome options for food. So when I saw a new Indian restaurant with Chinese influences opening I was hoping for the news that it would have halal options… lucky for us they have a Halal menu.
Fatt Pundit is the latest fusion restaurant offering small plates and amazing flavours. The vibe is casual and not too fancy so good for an after-work meal.
Heres what I ordered
Drinks
You won’t find your usual boring Sugar loaded mocktails here, no sir, I had some of the best and Most unique drinks I’ve tried. KALA KATTAH MOJITO – Black currant, black salt and GUAVA CHILLI SOUR – Himalayan salt, red chilli rim, ginger beer. Both drinks were different to anything I’ve had, its a drink you can enjoy and slip and make it last the whole meal.
Starters
BEEF MOMO – leeks, red chilli, coriander | £5.50
CHICKEN MOMO – soy, garlic, spring onions | £5
We started with the simple Momo, a hearty, flavoursome steamed dumpling coming straight from the Steel Steamers, served with a spicy chutney with influences from Bhutan, Nepal, Tibet and other parts of India.
This is up there with one of the best things I’ve eaten this year, in fact, it could be one of the best things I’ve eaten. I just loved it. The balance of flavours and textures from the deep-fried spinach worked in perfect harmony. (I actually went back a few months after visiting with a few friends and we ordered 3 of these because it was so good) Just amazing 10/10
BARRAH LAMB CHOPS – Stone flower masala rub, charred to perfection| £14
It’s not often you see lamb chops are cut like this, a double-cut fat juicy lamb chop perfectly cooked so it’s juicy and tender. Cooked in a simple but well-balanced masala rub to work well with the natural flavours of the charred grilled lamb. Another 10/10 dish.
LOLLIPOP CHICKEN – Spicy + crispy chicken wings served with Szechuan chutney | £7
Fried chicken wings with a lovely crunch and texture. I found mine a little dry because of the small size (compared to a leg) I’d give it a 7/10
When I first started blogging (a good 7 years ago) there were only a handful of places where you could get a steak, back then most of the were overcooked, thin and covered in a sauce.. as that’s the only flavour you were getting – not very good experience, with the exception of a few places this was the norm.
Fast forward to today and there’s loads of choice now. My knowledge of eating, cooking and sourcing steak has also improved. When steaks came into the spotlight it was all about how they are cooked, I moved from the getting steak cooked medium-well to medium rare and the difference in taste was a game-changer.
Now, personality my most important question is WHERE is the steak from. The difference in getting a steak from a farm that looks after its animals and then ages its meat on-site makes so much difference in the flavour and overall experience in eating steak. Ageing steak by at least 21 days increases its flavour its something you should always ask when ordering.
I’ve eaten a lot of steaks and I’ve put together a list of my favourite places that I recommend. I’ve also added places that you should definitely avoid.
Click on the Restaurant name to read the review and to find out more information
When it comes to my favourite places for steak then there are only 2 places. First is one of my favourite discoveries Zelman Meats in Knightsbridge located on the 5th floor inside Harvey Nichols. Soon after I started to blog about this many of you rushed to check it out and it soon became a hit with the halal London foodie. Zelman source quality cuts and cook it to perfection, selling pre-cut steaks per 100g even the lowest price Picanha steak is a joy to eat, I recommend ordering your steak either medium or medium-rare to enjoy it to its max. My Rating 10/10
Located in shepherds Bush, the top floor of meat Co London offers a separate halal menu that boasts loads of different cuts of quality beef. This is the place where I first tried the Wagyu steak, and experience that I still remember 4 years later. At the time it set me back around £60 bit it was worth every bite.
If you don’t fancy spending top dollar then My tip is to visit at lunch and take advantage of the lunch menu that offers a 5oz rump steak, chips and drink for around £13. My Rating 9.5/10
Good
Fredo’s
I checked out @fredosldn a fully halal (no alcohol) restaurant located on Romford Road, Manor Park. This place has been opened for a while now but I’ll be honest, I just thought it was another standard place, but I’ll hold my hands up and say I was wrong and I was really impressed with the food
I got the rib eye steak £23 and my bestie got the £21 sirloin steak. I’ll say this now, this was one of the best steaks I’ve had in ages. I requested Medium Rare and ill be honest I wasn’t expected it to be cooked right… But it was on point. The steak was perfectly cooked, juicy, tender and the fat content and marbling was excellent. Which made me ask here they source their steaks from. Well, they get it from @hillfarmfinest a small farm that really raises an animal and produces some quality products that are available for home customers to buy. So this explained why it was so good. Which then made me respect the restaurant more as this was a clear example of getting quality
Located In Barking, Cristinas has a range of steaks all halal that range in type and price. from hanger, rump, sirloin, fillet, rib-eye and t-bone. From £19 to £29, steaks also come with chips and salad. My Rating 7/10
A proper steak house located in Kings Cross. Its been a while since I’ve been but they do cook and service good steaks here and have a very large menu. My Rating 8/10
Located in Whitechapel, I recently went and tried the new Delmonico Steak for 2. (Pictured) All steaks are aged for 35 days and grass-fed. My Rating 8/10
Only been here once but it wasn’t the best steak I had, but I think it was just an off day. Nevertheless, I doubt I’d try it again. My Rating 5/10
Ginza Onodera
I went here to try the set Menu, on that menu was Japanese Wagyu steak. To be honest, I was expecting it to be amazing and melt in your mouth deliciousness, but it was a bit of a letdown. My Rating 7/10
A burger place that’s does offer up decent quality steaks. Cooking to order is sometimes hit and miss but still worth a try. Sirlion steak £15
My Rating 8/10
Guanabana
A very underrated place I think, this is the charcoal cooked steak in a Carribean style basting. Pre-cut and delicious. My Rating 9/10
Johnson’s A cafe in Leyton, I saw they do steaks but not tried one.
Thai n pie
Not tried it.
Bison Angus Grill
Located in Leyton, I went when it first opened and it wasn’t the best, but I know they have changed their menu, So i’ll have to go back and try again.
Pre-order
You can pre-order your steaks in advance in these restaurants. However, I have personally not been to most of these so can’t give you my thoughts.
Maze Grill
Part of the Sunday roast menu when I visited, but halal steak is available.
I have NOT been to the following but based on sources I hear they are all good and offer some Halal options.
Goodmans JW Steakhouse M Restaurant (South African Rib Eye) Cut 45
Not Recommended
These places also serve steak, however, I strongly recommend you don’t waste your time and money by eating here. My thoughts are based on personal experience as well as feedback from trusted friends and followers.
I’m not the biggest fan of this place as I don’t like the cooking method they use. Been twice and not had a good experience on both occasions. Raw steak is common. Avoid
It’s Popular for some reason but I don’t get it, I went a while back and maybe it was good then, but fast forward today, I’ll pass. My Rating 5/10
With the last couple, I haven’t been to them in a long time but based on sources they have not improved their standards and still serve up poorly cooked steak and low-quality beef. You are more than welcome to try it…but why why why would you? Steakout Meat and Shake Sarha Grill
Date of Visit 1st Feb (also went again on 3 April)
If you have been following me then you know one of my favourite restaurants is Hankies Cafe, who serve up Indian small plates and street food dishes. So when I heard of a similar and unrelated place opening up in Soho I was excited to visit.
Located inside the courthouse hotel, Soho Wala is a contemporary take on Indian street food and other classics. The menu has over 30 items separated into different categories like Small Plates, Kathi Rolls, Grills, Specials and curries.
I have to be honest the vast amount of items made it hard to narrow down what to order however our server was helpful in some recommendations.
Here’s what I got
I tried to get a mix of street food and grill items.
Mirchi Matchstick Chicken £4.50
My favourite thing on the menu and one of my favourite things I’ve eaten this year. Yes it’s just fried chicken, but I’ve never had it like this before, Indian spiced flavour and match stick style chicken wings, highly recommend.
Kheema Pao, Spiced minced lamb cooked with green peas £7
Kurkure Bhaji , crispy lotus root and okra £4.70
Similar to the okra fries from Dishoom, this deep-fried dish was actually light and tasty with great flavours and textures.
Pani Puri Wala, crispy wheat shells, infused chilled tamarind flavoured water £4.95
The filling wasn’t the most flavourful I’ve had, I found it a bit weak in taste.
Papdi Chaat, Sweet yoghurt, mint, tamarind and wheat crispy £4.50
I love chaat, I get it whenever I see it on a menu, this was good and had a good balance of flavours, but I would have preferred a little more sweetness.
Gilafi Kebab, lamb mince, mint, coriander and homemade garam masala £8.50
I wasn’t too keen on this one, slightly overcooked and I didn’t like the flavours of the spices.
Lucknow Murgh Biryani, The Soho Wala variation on the legendary Lucknow special, with mint and cilantro £9.95
Chargrilled chicken cooked into a curry sauce, it’s basically a butter chicken. It was good but not the best I’ve had for me it lacked depth in flavour and needed a touch of a sweeter element to it.
I think if you go here, you should focus on the street food and small plates, I wasn’t a fan of the curries, however having only trying only 20% of the menu it’s not fair to make such an assumption.
I think the value for the small plates when you factor in the location and venue is amazing with a lot of items under £5
The decor is open, spacious and colourful with nice natural lighting from bay windows that look out onto the Soho entrance of Carnaby street and liberty. Our server (Indian Guy) was friendly and helped with suggestions for what to order.
Prices listed are correct as of the date of the post, Prices were cheaper when I visited
It’s that time of year again! It seems to come around so fast. Once again I have put together a list of restaurants that are running a special Iftar Menu for Ramadan 2019.
Bookmark this page – It will be updated regularly
Last Update: 15th May
Current Number of places: 17
New additions will be at the top
Restaurants opening for Iftar and Suhoor in London
Liban
I’ve been here a few months ago and really enjoyed it despite some service that needed work. Food was really good.
Address: 190 George Ln, South Woodford, London E18 1AY
Price: £15
Handmade Burger Co
Address: Designer Outlet, Wembley Park Blvd, London HA9 0FD
Mango Tree
Address: 46 Grosvenor Pl, Belgravia, London SW1X 7EQ
Price: See Offer and prices Above Prayer Space: Not Sure
Price: £19.95 for 2-course meal with a drink Prayer Space: Yes
Maison Du Mezes
I visited here for the first time a few days before the start of Ramadan and was impressed with the running of the restaurant and the food. For Ramadan, Maison Du Mezes are offering a different menu EVERY DAY at what I think is a great price. I spoke to the manager who really wants this place to be buzzing for iftar and has gone to a lot of effort to ensure that standards are high and food is ready once you are.
Address: 14 Leicester Square, London WC2H 7NG Price: £25 for 4-course meal with a drink Prayer Space: Yes
Pie Factory
Last year Pie Factory ran a great iftar platter for an amazing price of less than £9 and even better part of that goes directly to Muslim Aid charity.
“Break your fast at Harlem Soul. 3 course set menu available for Iftar. Served in our downstairs dining area, alcohol free area with a prayer room. Enjoy the best American Halal food in London in a comfortable and vibrant environment”.
*Hey guys, Just letting you know I went here for Iftar and I didn’t really like it
“Inspired by the Middle Eastern tradition of Iftar the menu will include seasonal mezze including flat breads, zaatar infused olive oil, hummus with tatbilla dip and labaneh topped with spring greens, followed by mains made up of platters of Joojah chicken kebabs and slow cooked lamb with plums and roses.”
Address: 216 Great Portland St, Fitzrovia, London W1W 5QW
Price: £45 per person Prayer Space: No, Nearest Mosque is Goodge Street, around 8 mins walk
The Great Chase
Address: 316 St John St, Clerkenwell, London EC1V 4NT Prayer Space: Yes
Update: Since writting the origibal post, ive been back a few times and have been dissapointed with the food, something has chnaged and its not the same anymore, i actually prefer MunchBox in Upton Park now. 13/09/2019
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There has been a lot of new Halal places that I have discovered and blogged about, but none in the years I have been blogging have gone Viral and created as much hype as Bims. Bims is a fast food style burger joint that’s recently opened up in the Walthamstow area.
After posting about this place on my Instagram account, I was blown away with the popularity of my discovery and the way it spread. The next day after I posted there were queues of people waiting to try the food. So why is there so much hype?
This place does a £1 cheeseburger that tastes EXACTLY the same as a McDonald’s cheeseburger. When I first took a bite it reminded me of the classic McDonalds taste that I remember having when I’m aboard in places like Dubai, Malaysia, Turkey or other Muslim counties.
They have 2 styles of burgers as well, McDonald’s grilled and flame grilled Burger King style burgers that cost a bit more. The place is small and similar to a chicken shop
These burgers are the closest thing you will find to eating McDonald’s halal in the UK (I think) I believe the beef is from France, no certificate available, status confirmed by owners.
Be Ready to Queue
When I visited for the first time, I walked straight to the till and ordered, waited a while and got my food. The next day and since then, the waiting time is an average of 1 hour, there is also a limit to 2 burgers per customer. I was told by Bims themselves it was a direct result of my post!
Before I Discovered…
After I Discovered…
When I visited, there were tables for seating, now its take away only. At the time of writing the venue is working on reducing wait times.
Why so Popular?
I think the fact that you can buy up to 5 burgers for the price of a typical Gourmet halal burger is a massive factor. It’s Cheap and it tastes like a McDonalds, granted, I don’t think its the quality of a burger that features in my top burger list, but people want something different. Is this a start of a new trend?
At the time of writing, there is a limit of 2 burgers per customer.
They also have exclusive drinks (with old pre-sugar tax levels of sugar) like a 7up Mojito.
Single, Double and Big Mac!
Awesome Drink!
So if you want to experience what a McDonalds burger, then head over to Bims to check it out!
I first visited this American styled Burger restaurant in Leyton when they opened a year ago, upon that visit, it wasn’t a good once, food was below average and not great. I went recently and glad to report that’s the food has dramatically improved.
MENU
I went with the family and both mum and dad loved the food. I also have to agree, I really liked everything, especially the Mak fries, which are French fries served with delicious pulled beef
I tried the classic cheeseburger and this was definitely an improvement compared to my last visit. They now use 28 day aged Aberdeen Angus steak in all burgers and have kept the price the same. Its similar to a big mac in terms of taste. Gets a 8/10 from me .
Ideal for families with kids and it’s fully halal no alcohol served or allowed. I was invited, meal was complimentary
Another epic year for me in 2018, I ate loads! This year started with one of the best meals I’ve ever had at The Frog E1. It was a year where I ate more Vegan food in an attempt to cut down on the amount of meat I eat.
I ate out nearly 150 times this year, with over 70 new restaurant visits this year alone!
My score is an overall score based on my experience on the day, you will notice that some restaurants appear more than once, that is a repeat visit – score can change depending on the food or service that day.
New restaurant visits are marked with a *
Not everything is halal on this list, some might have all halal, part halal, pre-order halal or no halal options at all. If you decide to visit any of these places please double check menus before you visit.
If there’s one type of cuisine that’s hard to find that is Halal, its authentic Mexican, I’m talking about food cooked by real Mexcian chefs using ingredients actually from Mexico. Well, I Bring you Mestizo who serve up some authentic Mexican food and have halal chicken and beef.
The menu is large and there are loads of options.
MENU
Drinks
Starters
I got some Flautas which are rolled corn tortillas filled with chicken or potato & cheese, (Vegetarian) deep fried then topped with shredded lettuce, green tomatillo salsa, sour cream & topped with queso fresco ranchero.
See that red and green block, if you need service you put it green side up.
Mains
Filete Arriero
Filete Tampiquena
For mains, I went read meat crazy and got Filete Tampiquena, strips of finest beef fillet, accompanied by a chicken enchilada, guacamole, and rajas con crema and garnished with queso Fresco ranchero. £24
Also got Filete Arriero, three beef medallions on a base of sauteed potatoes with a sauce of chopped garlic, onion, chile Verde & chile guajillo, served with steamed vegetables. £19.50
Sometimes when I go out to eat, I order with my followers in mind – I think what would they like the most, here I went a bit red meat heavy here, in retrospect, I would have prefered to order something that felt a little more authentic.
Dessert
Pastel de Queso y Coco a baked cream cheese and coconut cheesecake, in a pool of fresh mango sauce, £3.60
I saw only after I left that they had Tamal de Dulces, I wish I got that.
Definitely, recommend this place for groups of friends as its something a bit different, the vibe here is like a party and lively, booking is essential. Service and staff are very helpful and friendly.
New Halal Chicken Joint in Essex. OMG Babes it’s totes amaze! Wing Shack Co has been open for a few months and offers a halal menu. All chicken and beef are halal!
MENUS
The only way is…. chicken! Okay, enough Towie references, but I really liked the food here. I recommend the Chicken tenders, so tender and juicy with great flavour.
Wings
I tried all the different flavours, I recommend the BBQ and the Honey and Soy. The flavours were well balanced and tasted great.
Burger
The chicken thigh burger is also awesome. Juicy, tender and the batter had a great crunchy texture. Chicken burger i’ll give it an 8/10. I also tried the beef burger, but I don’t think it was that good. 5/10 for that one.
I also tried a few sides, in particular, the halloumi fires where very good and I definitely recommend getting that. The mac n cheese wasn’t to my liking.
There’s a small amount of non-halal as a side on the menu, but it’s handled and cooked separately in the kitchen.
When it comes to reviewing Turkish restaurants I don’t get excited much, pretty much all the Turkish restaurants now follow the trend of serving up lightly marinated meats that have been grilled over a charcoal flame.
It tends to be the same for me, it is partly down to my ordering options which normally consist of mixed grills but also that Turkish food I find is very similar wherever I go. You can put a mixed grill from 5 different Turkish restaurants next to each other and chances are they will all look and taste very similar.
So when I was invited to check out one of Green Lane’s oldest Turkish restaurants I wasn’t expecting much. If you haven’t heard of Green Lanes in Harringay then it’s like a mini Turkey, with loads of Turkish restaurants. It’s my usual place to go if I need a Turkish fix. My normal restaurant of choice used to be Gokyuzu, but recently I have found the standards have fallen so going to a new place came at a good time.
Menus
Anyways, As I was invited, in contrast to how I normally order I allowed the manager to pick a few dishes for me, as well as picking a few for myself.
We started the evening with a selection of different mezes. Now, I don’t normally bother with mezes, I go straight for the meat! However, I’m glad they gave me a good spread.
Gonna be honest with you, im writting this reivew months after I visied and I can’t remember the names of every dish below, but i’ll my best…
Zeytinyagli Fasulye, £5.50, Runner beans braised in olive oil with tomatoes (top left)
Cacik, £4.50, Strained yoghurt mixed with diced cucumber, garlic and herbs
Cig Kofte, £5.50, Raw minced lamb cured with Levantine spices, bulgur wheat, parsley, onions, garlic tomato paste and olive oil.
Icli Kofte, £5.90, Minced Lamb and nuts in a deep fried bulgur wheat crust
Antep Kofte, £4.95, Ground lamb and bulgur wheat koftes, served on yoghurt and spinach
I was impressed with most of the dishes. Really fresh flavours and ingredients. I enjoyed my selection of mezes. I don’t actually know the names of what they ordered for me,
Mains
The usual routine normally is me ordering a sharing platter but I decided to go on what they picked for me. Side note, the price for the sharing platter was very expensive compared to others I’ve had from other restaurants.
Ali Nazik £14
It was refreshing to visit a Turkish restaurant and try something new for the first time. It is made from smoked and spiced eggplant, grilled and then pureed, topped with seasoned and marinated sauteed lamb.
Sogan Kebab £14
Sogan kebab is listed under signature dishes, with chargrilled pieces of minced lamb kofte and sweet shallots served in a tangy and tart pomegranate sauce. Wrapped up in a piece of bread, with a spoonful of sliced onions from the salad, this was certainly very tasty. The fresh flavours came together beautifully.
Sample Small Mix Grill (off menu)
Iskender Kebab
We then popped over next door to Antepliler Doner where we tried the famous Iskender Kebab, The dish consists of döner kebab prepared from thinly cut grilled lamb topped with hot tomato sauce over pieces of pita bread and generously slathered with melted sheep butter and yoghurt. Tomato sauce and melted butter are generally poured over the dish, at the table. Easy to say that this was epic.
Kunefe
They have their own dessert cafe for Kunefe. Kunefe is a dessert that has a layer of mild stretchy homemade cheese sandwiched in the middle and topped with a dollop of kaymak (like clotted cream). It is served warm and covered in crushed pistachios. Antep pistachios have a natural brilliant colour. They are small but tender and sweet, with a wonderful flavour. The Kunefe was deliciously decadent. Best Kunefe in London.
KUNEFE…………………………………………………………………£5.50
KAYMAKLI KUNEFE (Cream)……………………………………£6.50
SPECIAL KUNEFE (with Extra Pistachios inside)……….£8.00
Overall, with so many Turkish restaurants feeling all the same, this place does stand out from the crowd, they use very good quality meat ingredients and put care into the food.
