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The Cardamom Room

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It was my birthday last Friday and I visited The Cardamom Room a new modern and contemporary Indian restaurant located in South Woodford

The restaurant has a Central London vibe has an upmarket menu to match.

Here’s what I got

DRINKS
Amaretto Sour £8
Lychee Spritz £7
Pina Colada £7

STARTERS
Kurkuri bhindi £7
Seared scallops £10
Chilli Panner £8
Papdi ki chaat £7.5

GRILL
Adraki lamb chops £21
Duo of chicken tikka £15

MAINS
Butter Chicken £15.5
Gosht dum Biryani £17

SIDES
Gunpowder Potatoes £8
Butter Naan £3.50

DESSERTS
Walnut Chocolate Cake £8
Pistachio Creme Brulee £8
Mango and caradom sorbet £6.50

In general, I was very impressed with the overall quality, presentation and taste of the food. The starters were great, the massive portion of bhindi fries were so moreish, delicious scallops, scrumptious chaat and the lamb chops which come with 4 were 1 inch thick, French trimmed, soft, tender and tasty, something you don’t see in East.

The biryani was a surprise hit, absolutely delicious, with generous amounts of soft tender lamb and packed full of flavour, probably one of the best I’ve had at a restaurant (better than a £33 I had at a central London restaurant)

The decor has a dark modern look, and you don’t feel like you are in East London. Prices are a little high, but you’ll pay more for similar restaurants in Central, but the good point is this is a fully halal restaurant with no alcohol on the menu.

The drinks and dessert were not on the same level as the food, needs a bit more refinement but still decent.

Overall a fantastic addition to the food scene, kudos to the owners for a full non-alcoholic menu, brave in such a middle-class area. I went on a Friday evening and every table had a baby or child so that was good to see it’s a family-friendly place. Free parking after 6.30pm with 1-hour free parking before. Close to the station. My meal was complimentary. Full Review to follow on the blog in a few weeks.

Chourangi

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I made a rare trip to Central London for the first time this year! Unreal for me as I used to go to Central London every day for the last decade when I worked there. I left the wife and baby at home and linked up with a friend to try the latest Indian that you have seen all over your feed Chourangi which has opened up close to Marble Arch Station, at the end of Oxford Street.

The restaurant has a classic Indian colonial decor vibe and a focused menu that explores the flavours of Calcutta.

The food here isn’t cheap! So good thing I was invited, I got to try a range of items

Cracking Spinach £4.50
Smoker chilli poppadum £4.50

Lotus stem and sweet potato chaat £9.50
Mango ginger stones bass £17
Laal Murgi Kebab £13.50

Welsh lamb rack £22
Jumbo prawn Tandoori £23

Kosha Lamb £22
Daak bungalow curry / Butter Chicken £19.50
Lamb Biryani £22
Bread Basket £11

The use of strong spices was a common theme with the dishes, they didn’t hide away and tone down the food. Some dishes I found unbalanced with strong whole spices, like Cardamom.

My favourite dishes were actually the mains, the Kosha Lamb and Butter Chicken, I liked the use of large pieces of meat and chicken and the flavours were delicious.

The Welsh lamb rack or chops at over £7 per chop for me wasn’t worth it. The cut I got was on the thin side and had the fat removed. I could taste an over-spiced marinate that coated the chop, while it was cooked perfectly I just wasn’t blown away by the flavours and spices.

The mango ginger stone bass (fish) was a dish I ordered because it’s something I’ve only ever seen at another restaurant, this inspired dish was delicate, light and delicious.

The negatives..

I’d avoid the biryani as it was just rice cooked with meat and didn’t feel anything like a layered and well-made Biryani. The cracking Spinach was not what I expected, it’s a bar snack.. Maybe the fact it’s called a bar snack should have been the clue.

I didn’t like the Laal Murgi Kebab, I found it dry and absent of flavour. The poppadums we had were old and stale. The jumbo prawns were good, but at £23 for 3 was on the pricey side.

The service was just okay, I’d expected more attentive staff and one that doesn’t bring warm tap water, but the food did arrive in a speedy manner.

Mocktails were £9 and tasted unique, I got a nimbbu soda that had a contrasting tangy flavour of chaat masala to spice it up.

Overall, If you like authentic flavours then this place does offer some good food, normally I’m more interested with small Plates and starters but the curries seemed to be the stars of the show here.

I was invited to review here. Meal was complimentary. Thoughts my own.

Halal Restaurant Tube Map

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Redesigned Tube map shows the nearest restaurant that serves halal food closest to each London Underground Station

Download “November 2022” v1 – Updated November 2022
– NEW! Added Station Names alongside restaurant names
– Updated the map to the new current map from TFL
– Elizabeth Line and other stations added
– Added new places

Download “Jan 2020” v1.3 – Updated December 2019
– Added new places
– Replaced a few

Download v1.1 – Updated September 2019
 – Fixed a few errors
– Added over 20 new places

Download the PDF here


This map is totally free and took me a lot of time and effort to make, if you find this map useful and want to say thanks you can follow this link and treat me to a slice of pizza or burger.

or you can use TipJar below


I started with Central, it was tough as there are so many places close to tube stations, so I listed my favourite ones. Then I moved to East which was pretty easy, a little tougher was North London. West London is where TripAdvisor had to help, then came the turn of South London..yeah not much there sorry.

I amazed myself in that I listed most of the places on this map from memory! (So I could have made a mistake, but I think most of it is pretty accurate)  Hope you find this map useful, the places listed are all my choices and I’ve tried to list places by distance from the tube station and by my rating.

If you have any suggestions for Stations are don’t have a restaurant listed please leave a comment below! Also, Sorry South London but It was tough to find anything decent for you.

Also, remember I also have my amazing google map that will list all my recommended halal places based on your location in London – for more info go here or access the map directly here

The Tube map is copyright to Tfl. This map was created under Copyright Designs and Patents Act 1988 30ACaricature, parody or pastiche (1)Fair dealing with a work for the purposes of caricature, parody or pastiche does not infringe copyright in the work. (2)To the extent that a term of a contract purports to prevent or restrict the doing of any act which, by virtue of this section, would not infringe copyright, that term is unenforceable

MELI-MELO

I rarely travel south of the river, mainly due to the long journey times by car, there’s always traffic and it’s never fun. When it comes to restaurants, there’s a lack of anything good South with only a few exceptions.

If you like restaurants with a vibe, amazing decor and quality service.. Then this is not it. However, if you are a true foodie this place is must visit.

Meli-melo is a restaurant that offers a wide range of unique dishes with elite presentation. From brunches, roasts, burgers and steaks there’s plenty to use from.

Menu

Lamb rack Sunday roast £20
Beef cheek cannelloni £14
Lamb quesadillas £9
Baboon fries £6.50
Crispy cauliflower £6
Vanilla Sky Dessert £8

The signature Sunday roast that’s available every day is a work of culinary mastery. It’s available as Beef, Lamb, and chicken. Every element on the plate was a delight, it’s easy to see the love, passion and energy that’s gone into this dish. It’s easily the best halal Roast you can get. The lamb rack was cooked perfectly with the tasty fat left on for that extra flavour. All the vegetables were elite and the secret orange mash is like crack, so good. It’s worth going here just for this dish alone.

Lamb Rack Sunday Roast

The Beef cheek cannelloni was something similar to what I had once at The Great Chase, what I loved about this dish was the leak croquette.

I decided to try some other dishes off the menu, Lamb quesadillas, Baboon fries, and Crispy cauliflower. While these dishes didn’t have any faults with them cooking wise, I just wasn’t impressed with the overall flavours and taste and thought the sauces on most of these dishes overpowered everything.

Old-school foodies might remember a burger joint called Brioche Burger, who levelled up the halal burger scene, the owner and chef worked there and current foodies will know about The Great Chase where he was the Head chef.

There isn’t a halal restaurant like this in London, the place is small and intimate and only offers space for 16 guests at maximum capacity. It’s like one man band, the chef takes the orders, cooks and serves the food! So don’t expect top service here or a vibe, just really good food.

We finished off the meal with an elite dessert, another dish made up of loads of separate elements that came together in harmony. The croffle, is the chef’s unique invention of mixing a waffle and a croissant. The freshly made vanilla and pistachio creams were a pleasure to eat.

I’d strongly suggest making a booking if you go as seating is limited. All food is halal. No alcohol served. No music, Quran and nasheeds played. I paid for my meal.

Nova Parlour [Permanently Closed]

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I checked out Nova Parlour the latest addition to the many restaurants on Ilford Lane. The cuisine is a fusion with a limited menu that offers a select number of dishes. The decor and interior styling stands out here, dark walls, a striking blue floral ceiling with contemporary fixtures.

Here’s what I ordered and the prices

Starers
CRISPY CALAMARI £7
PRAWN TEMPURA £7
Korean Wings £5

Mains
HARISSA LAMB CHOPS £14
FIRECRACKER STIR FRY £13
BUTTER CHICKEN PASTA £8
Masala Fries £5
Drinks
LYCHEE ROSE COOLER £5.49
PINA COLADA £6.99

The starters were a simple affair, they were cooked well and tasted good and I liked them all, in particular the prawn tempura.

BUTTER CHICKEN PASTA £8

The mains is where the focus is on. The Butter Chicken Patsa caught my eye, I wanted to dislike this dish but I have to admit I enjoyed it. Something I’ve not seen anywhere, but the mix of Indian and Indian worked! 8/10

HARISSA LAMB CHOPS £14

The lamb chops were underwhelming, although cooked nicely and not overcooked, they were standard ones you can get from your local butcher, the let down was the taste. There wasn’t any. Bland and absent of flavour. They seemed like they were not anytime at all and the Spice was just brushed on after they were cooked, as the other side of the chops had no visible appearance of any harisa added. 5/10

FIRECRACKER STIR FRY £13

The firecracker stir fry is a dish inspired by the popular dish from Wagamama. This dish fell short of the mark. I found the sauce unbalanced and too sweet. The chicken and vegetables seemed overcooked and lacked freshness and bite. 5/10

 
 
 
 
 
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I was impressed with the presentation of the food and the decor of the restaurant. Its early days but this place does have potential. So I want to encourage them to expand the menu and refine some dishes. There are 2 floors and also a private dining room available to hire.

I do have to mention that I really enjoyed the drinks. Made well and tasted great. Recommended.

The restaurant offers a Breakfast, lunch and dinner menu. All food is halal and no alcohol is served. I was invited my food was complimentary.

Noir [CLOSED]

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This place closed down in October 2022

Date of Visit: 14 July 2022

A new modern and contemporary Indian restaurant located in North London in Whetstone (I’ve never heard of it either)

The restaurant named after the French word for Black has a dark stylish interior to match its name. It’s been open for a few months, the launch did have some hype, I saw it over social media for a week, with fire shows and a very party-like atmosphere, I visited (Invite) on a Wednesday evening after all the initial opening hype has died down. The venue is split over 3 floors, fully halal, and serves no alcohol but does serve shisha.

Here are my honest thoughts on the food..

Small Plates

Chennai chilli prawns £13.50
Similar to dynamite prawns, this dish was good, I liked the contrast between the crispy outer batter and the soft texture of the prawns. The sauce could have more flavour, but overall a solid dish 7.5/10




No Back Chatt £8.50
I liked that the final touches of smashing the chaat and adding sauce were done at the table, the flavours and textures worked really well. 8/10

Kolkota Wings £10.50
Super soft Lollipop chicken wings that almost melted in the mouth. I really liked this dish a pleasure to eat and recommend. I just wish they have more than just 3 wings. 8.5/10

Lahori Lamb Chops £14.50
The quality of the lamb used is evident here, on par with high-end Indian restaurants in Central London. Cooked to a requested medium rare, French trimmed, Thick, soft and tender with the right flavour from the fat cap left on. However, there was a strong acidity and tangy flavour profile which I found overpowering and really let the taste down 6/10

*the dry ice show is only available on the starter platter. I asked if we could get one as it looks cool on reels.

Mains

Butter Chicken £19.50
I like a good butter chicken, however, this dish didn’t have much to like about it. Lacked depth in flavour, no hint of sweetness and overall pretty tasteless. The portion size didn’t reflect the price point. I did like the use of chicken thigh instead of the typical use of breast. 4/10




Cry me a Karahi £19.50
A very underwhelming and lacklustre curry. Completely absent of any flavour and an overuse of peppers and onions to make up for the few pieces of lamb which wasn’t very soft or tender. Not good value for money 3/10

3 Idiot sliders £22.50
Really didn’t like this. A salty wagyu meat curry in a Bao bun. I don’t understand using high-end meat when you just cover the taste with a dominant curry flavour. The meat was super soft but has no business being inside in a Japanese Bao bun. Just didn’t work at all 2/10

Short Rib Biryani £20
An impressive-looking dish. The short rib was delicate and tore apart with minimal effort. It’s a very rich dish and hard for one person to eat, so I recommend this as a sharing dish 7/10

Fresh Lemon and Mint £5
Back in the day I use to get a fresh lemon and mint from Abu Zaad in edgeware Road, it was my favourite drink back then and this rendition was amazing, just look at that generous amount in that big glass. Such a refreshing mix of fresh mint and lemon with just the right amount of sweetness to balance the citrus of lemon. 9.5/10

I didn’t try any of the Mocktails at £7.50, the amount you get looked small and most drinks looked too sweet, my friends that got Mocktails both ordered a lemon and mint after trying mine. That says it all.

Finally, we finished off we some desserts

Pistachio Milk Cake £8.90
Nutella Milk Cake £8.90

While the texture of the Nutella milk cake was more of a sponge cake-like consistency, the flavours were on point, not too sweet with just the right amount of chocolate-infused milk.




The restaurant falls into the category of the new lounge-style restaurants that have been popping, it’s trying to create a boujee or should I say bourgeois, lush atmosphere with the usual dry ice and other Theatrics. There’s pretty loud music on all floors but in particular the bottom. On the day I visit the restaurant seemed to be 20% full with many empty tables.




With the objectively high prices due to the fact that there’s no alcohol to bump up revenues and the luxury decor, I was expecting better from the food, the main courses in particular.

My advice would be to avoid the mains I had and focus on the starters I mentioned as they were good and better value for money.

I normally don’t mention service when I’m invited to a restaurant as staff normally go the extra mile for “influencers” but I need to mention our waiter Joffery, a humble professional that was intentive and friendly while being very professional throughout the service.

Fully Halal, with No Alcohol and Shisha present.

Watan Ilford

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Date of visit: March 2022

I’ve lived around Ilford Lane for a while now, it’s home to loads of halal restaurants but I’ve never managed to visit Watan, I’ve been to the one in Southall around 5 years ago and wasn’t impressed. Every time I go past the one in Ilford Lane there are queues going out the door.

The weather was nice yesterday and we just fed and changed our baby so I said to my wife let’s go for a walk and check it out for lunch.

The menu has a lot of options but I decided to stay on the safe side and try an Afgan Mix grill for £32. I’ll be honest, I wasn’t expecting much from here.. But I was pleasantly surprised!

The kebabs tasted really good, the first bite of each different item was full of flavour and juicy, they have been marinated in well-balanced spices, seasoned well and more importantly not overcooked, something that used to be typical in places like this. Finally, chefs are realising that cooking meat to medium makes it tender, soft and tastes better overall. Also, they don’t remove the fat off the lamb chops, which means you get that flavour hit from your first bite. Lamb chops, lamb tikka, chicken tikka, seekh kebab and reshami kebabs, every item was good

It’s served on a giant naan and comes with 2 types of light and delicate rice. Portions are good, we had plenty of food left over for takeaway.

Overall, for a first-time visit and quick lunch, I was impressed and enjoyed the meal. Lunchtime was good to visit as it wasn’t busy, I see why it’s busy in the evening as there are not many tables, maybe 45 people max. The decor isn’t fancy, modern and clean and the service is basic.

And yes, I know I should have tried the Chapli Kebab. Next Time I will.

All food is halal. No alcohol. No service charge was added. I paid for my meal, not an invite.

Fiore Dell Amore

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Check out this new Fully Halal Italian restaurant in Brick @fioredellamoreuk 

The striking decor of hanging flower gardens and colourful flowers on every wall makes this place instagramable.

Bruschetta and Sharing Platter

There’s a fully halal menu and dry bar severing non-alcoholic drinks like Mocktails but also has imported halal wine.

Menus

Drinks
Strawberry Bellinis £5.95 really good Mocktail!
Pina colds £4.95 not bad.
Sparking Wine £5.95 wasn’t to my taste

Starters
I went for a sharing platter for £14.95 and sourdough Bruschetta £4.95

The sharing platter looked epic! Its meant for 2 people but the portion size was massive, the sourdough garlic bread was excellent, I also liked the Bruschetta.

Mains

My favourite was the spaghetti bolognese £9.95, a very hearty portion with flavours that worked well, something I’d happy try again.

Also tried a Gnocchi sorreentia £9.95, cooked in a simple tomato sauce.

Carbonara, typically made with pancetta, here turkey rashers are used in this Italian classic. £9.95

Saw some chicken tacos as well which I got, it also came with nachos on the side. I wasn’t too keen on this. £8.95

Finished the meal off with a yummy chocolate fondant and sweet waffle for dessert.

Overall food-wise, while although nothing I had blew me away it’s great to have a new addition to the halal scene that’s not a burger or grill joint. There’s a good range of halal pasta dishes made with halal beef and no wine.

I was invited to review here, meal was complimentary.

Asado Steakhouse

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Restaurant Roulette Time! I visit a restaurant as a normal customer. No invite. No prior information. Visit anonymously.

@asado_steakhouse is an Argentinian steakhouse with a full halal menu located in Leytonstone (alcohol is present) . “Asado source their beef from Pampas, an area of Argentina famous for its high-quality steak. Every steak comes from Aberdeen Angus cattle reared in the luscious grasslands of Pampas”

This meal was fantastic. The steak I had was brilliant and it’s been a while since I’ve had a steak of this quality and level of flavour. There was a deep richness in taste, probably aided by the fact that the steaks are aged for a minimum of 56 days.

I ordered the 250g Ribeye, for £24.95 it was cooked to a perfect medium-rare as requested. The steaks come with a choice of sauce, I went for a Chimmichuri sauce which went perfectly. The head chef used to work at Gaucho and also has experience working in Michelin-starred Kitchens.

https://www.instagram.com/p/CfmQV-UoXO4/

Also got a lamb shank, served on a bed of mash potatoes and lamb ju, whilst the lamb was tender and cooked perfectly I did find it a little on the bland side, but that’s probably down to the fact I was having a steak that had a lot of flavour, but the lamb shank was still better than many others I’ve had. £17.95

Also got some scallops £9.95 and empanadas (chicken and beef) for starters. The scallops were cooked well, and the garnish and sauce that came with them tasted brilliant and worked perfectly. The beef empanada was our favourite out of the 2. £3 each.

The sweet potato fries were really good, not frozen ones, but freshly made fat wedges. The Mac N Cheese was a bit Meh.

Finished the meal off with a tasty cheesecake for dessert.

I know Steaks maybe are not as popular as a few years ago, but this place is a must. Easily one of the best steaks I’ve had and definitely one of the best steakhouses in London. An absolute gem of a restaurant.

Our waiter who turned out to be the owner was really friendly, and allowed us to use the shisha lounge area to change our baby’s nappy! He’s very knowledgeable about his steaks and cares about good food, not likes and social media.

I paid for my meal. All food is halal. Alcohol is present. Muslim owner.

Central Lounge

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I checked out this Casual venue serving up traditional Indian small plates, street food, grill & tandoor, plus curries located in Ilford

Here’s what I ordered

Chilli Paneer £8.15 8/10
Avocado chaat £7.25 3/10 > 8.5/10
Pani Puri £5.80 5/10
Sticky Lamb Chops £10.85 4/10
Butter Chicken £9.95 7.5/10
Lamb Shank £14.95 8/10
Lamb Biryani £12.50 8/10
Keema Naan £3.65 6/10
Butter Naan £2.75 7/10
Ocean Blue £6.50 7/10
Elderflower & pear £6.50 6/10

In general, the food was good, some dishes worked well and some needed work. My favourite items were the Chill Panner, crispy texture in a tasty sauce. The lamb Biryani was enjoyable and had good portions of lamb, it was a bit sticky in texture but I like it like that and the flavours were balanced and tasty.

The butter chicken had velvety smooth sauce and was really tasty, with perfectly cooked chicken and sauce with good depth in flavour. The lamb shank also had a rich and balanced sauce and the lamb fell apart with no effort at all.

The lamb chops however were overcooked, which meant it was tough and chewy. If I was a paying customer I would have sent that back, I could only sample one bite, I didn’t like the taste of the sticky sauce either.

They did serve me a 🥑 chaat that was rotten. Sadly for my wife, she was the victim of soggy nasty avocado and didn’t notice till it was too late. They did take it away and bring me a new one, but it came at the end of the meal so I took it home. The new one with fresh avocado was actually delicious. It’s a shame they got it wrong the first time.

Drinks and food came with a somewhat forced dry ice show for the table, but I’ll take anything that will get me the likes. The drinks were okay, I didn’t like the Elderflower it was bitter but the ocean blue was nice.

Finished the meal with an average freakshake but the chocolate cake wasn’t too bad.

The service was good and overall this is a decent place to check out. It’s more casual lunch/dinner than anything fancy, but there’s a free car park on-site.

Alcohol is served. All food is halal with certification available. My meal was complimentary.

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