# Okay Dopers- need food advice in London! **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [December 2, 2009, 8:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/okay-dopers-need-food-advice-in-london/519749 "2009-12-02T20:09:14Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 6\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Dervorin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/eb8c5e/32.png) [@Dervorin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dervorin)\ **Post date:** [December 3, 2009, 4:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/okay-dopers-need-food-advice-in-london/519749/21 "2009-12-03T16:43:34Z")
> [@villa](#): > > While you are there, you have to try one of the really good Indian restaurants - I honestly don’t know where I would suggest, but can ask family if you want. Mela is pretty central and good, and the staff are friendly and knowledgeable: [http://www.melarestaurant.co.uk/](http://www.melarestaurant.co.uk/) If you want something a bit more authentic, though, I can’t do better than recommending Tayyab’s: [New Tayyabs, Fieldgate Street, London E1 | Food | The Guardian](http://www.guardian.co.uk/lifeandstyle/2005/may/07/foodanddrink.shopping1). It’s small and crowded, but the food is out of this world. Well worth the wait, and there often is a wait, with the queue going out of the door and into the street. If you can have your meal at a slightly off-peak time, it would help avoid a long wait. ---
**Author:** ![ColdPhoenix](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/6bbea6/32.png) [@ColdPhoenix](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ColdPhoenix)\ **Post date:** [December 4, 2009, 8:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/okay-dopers-need-food-advice-in-london/519749/22 "2009-12-04T08:45:16Z")
> [@Dervorin](#): > > If you want something a bit more authentic, though, I can’t do better than recommending Tayyab’s Tayyab’s is great (as long as you’re not vegetarian). If there are enough of you make sure to book. I felt like I was in Goodfellas as the waiter walked us past the long queue to our table! 🆒 ---
**Author:** ![jjimm](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/ba8739/32.png) [@jjimm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jjimm)\ **Post date:** [December 4, 2009, 1:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/okay-dopers-need-food-advice-in-london/519749/23 "2009-12-04T13:52:22Z")
> [@Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](#): > > For what it’s worth, the best meal I’ve ever had was at [Zen Central](http://www.frommers.com/destinations/london/D39438.html) in Mayfair (it’s an “Asian fusion” restaurant, a bit like PF Chang’s). Looks like it’s gone bust. ☹ Shame, as I was going to check it out on your recommendation. Another place to consider is Wong Kee in Chinatown. Very good, very cheap, simple Chinese food - and astonishingly rude waitstaff. People actually go there just to get insulted. ---
**Author:** ![Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/e8c25b/32.png) [@Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Really_Not_All_That_Bright)\ **Post date:** [December 4, 2009, 2:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/okay-dopers-need-food-advice-in-london/519749/24 "2009-12-04T14:58:03Z")
Well, I suppose it can’t have been _that_ good, then. 😉 ---
**Author:** ![Illuminatiprimus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/illuminatiprimus/32/11520_2.png) [@Illuminatiprimus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Illuminatiprimus)\ **Post date:** [December 4, 2009, 4:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/okay-dopers-need-food-advice-in-london/519749/25 "2009-12-04T16:14:43Z")
I heavily recommend a persian restaurant in Covent Garden called Simurgh - it’s in Garrick Street. More info [here](http://www.simurgh.co.uk/). Taken loads of people there any no-one has ever had a bad meal. ---
**Author:** ![Omar\_Little](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/omar_little/32/269_2.png) [@Omar\_Little](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Omar_Little)\ **Post date:** [December 4, 2009, 4:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/okay-dopers-need-food-advice-in-london/519749/26 "2009-12-04T16:40:43Z")
I give Wahaca’s a double thumbs up as well. Best Mexican food in Europe. > [@Novelty\_Bobble](#): > > [http://www.wahaca.co.uk/](http://www.wahaca.co.uk/) > > Very nice mexican street-style food, cheap (For Mexican food in the UK anyhow) and tasty. > > We had the lunch set meal, £20 for two of us and went away full and happy. The smoked herring and olive tostadas were a revelation but If possible I’d eat them first as they are fairly delicate and come as a bit of a shock to the palate if you eat them after something spicier. > They also do that weird huitlacoche stuff in a quesadilla, yum…don’t look, just eat! and for those who’ve never had it, don’t google it first. > > You can’t book though, so you may have get rat-arsed at the bar first. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/okay-dopers-need-food-advice-in-london/519749.md?page=1)