A couple of friends were visiting from Germany, and my heart sank when it was suggested they try 'a real British curry house in famous Brick Lane'. Surely their trusty Lonely Planet had something to say about the 'free beer and 50% off my friend?' touts dragging unsuspecting tourists into tacky, tired restaurants?
Persuading myself not to be such a jaded killjoy, I looked up the promising reviews and we all headed to Sheraz Bangla Lounge on Saturday night.
OK so Sheraz doesn't have touts outside. And the restaurant is clean and contemporary. It might be a bit lacking in atmosphere, but the 'lads night out' crowd chugging down Cobra and chicken tikka made up for that. The vibes were loud and lively - not ideal for a romantic soiree, but a fun introduction to the British curryhouse experience.
The staff are polite and friendly. Our reserved table was right by the door, amidst the constant traffic of lads going to the loo or converging outside for a fag. But after a polite request, the manager found us a much better table and seemed keen to make us feel at home. This isn't the Brick Lane customer service experience I remember from the past.
The food is a hit and miss; rice and bread fine, dhansak nice, vegetable balti a bit like Baxters vegetable soup, chicken passanda like babyfood. But at least it was all fresh, and the prices were spot on - poppadoms, two beers, main courses for 4 all came to £46.
So if you really need to eat out in Brick Lane Sheraz is definitely one of the best options. read more