LCB

Introduction

Since moving to Wallington earlier this year, my Tooting visits have been few and far between and my curry numbers are down.

Fortunately there are several Indian and Sri Lankan options a stones throw from the new gaff but the jury is still out on their quality. However, a short hop back to Tooting of an evening is also always on the cards and such was the case on this occasion. I was there to meet the inimitable James Spellins and to try a new entrant on South London's curry conveyor belt.

As ever, competition in Tooting is fierce and even recent opening, Butt Karahi, has closed already. For Taabiir - this review's subject - its Mitcham road location means the stakes are even higher. It was therefore up to us to give our serious, if ultimately meaningless, verdict.

Venue

Taabiir can be found halfway between the Broadway crossroads and Amen corner meaning footfall could be a challenge. However, nearby Afghan Palace remains strong (despite our personal reservations), and the likes of SKVP and Vijaya Krishna are neighbouring stalwarts that prove appetite can be found away from the Dawaat-Mirch-Lahore triumvirate.

Initial impressions were favourable. Clean, modern and well lit, the dining area is large, consisting of several dozen covers served with comfortable plush yellow seating. That said, beyond the sea of lilac, there isn't anything truly unique about the place. There's even the obligatory neon sign of the restaurant's name on the back wall - a seemingly ubiquitous feature seen across all of Tooting's newly refurbished sites.

Despite being a little prosaic, the decor is tasteful, and a diverse demographic of customers bodes well for Taabiirs future success. The open kitchen also looks neat and tidy with an altogether more relaxed and professional vibe given off by both the staff and cleanliness throughout.

Pleasant is the word...if a bit yellow.

7/10

Starters and sides

Mixed Grill for Two

Aloo Paratha

Pulao Rice

The food here is Pakistani and a mixed grill for two is, therefore, a must. Ours took longer than most to arrive but was freshly grilled as a result and the heat from the meats' charcoal firing was matched by an equal firey, chilli flourish to all items. Yes, the chops were on the thin side but the meat was nicely lean. Likewise the chicken wings weren't the plumpest but fell from the bone. However, in a turn out for the books, the accompanying side salad - often a sorry looking and subequently discarded addition - was fresher than a mint convention at the Colgate factory. It even included radishes(!). I was therefore uniquely shocked and satisfied when the fresh vegetable crunch, perfected raita, and house chili relish combined with the spicy lamb seekh kebabs in one of Tooting's cleanest mixed grill mouthfuls - a real winner. 

In the same vein as the meat platter was the sensational aloo (potato) paratha and perfectly cooked rice. The latter had the light oily shein of the very best, while the paratha was delicately prepared and spiced. This was the best filled paratha I've ever had, and stayed warm and soft throughout - almost like a large potato farl, but with a fragrant edge - not like the hard and stodgy (unintentially aged) variants you often get.

All in all, a strong first impression was made.

8/10

Curry

Karela Gosht

Lahori Chana

Onto the mains and we had two curries, a chickpea Lahori chana and an excellent karela gosht.

The chickpea was cooked to perfection - soft and nutty in a classic Lahori sauce that had a lighter consistency and seaped nicely into the pulao rice. The gosht (lamb) was on the bone meaning tender meat stewing nicely in the tomato, onion, and karela (bitter gourd) sauce. The gourd itself was cut in larger, chewier chunks than usual, but its characteristic bitterness matched well with the lovely lamb for an all-round great curry.

I'll have to come back and try more dishes - including the larger sharing karahis - but for now these two come highly recommended.

7/10

Service

Usually it's a steady 7 whenever service is average with no complaints, but nice to see things elevated here slightly. For this blog, that doesn't mean much - a bit of personality goes a long way in Tooting, believe me! Here the manager had charisma and charm, with a smile and a little joke, chatting to patrons and generally running a tight ship. The restaurant was also very clean and our waitress offered to take our paratha back and cut it into pieces...it's the little things.

8/10

Value for money

Coming in at £10 for a curry, you can get cheaper in Tooting, but not by much. This is still fairly priced for fair sized curry. The mixed grill was £17 which is still pretty good given prices seem to be going up a lot for these locally. There was no alcohol or BYOB for those that want to factor that in, but at £23 per head between two, including a small tip, we were happy.

7/10

Summary

As has been said many times, I'll always welcome a new entrant on the Tooting scene, but equally lament the loss of those that have gone before us. I can be skeptical of prospects, with many coming and going before I've even sampled them, but my hopes are high for Taabiir.

Our experience was altogether a very good one. No complaints whatsoever and some impressive dishes that left us purring for a return. And, did I mention how fresh that salad was?!

37/50

Read our last review here