Kebabish Original enticed me through it’s strap line alone. Anywhere that advertises “the thrill of the grill” will be comically terrible or absolutely awesome – it turned to be neither.
AdvertisementSome money has been clearly spent; Kebabish is playing a small part in gentrifying London road area, which we should all be grateful for. First impressions were that it is spacious and tastefully decorated in a contemporary way.
Kebabish has managed to avoid the tacky pink neon, which similar restaurants feel bizarrely obliged to provide. I could have done without the hospital canteen style laminate numbered tables, but overall the theme works.
The big issue was that nobody else was there (at 6:20pm on a Thursday). Walking in to a large empty room, my eyes met a blank looking chef at the back of the open kitchen fifty metres away, which was a little disconcerting. A few other diners did join throughout the meal, but I was conscious of my whispered chatter echoing through the building. The service was friendly enough, but considering the lack of diners was a little laboured.
However, the food is surprisingly good and offers excellent value for money. At Kebabish’s price point, the starters were some of the best I’ve ever had, not just from an Asian restaurant, but from any restaurant.
The Paneer Pakoras were not greasy and just plain delicious, proving that vegetarian dishes should not be just for vegetarians. Similarly the depth of flavour to Lamb Tikka was quite frankly incredible.
For mains the Chicken Balti was the archetypal Balti, just how you’d expect it to be and was very much enjoyed. The Chicken Madras was a vibrant red without being luminous which is always reassuring. Those looking for their chilli fix will need to be bolder, as the dish was relatively mild and not terribly exciting. Finally the Peshwari Naan was a little greasy, but was certainly fresh and not ridiculously sweet as they so often are.
Be warned that no alcohol is served on site. I respect this, but there is something immoral about washing Madras down with a J20. With zero wine pairings available, Kebabish is at a disadvantage if it’s wants to compete against other restaurants as opposed to takeaways. That being said diners are welcome to bring their own alcohol, and the Mango Lassies where lovely and refreshing.
Overall, Kebabish has got the hard parts of price and quality right. I hope a few more of you visit to improve the atmosphere.
Atmosphere 3/10
Service 5/10
Food 8/10
Value 8/10
Total 24/40
Don’t just take our word for it, see what everyone is saying on Trip Advisor. Tang currently has three and a half out of five stars.
Our food reviewers pay for themselves and aren’t invited by the venue, if we are we will always say in the review.
Have you eaten in Kebabish? What did you think? Let us know in the comments below