2 weeks Ago By [email protected] (Jake Holden)
When you think kebab, it's not often that you associate it with luxury. Perhaps your mind is cast to chilly pavements on idiotic nights out shovelling salty strips of meat and pita into your drunken mouth while slurring your words between overfilled bins. It's completely the opposite story at Dawat Pakistani restaurant on Tooting High Street.
I missed the place at first walking down the road. I was expecting to be met with the usual picture-filled menu windows and characteristically dingy eatery, but no. The outside has a great golden sign above it and entering the restaurant reveals a massive dining space in with a classy dark blue theme, bedecked with chandeliers and gold trim.
That familiar tasty, meaty smell was still present, however, as to my right was a team of chefs behind a laden deli counter cooking up fresh naans and lamb. The attentive waiting staff led me to my plush seat at a table and brought a menu. I had actually seen this place on Instagram after it went viral for the insanely cheap kebab wrap at just £2.
49. I went on my phone to see what the name of the order was, and one of the staff, Bilal, noticed and asked if that's what I wanted; clearly, it's popular. I said yes and got it with a Coke.
He told me that the wrap is £2.49 for takeaway orders and £5.99 for eat in.
Having already sat down in this bougie place, I had to go for eat in. It's still a great price for a kebab anyway, especially with fresh naan - I've paid more than double for your standard kebab on any number of nights out. A complementary salad was brought to the table complete with a pickled chilli, crunchy and juicy red cabbage, shredded carrot and lettuce with a good bit of salad dressing.
I waited for my kebab and coke to arrive before digging in. It did in quick time and it looks fantastic. Two great kebab sausages of lamb on their fluffy fresh naan with salad - cabbage, onions, tomatoes and some great dressing.
I rolled it up and took a bite. I only got the bread in the first bite, but I wasn't mad at all, it was perfectly cooked - light and fluffy but also pleasantly chewy in the middle. The outside gave a satisfying crunch too.
The meat itself was delicious, juicy and filled with the flavour of spices that my English palate could not put the finger on - it worked great though. There was a slight hotness to it to which I thought worked well. The salad was a great accompaniment, giving some moisture to the whole thing as there's a good amount of bread to get through.
While I was chowing down, my attention was taken by a robot that was trundling through the dining area with room for trays of food on it. It had a screen on it with a cat face that was speaking out in a cutesy voice saying things like "Your meal is ready!" to people at tables, and adding a meow on the end of sentences. It was an amusing novelty, I'd never seen of these things before - we really are living in the future.
It seemed the waiters were doing most of the serving anyway; perhaps it was a new toy they were trying out. I finished up the wrap and my salad, adding some of their hot sauce to the wrap itself which I'd recommend - a welcome kick to the whole thing. My server Bilal cleared the table and asked me to review the place on Google, which I did - 5 stars I gave it.
I then asked for the bill and the whole thing came to just £7.94 - for a freshly made kebab wrap, salad and a Coke - seriously good value for money. I left with my belly full and a new place I know I'll come back to whenever I'm in the area.
I've paid more for salads alone than for that whole hot meal. The place is fancy in appearance, in terms of the establishment itself and the quality of food, but low on prices; what's not to like? You can sign up to get the most exciting events to the new bars and restaurants in London sent straight to your WhatsApp from the MyLondon team. To sign up, you need to already have WhatsApp.
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