Lahore Karahi

Been going to this restaurant ever since moving to Tooting about 20yrs. Good Pakistani restaurant. The Seekh Kebab's are the BEST in Tooting. Pakistanis are known for making the best kebabs, even by Indians. You can also order the Kebab rolls with Peshawari naan instead of the Tandoori Roti, makes a great combination of that savoury and sweet taste. Have it with sweet lassi and finish it off with ras malai at the end. You'll love it! The biryani isn't that brilliant, but the meat dishes are quite good. If you want your food very spicy, ask for 'Desi' hot.
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ash1973 - View all reviews by this user
8 Overall rating
Food 8 | Service 7 | Atmosphere 8 | Value for money 10
Wednesday, December 14, 2011

Well I had been there (tooting) last week with my wife and honestly it is not that great. I had read at a few places that the biryani was good and that they really make their dishes very spicy .

We had ordered fish masala fry and prawns tandoori which was OK. The fish was a bit cold and not at all spicy (we had requested to make it really spicy) even the dressing was ordinary. We then ordered a Chicken ginger and chicken biryani but unfortunately we were disappointed. I usually like my chicken to be soft and juicy...

The service was OK with well behaved waiters. We got a wobbly table so we had to take care of that while eating.

We didn't have a great time (may be we should have stuck to kebabs n tandoori). But then for that I would go to Tayyabs...

This was my experience but I would still request you to visit this place and post your experience (please be honest).
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Praveen
7 Overall rating
Food 5 | Service 7 | Atmosphere 7 | Value for money 7
Wednesday, September 14, 2011

This establishment serves two culinary functions simultaneously, and is a cross between an Indian restaurant and a fast food outlet. It specialises in 'hot' north Indian and Pakistani cuisine, and as well as being able to seat around 100 people on the ground floor, it can accommodate around another 20 people upstairs. This restaurant is always packed, and as well as providing for a 'sit down' service, it also has a thriving 'take-away' business, and has a selection of available foods on display.

A good sign of an Asian food restaurant in the UK is that it attracts Asian as well as non-Asian people to its tables. The good food awards are displayed for customers to see, and the variety of Indian/Pakistani food is remarkable considering the broad service that is offered. There are many 'bland' Indian restaurants in the UK - offering food that is not really that 'Asian', but the Lahore Karahi in Tooting is not one of them. If a genuine taste of north Indian/Pakistani cuisine is the order of the day, then definitely give this restaurant a visit. It is best to get there early in the evening, as the place fills-up very quickly - but remember that the Lahore Karahi of Tooting is open for lunch as well - when it is usually less packed.

There is a plasma screen TV on the wall and many people eating have enjoyed watching the live cricket broadcasts that are shown free of charge to the customers. Anyone who has travelled in Asia and misses the genuine food will find this restaurant superb. The waiters are courteous and helpful, and always willing to assist with any problems that might arise during a visit. Considering this restaurant is in the heart of London, its prices are extremely competitive - and that includes Tooting - where there are many reasonably priced curries houses. A thoroughly good place and an enjoyable experience. Top notch in every way.
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ACW
10 Overall rating
Food 10 | Service 10 | Atmosphere 10 | Value for money 10
Saturday, August 13, 2011

its a disappointment. the serving staff are working hard to deliver food to the table from a kitchen that cannot tell the difference between food and slop. trading on the lahore karahi name - of which there are many and some of them offer excellent food , this falls short by a long way on standards and there needs to be a serious overhaul led by management to give customers something for their money ( or shut shop and leave - let someone else do it )

I ordered three vegetable dishes ( channa , bhindi and karela karahi - and was surprised to find the vegetables floating in the same onion slop ( it is clear that they have a standard onion masala mix and add the vegetables to this and apply a little heat ) - which makes it impossible to tell if the vegetables are freshly prepared - channa dal from a tin I suspect - bhindi I would expect fresh but this looked like it was frozen and the karela I couldnt tell as it had lost all its consistency ) - the nans were a disaster - rotis were thick and some raw on the sides and the peshawari nana was green in colour and nothing like anything i had seen before - >?? ) time to pack up and leave boys .....
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Maghrebi
4 Overall rating
Food 3 | Service 5 | Atmosphere 4 | Value for money 2
Monday, October 18, 2010

Just dreadful. This is in Tooting. I'm surprised it's still going.

Maybe it was just the dishes I ordered. If that is the case, avoid the shish kebab, the lamb dhansak, the keema nan & the nan bread.

Service was prompt if a bit impersonal but it is a caff style eaterie after all.
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Telboyofpeckham - View all reviews by this user
2 Overall rating
Food 0 | Service 5 | Atmosphere 4 | Value for money 0
Friday, October 08, 2010

Great value £25 for 2 plus service for far too much food.

Starters - Kebab, chicken tikka, samosa

Mains - dhansak, chicken Karahi, naan, rice, daal. Lassi.

No charge BYO

Tandoor chicken excellent, succulent + natural look. Not day-glo red as in so many other places. Maybe the best I have ever had?

Rest of the dishes above average except the karahi which was ok. Too oily + not particularly distinct flavours

Friendly service although mains did come whilst eating starters

Ventilation does need to be improved - my clothes do smell of curry!

Will definitely be back - much better experience all round than mirch masala up the road
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Peter
8 Overall rating
Food 8 | Service 7 | Atmosphere 7 | Value for money 9
Thursday, April 15, 2010

i have worked all over europe and tasted curries but believe Lahore in tooting is the best curry house i have ever found... their food is simply brilliant and now when i recently visited they have changed their ambiance and it looks much better place in terms of atmosphere... service is quick and waiters very friendly never recommended me the wrong curry.... good value of money. Best curry house in the world.
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Martin
9 Overall rating
Food 10 | Service 9 | Atmosphere 7 | Value for money 10
Tuesday, April 13, 2010

Following a flurry of bad reviews by people that were obviously expecting 5 star fine dining- i would like to commend Lahore the food is GOOD! couldnt knock them for thier food. I have lived in Tooting for yonks, and have become quite attached to Lahore. Admittedly, the service has declined over the years same with the overall presentation. But the mouthwatering food has not. Lahore is what it is not the Ritz.
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Miss D.B - View all reviews by this user
7 Overall rating
Food 8 | Service 5 | Atmosphere 4 | Value for money 9
Friday, September 25, 2009

Not impressed, food is average and there are plenty of other curry houses in Tooting that are just as good if not better. Appalling service.

I booked a table for 12 people for yesterday night, over the telephone on Thursday. We arrived 9.10pm (our booking was 9.00pm), and were told by the staff to "wait 5 minutes" while our tables were prepared. 10 minutes later, we were still standing around, blocking the kitchen, probably annoying the other patrons who had come to dine (there was very little space for such a big party to stand in). We were told again, our table would be ready in "5 minutes". We were told this at 9.22pm. At 9.27pm there was no table, and we therefore took the decision to leave. The staff then urged us to come back and said and that a table was ready (upstairs). They repeatedly asked us to stay. We thought, especially as it was Ramadan, we should give our brothers a chance, and re-considered and came back in. We were led upstairs, and much to our disappointment, there still was no table ready. We went all the way back downstairs and left! Again, the staff begged us to stay, but we had enough by that point and left.

We resented the argument put forward by some of the staff that we had arrived late and that’s the reason the table was not ready for us. That is a completely pathetic, insulting and weak argument considering (a) we had booked the night before and (b) we were still made to wait 20 minutes for a table, which was never ready anyway.

We should thank Lahore Karahi however, as after we left your restaurant we decided to give Al-Mirage a chance. We had a lovely meal, with fantastic service, in very nice and clean surroundings. A table was set up for us in 2 minutes and we had a very very enjoyable night. As a party we spent a fair whack of money on a feast. Thank you again, we know NEVER to come back to Lahore Karahi, and always to go to Al-Mirage or some of the other establishments.
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Mr Zaman
2 Overall rating
Food 5 | Service 0 | Atmosphere 0 | Value for money 3
Saturday, September 12, 2009

the veggie food is fantastic. bhaigan brilliant, best i've had. mutter paneer amazing. service can be erratic, and sometimes things get forgotten. veg curry is usually bland and one to be avoided.
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jon
7 Overall rating
Food 8 | Service 6 | Atmosphere 6 | Value for money 7
Sunday, September 06, 2009