Needoo Grill

Just a further note to my main review of Needoo below, I forgot to add that the many comments from other reviewers about this restaurant's policy of rushing diners in order to have a fast turnaround of tables to make more money at the expense of the customer's experience was confirmed on our visit, too. The numerous waiters, as other reviewers have observed, use team work to rush you through on this cash conveyor belt which is anything but a relaxed dining experience - in fact, parts of our main course started to arrive and be plonked down around us whilst we were still eating our starters! This was totally unacceptable in a "restaurant" charging inflated restaurant prices, not low fast-food or supermarket prices!
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Cliffy - View all reviews by this user
4 Overall rating
Food 5 | Service 4 | Atmosphere 3 | Value for money 3
Tuesday, August 30, 2011

We decided to try Needoo Grill as an alternative to the legendary Tayyabs around the corner, as we had heard that it was of a similar standard but with lower prices and shorter queues, and less crowded and noisy. The experience was disappointing on the whole. Needoo proved to be something of a cheap imitation of its rival seconds away. Apparently it was set up by an ex-manager of Tayyabs, and to attempt to poach custom by setting up an almost identical operation so close by must have engendered a lot of deserved irritation on the part of the original Tayyabs. In this case, however, the acorn has certainly fallen far from the tree.

The complimentary plate of salad (copied in every last detail from the previous employer, Tayyabs) contained cucumber slices which were going off, and when we pointed this out, a replacement dish of a few cucumber slices was slowly and begrudgingly plonked down without the offending item even being removed. Onion bahjee starter was of the quality of those bought from the shelves of the local sweetshop and microwaved at home, soggy and bland rather than crisp and freshly fried. Fish tikki starter was adequate but over-priced at £6.50 for a small mouthful of grilled, cheap fish.

Mains again were adequate but not spectacular by any means. We asked to share a side dish of aubergine and lentil (brinjhal dahl). We would have preferred just aubergine but, no, "it doesn't come that way", we were told, as if these dishes land from outer space on some unchangeable production line! Eventually the waiter weakened and kindly gave us an additional plate of aubergine and lentils on the house, in which the aubergine was more visible by having two baby aubergines plonked on top of lentils! One other note on pricing; this side dish was available at about £5 but as we were sharing we asked for the larger version, which was £10. For a medium sized dish of cheap vegetables (one can't help suspecting that the dictum of "lentils with everything" is at least in part inspired by the much cheaper cost of lentils compared with aubergines!), a price of £10 is utterly unjustifiable, and would not be asked for even in very much higher quality and higher class establishments! And although it was understandably easier to get a table than round the corner at Tayyabs, from about 8pm on it became also very full, noisy and uncomfortable to be in. One was left with the horrible feeling that someone was doing very well out of this operation, and it was not the customer.
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Cliffy - View all reviews by this user
5 Overall rating
Food 5 | Service 5 | Atmosphere 5 | Value for money 4
Tuesday, August 30, 2011

Love this place shall be visiting again...great customer service...waiters were friendly and approachable...food was lovely arrived in a timely manner...recommend this to anyone...
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Nazma - View all reviews by this user
9 Overall rating
Food 9 | Service 8 | Atmosphere 9 | Value for money 9
Thursday, June 09, 2011

We really enjoyed our karahi chicken and gosht and were lucky we beat the rush. If we'd have made it slightly later we would have had to have queued for a table. The samosas and peshwari naan were delicious too while the pakoras were fine.

Staff were great, friendly, smiling and attentive.

The music is fairly loud and the place was busy but I think this added to the atmosphere of the place.

Prices were brilliant, we had 2 courses with sundries which came to just over £20.

Will definitely be back!
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Annie - View all reviews by this user
8 Overall rating
Food 8 | Service 8 | Atmosphere 8 | Value for money 9
Thursday, March 17, 2011

Visited the restaurant on a recommendation and had often visited Tayyabs until they renovated and the place got just too busy.

It was a Saturday evening and I had booked the table for seven. What can I say? It’s just too busy and the waiters just stand over you to hurry you along. The grills were fine, maybe a tad too spicy for some. Mains were nice, but nothing to roam home about.

The atmosphere is too hectic and the waiters appear too desperate to get you out to serve the next sitting. There were a number of us and we were spending quite lot money. Won’t be going back. Worth a visit if you live next door but not to travel any distance for.
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Sadia
4 Overall rating
Food 7 | Service 3 | Atmosphere 3 | Value for money 3
Monday, October 25, 2010

me and a friend went the other day for lunch. We had the mix grill which usually comes with Lamb chops, chicken tikka, behari mutton tikka, seekh kebabs. this time there was no behari mutton tikka but nonetheless it was pleasant the lamb chops they wernt, they were actually mutton but did have a lot of flavour. For mains we ordered the daighi dry meat, karahi lamb and punjabi tinda. the daighi dry meat was decent ordered on recommendation it was still a tad too dry hence we ordered the tinda ( baby pumpkin) this was overspiced though I thought even though I love spicy food it was too overpowering for this kind of vegetable. The lamb karahi was dissapointingly not a smoky karahi but a lamb curry reheated on a frying pan. The pulao rice was drowned in ghee... overkill. This time round though the service was excellent I was dissapointed somewhat with the main dishes. The grilled items get a thumbs up though. Good value for money though at £35.
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Raj - View all reviews by this user
8 Overall rating
Food 6 | Service 9 | Atmosphere 8 | Value for money 9
Tuesday, March 30, 2010

Fish tikka and lamb chop starters excellent. Chana ghost excellent.

Karai gosht entirely bland - maybe just a mistake in the kitchen.

Tarka daal acceptable but should be much better for a place of this stature.

Way too much grease in most of the main courses - unneccessary.

Jeera Rice seemed amateur - no jeera and rice overcooked.

Some remarkable flavours are present in some of these main courses.

Sadly the waiters all take their orders on PDA's and there does not appear to be an opportunity (or perhaps just the time) to slightly customise your order, which is a personal touch that we are more and more accustomed to, but sadly lacking at Needoo.

Food ranges from genius to sloppy, but sadly there is no real opportunity to savour the experience because of the constant prodding from the many waiters, in their attempts to force you from one course to the next, and then out onto the street. And this on a midweek evening.
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Karella Daal - View all reviews by this user
3 Overall rating
Food 6 | Service 0 | Atmosphere 0 | Value for money 7
Friday, March 05, 2010

Last night was my first visit to Needoo. The restaurant almost deserves two reviews because the contrast between wonderful starters and very poor main courses was a great disappointment.

The mixed grill and various tikkas were marvelous but the fish tikki was exceptional. The fish was cooked to perfection, lovely and moist, excellently spiced. I regularly rave about the Mirch Masala's fish tikka but I'd place this above even the wonderful Mirch.

Our party of 5 was so enthused by the quality of the starters so you can imagine our disappointment when the main courses arrived. The Chana Gosht was nice but the rest of the dishes we tried were all really greasy and bland with very little meat in them. Despite asking for everything "hot", the waiter didn't appear to have passed this preference on to the chef.

Service was fast and efficient but was extremely pushy to the point that it affected our enjoyment of what could have been a more enjoyable dining experience. On the way out several of us decided that we wouldn't return simply because of this pushiness. It's a stark contrast to the friendly atmosphere in the Mirch.

On reflection, I'll probably go back simply because the starters really were exceptionally good. However, I won't be tempted to sample the main courses again because they're way below par. I'd have no reservations on giving Needoo a 10/10 for starters but mains only rate 2/10. I certainly wouldn't queue for this experience (although many did last night).
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Rob
6 Overall rating
Food 7 | Service 2 | Atmosphere 5 | Value for money 8
Friday, March 05, 2010

Six of us ate at Needoo's last night and were all blown away by the quality of the food and the attentiveness of the service. Everything was fantastic.........the Mixed Grill was great......especially the Lamb Chops which were beautifully spiced and the curries were expertly cooked as were the vegetable side dishes and the various breads we ordered........not one of us could find fault with anything and judging by the throngs of people waiting to be seated, neither could anyone else !!

First time at Needoo's for all of us and living outside of London means we ideally prefer to eat out locally..........we will be back within the next three weeks !!
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Steve P
10 Overall rating
Food 10 | Service 10 | Atmosphere 10 | Value for money 10
Sunday, February 14, 2010

I was there with my colleagues on a busy Friday afternoon. First impression was disappointing (interior), and the waiter was rushed off his feet. To further add to the disappointment, they had no more Lamb Chops!!! However, despite the dissapointment the service was super quick, the food was just spot on, and the bill was so low, I thought they made a mistake! £50 for five of us!! This place beats Tayyabs largely due to effeciency and the food is awesome! Depsite the lack of lamb chops, we left feeling satisfied. I had lamb bhindi (okra), highly reccomend this dish for okra lovers. Despite the shortcomings, the food, delivery and price makes it all up. I would highly reccomend this place if you're looking for no nonsense, good quality food and I will def be going back.
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Akbar
10 Overall rating
Food 10 | Service 10 | Atmosphere 8 | Value for money 10
Friday, February 12, 2010