KashifN,

I think that on behalf of all of us in the halal wasteland downunder, you need to eat there and give us an update.

Yusuf,

The halal restaurant on Edware rd is a good choice, but is slightly sterile . A for the Whitely center, it takes on a completely different appearance after dark on Friday and Saturday nights.

Umm Farouque,

Yes I’m afraid it was, and there will be a price to be paid for such a breech of etiquette

Was that wrong?

Whiteley’s is a shopping centre in Bayswater – I’m not sure what the reference to it was meant to be, but it is full of the usual shops you find in a British shopping centre. The street outside (Queensway) has a number of Arabic shops and cafés.

I don’t eat on the Edgware Road much now either; I occasionally go to the “Halal Restaurant” on the east side just north of Old Marylebone Road. Occasionally I might go to Meshwar and have one of their big plates of chicken and rice, but that really does bloat you out. My favourite eaterie in west London is the Moroccan Tagine, on the Golborne Road (W10). As the name implies it does Moroccan food: tagines, couscous, and the like. The service is usually very friendly. Also, try Abu Zad on Uxbridge Road in Shepherds’ Bush, which does nice Syrian food.

Baybers, I notice from a number of your posts now that you have a certain animus towards the British.  You’ve criticised British sportsmen, British cricket, British Arabs, British prostitutes, British streets, and now British food but have been completely silent on the far more pressing question of Australian and American cultural artifacts and food.  Please explain (as one Australian cultural icon famously put it).

its interesting that you say that, it is also my experience with the waiters in the arab places tend to be oily and obsequious to English patrons, but are rude to their Muslim ones.

Patogh is different, the service is great.

BTW, I’m glad that you have come up for air, some of us were concerned that you had been kidnapped by Ali Etraz, kept in a dungeon, forced you to read Irshad Manji and listen to vulgar punjabi Music.

I’ve not been there for a few months, but I wonder if the American Christians are still on the street corners handing out Arabic language missionary material.

Crawford Place also happens to be where The City Circle (it is headed by Yahya Birt) have their weekly lectures/debates. If you’re in the area again, you might want to check it out (45 Crawford Place). Entry is usually free.

I would add that don’t think there is a “UK” cuisine. Local regions have their own foods although this is probably dying; and as Amir points out “foreign” food (curries, kebabs, pastas etc.) are now as “British” as roast beef.

Edware road is more unfortunate than sinister. Most people visiting it mistake the inhabitants for Muslims, rather than what they are: secular Arabs.

Amal, you are very welcome. The place is actually very suitable to take ones family, and cheap. Iranian food is delicious.