Small Beer Pub in Haringey

We booked a table for 8pm on a Saturday evening and were surprised to find the restaurant completely empty. Needless to say we had no trouble being seated. The restaurant was clean and tidy and the service was efficient in terms of waiting time between meals etc, but then we did have the restaurant to ourselves so I wouldn't have expected anything less! The food was good although the starter we chose was a little pricey at £4.50 for a few tiny bites size pieces of spiced lamb (Botti Kebab). I ordered lamb dhansak, pilau rice and a tandoori roti, I have no complaints about the food. The meat was lean and tender and the dish was perfectly spiced for my taste. My partner order the kajal Special Biryani, which was really tasty. The accompanying vegetable curry was especially good. We never guessed that this dish would cause us so much grief when it came to paying the bill though! Read on....! My partner ordered a very nice and refreshing mango kulfi whilst I finished the meal off with a coffee, then it was time to ask for the bill. We had advised the restaurant on booking that we had a Taste card and would be taking advantage of their buy one get one free offer (ADVERTISED ONLINE). The bill did not correctly reflect this, only allowing us a discount of £4.50 off the bill (the price of one starter). We questioned this and was surprised to be told that they hadn't allowed us a free main dish because they don't classify the biryani as a 'main dish'! EH?! On politley asking the waiter, what did they classify the biryani as? A starter? A dessert? - we received a sly smile and a promise to get the bill sorted. I have probably made this experience sound a lot less painful than it actually was, since it took about 15 minutes of increasingly heated debate and some unprofessional raised voices from the kitchen area in order to reach a solution. They eventually honoured the discount. This was our first time at the Kajal and to be honest it will probably be our last, which is a shame because the food was actually very good but I can't help thinking that if they cannot honour the discount, they should sign up to Taste in the first place. What is the point of having a Taste card when you're only getting £4.50 off? I think I now know why the restaurant was empty at 8pm on a Saturday night!!

Didnt pop up in search but so glad I stopped. Lovely welcome and good choice of sandwiches, jacket potatoes or sweet treats. I enjoyed a good cappuccino and panini. The address on TripAdvisor needs updating as not London but nearest city is High Wycombe!

Been to Nile Bar a couple of times, nice Nyama Choma and grilled Tilapia. Good Karaoke nights on Wednesday. Occasionally rowdy patrons but can be dealt with by management. At times one can be thrown out at 2am.

The place certainly looks the part with its stylish décor and smart layout but sadly that’s where the positives end. The buffet was a real disappointment dry overcooked and completely lacking in flavour. I’ve honestly had better meals at a service station. For the price they’re asking it feels like a rip off. The service didn’t help either as staff were disinterested and slow which only added to the frustration. It’s a classic case of style over substance. I won’t be returning.