Lahore Karahi, Tooting

My last meal before the famous Primark funny turn and two weeks in isolation.

Lahore Tooting is a shabby looking cafe style Pakistani restaurant. If you thought that Tayyabs was a bit scruffy looking, you probably don't want to eat here. I have to be dragged past if we're not planning to eat here, salivating and begging to be allowed a green chilli paratha.

We started with some shammi kebabs, having forgotten that I prefer their sheekh ones. These patties are just a bit too perfumed for me, and I found them a little dry. Still, my mango lassi cheered me up and Emu was happy enough to eat all of the kebabs herself.

We had my favourite curry, bitter gourd with mutton in a sizzling karahi, along with some sag aloo, haleem and lots of chilli paratha. I love the flavour of bitter gourd, and you don't see it a huge amount so it's always ordered when it's there. I don't understand why bitter flavours aren't more popular in food. The bitterness is a delicious counterpoint to the rich, spicy sauce and the melting mutton. Amazing.

As good were the chilli paratha but I was slightly let down by the haleem. This dish is very popular during Ramadan as the mixture of wheat berries, spices, ghee and meat is very calorific and hence a good way to break the daily fast. It was just a bit sludgey for my taste.

The bill was about £15. Utterly unreal prices for really tasty food.