A serious piece of Banglatown and the East End’s history, Tayyab’s overwhelming popularity resulted in a near-tripling of the restaurant’s size several years ago. With the refurbishment came improved service—a high-tech system has servers, spruced up in black uniforms, wielding Palm PDAs and zipping off orders to the kitchen at light speed.

Signature sizzlers thankfully arrive the old-fashioned way: hot and noisy, with oil crackling against the iron dish holding lamb chops, chicken tikka and seekh kebab. Start your meal with one of these meat feasts, then move onto one of the more modest treats on the menu, like the tarka dhall (yellow lentils) which, while not possessing true Punjabi flair, is still pretty damn delicious. Those feeling more adventurous should opt for the dhall karela, which is simmered with chunks of bitter melon and is a worthy indulgence. Also splurge-worthy: a bottle of wine (an Alsatian Gewürztraminer complements beautifully), as the eatery is BYOB.

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