1 /5 Robert Scottorn: We booked Sheba two months in advance to meet a friend I hadn’t seen in a while. We both love curry and regularly eat at curry houses all over the UK, from Leeds and Bradford to London and beyond, so we know what good food looks and tastes like. Unfortunately, this was nowhere near it.
The naan breads were shockingly small, around five inches in diameter and perfectly circular. They looked more like mini supermarket flatbreads than proper restaurant naan.
For mains, we ordered a garlic chilli chicken and a lamb naga. These are two completely different styles of curry and should taste very distinct. Instead, both sauces tasted almost identical. Same base, same flavour profile, just different meat dropped in. The meat in both dishes was cut into tiny pieces and did not taste great quality.
Starters were around £10 each. We had lamb chops and half a chicken. When they arrived, they were served on tiny little four or five inch plates that genuinely looked like IKEA side plates.
The half chicken was basically one chicken leg with zero tandoori flavour, just plain chicken with a bit of salad on the side. We had specifically asked for lots of chopped green chillies. Instead, the kitchen sent out about five whole green chillies, unchopped. What exactly are you meant to do with whole chillies on top of a plain chicken leg?
The lamb chops were dry and looked like they had been sitting around for a while. They were passable, but nothing special and certainly not worth the price.
To be fair, the pints of Kingfisher were good. Fresh, cold, clean taps and reasonably priced. Drinks were the only positive.
The total bill was over £100. We paid in full, including service charge, and did not send anything back because we were hungry, but it was a huge let down, especially given the booking and the occasion.
If you are heading to Brick Lane, I would strongly recommend Bengal Village instead. Sheba was a massive disappointment and I would not return.
