Ayam Zaman — Restaurant in London

Where do I start? I mainly stumbled upon a place due to a humble google suggestion ( Thanks google!) And what an amazing suggestion it was to be honest. From the get go; the atmosphere was busy and bustling when we first entered and greeted. We were shown 2 tables at the front but wernt too keen but shortly after a previous customer left we were shown to a nice table. The restaurant is medium in size but take group bookings which is a plus. They have amazing attention to detail, with art decor on the walls, cobble like walls and lanterns hanging. It truly transports you away. Anyway on to the crops of the sorts! The food... It was better than anything I've ever expected and I wasnt really expecting much especially these days. But my oh my I was left with a taste for something that I'm already planning to have again just from the first bite! ( it's that good, I know right?) We ordered a lamb shank from a suggestion by the waiter, and a chicken biryiani as mains. Wings, aubergine meat type dish, and chicken hummus for starters. Dont make the mistake I did because the starters were so yummy that i couldnt have enough space for the mains. Oh and also a kofte wrap which was pretty decent, small in size but the flavours and richness of the minced meat was there.

The lamb dish i had came with rice,salad and some gravy sauce. The meat was real off the bone goodness and had a richness to it that just made me gobble it up and hesitant to share lol The rice had bits of sultanas and plums which were good but next time I would ask without as personally am not to fond (it is what it is) The chicken biryiani was a bit plain yet had flavour to it, cant be described that well but its something which doesnt stand out too much.

The wings from the starters were as good as something from a turkish grill house; Average but nice. The aubergine dish we had had some crispy bits in it with meat pieces mixed with yoghurt. It was completely new to me and complimented my taste buds. The chicken shawarma hummus wasnt spectacular but average also. It was again something different I've had for a change.

The one thing I'll say about this place that I'll keep now going forward... Their damn chilli sauce!! My goodness had to ask a waiter 3 times for a refill, nearly convinced him to bring the whole thing from the back lol Amazing chilli sauce that I've not had any where else, deep chilli with flavour and sweetness too.

I highly highly recommend ayam zaman for any one looking for an amazing meal with family or friends.

And a big plus side we happen to see Chelsea footballer Ngolo Kante lool! Guess he thought the same thing as he dined with his friends! Wouldn't have thought it.

But yeah recommend, going...

I'm not writing a review for the restaurant. The restaurant is joined onto a supermarket of the same name. It's the supermarket I like. I have not been to the restaurant. The supermarket is often busy. I going there to buy fresh herbs. Huge bunches of parsley and coriander. There is no comparison for quality between this shop and supermarkets. The herbs here are so much fresher. And you get lots more. And it's a lot cheaper than Tesco. it stays open long hours like a lot of these fresh food supermarkets in the area. But I love their range of vegetables. I often buy the huge bunches of vine tomatoes, avocados, bunches of parsley, lemons. I just love the quality of the fruit and vegetables. They have huge pomegranates. They got great variety. And it all looks really fresh. The shop is nice and clean. They have really nice selections of dates and nuts and nice cooking oils. I just love the stuff in this shop. Sometimes at the weekends there is a bit of a queue. But it's not like going into Iceland or some really depressing pound shop. It's got a nice clientele. They are quite restrained and well-behaved. I just love the quality of the fresh vegetables and fruit. The prices are great. And I really like the shop and the staff. There is an overall decorum which I like. No nasty looking shouty people, fashionistas, annoying children, or people that look like aggro. A very sensible and well mannered shopping experience. Nobody pushing and being horrible. Manners and reserve are the norm here. I always stop by to get fresh vegetables when I happen...

overall: my 1st experience of authentic (non modernised) middle eastern food. some dishes need a bit of tweaking but overall very flavourful & hefty portions. great place for groups of friends & family.

cheese fatayer🧀: compared to thin crust pizza, the dough is much chewier & has a hint of sweetness. no-frills mozzarella topping, basic & good.

lahmeh bi a’jine fatayer 🐑: refreshing & sweet taste from the tomato sauce contrasts with the strong flavour of lamb.

hommous🫓: extremely smooth. rather mild flavour, perhaps a bit more salt. but still a perfect dip for the chewy warm pitta.

tabbouleh 🥗: slightly heavy on the lemon juice. the citrusy profile overpowers the distinctive flavour of parsley.

falafels 🧆: one of the best falafels i’ve had. just the right about of crispiness & herbs.

seabass fillet 🐟: not a great fan of this. the fish has a crunchy skin but is fried with lemon. that odd sour undertone clashes with the umami tahini sauce. texture of fish is tough & dry.

lamb kastaleta 🥩: bold spices that are simply unique to this cuisine. not a great fan of it grilled til well done, but not as tough as it looks. 4 meaty pieces.

sides that comes with mains 🍚🍟: buttery fragranced rice that can be enjoyed by itself. crispy chips (better than some burger joints) that are not too oily & seasoned just right. you must dip it in the rich pungent...