Sheba

Nestled among the countless curry houses that line London's famous Brick Lane, Sheba presents itself as a cut above the rest. It comes with a list of accolades as long as their menu, though anyone achieving them must have been absent on the day the OCC visited. 

Starting off, the booking process – despite calling and emailing in – was anything but flawless. Staff even called on the evening to still be confused with the name in which the booking was made. “Who even is Terry” remains a mystery to this day. 

The evening began promisingly enough in the restaurant's bustling, atmospheric dining space. The downstairs seating area was lively and vibrant, creating an engaging backdrop for our meal. Our group was immediately drawn to the crispy poppadoms, which arrived with an abundant selection of chutneys and sauces – a strong start that set initial expectations high.

For starters, the lamb chops were a divisive offering. Some in our party found them well-cooked and bursting with flavor, while others deemed them merely adequate or "a bit meh." The kashi fry appeared stingy in portion size, with the food unceremoniously piled on one side of the plate rather than thoughtfully presented.

The main courses revealed Sheba's inconsistency. The garlic chicken curry earned genuine praise for its depth of flavor, as did the special lamb dish which was described as "delightful." However, the chicken jalfrezi fell short of expectations, lacking the vibrant spice profile this dish typically offers. Most disappointing was the chicken xacuti, which arrived as a soupy concoction instead of the properly dry curry it should have been, with little of the complex spicing that makes this Goan specialty so distinctive. The keema naan suffered from poor timing, arriving too early and becoming soggy and unappetizing by the time it was consumed.

The mixed grill deserves special mention – enormous in size and certainly impressive in its variety, but ultimately prioritizing quantity over quality. Several elements were described as dry, suggesting that better attention to cooking times could have dramatically improved this centerpiece dish.

What truly marred the experience, however, was the handling of our reservation and billing. As highlighted in the introduction, we still don’t know who “Terry” is. The most significant grievance came at payment time – our party had booked online with an understanding that a 20% discount would be applied (amounting to approximately £120 savings for our group), but this was not honored. Instead, complimentary drinks valued at roughly £25 were offered as compensation, a gesture that felt inadequate and somewhat dismissive of our legitimate expectations.

At around £40 per person without alcohol (Sheba is a BYOB establishment), the value proposition becomes questionable when both food quality and service are inconsistent. While this price point might be acceptable for exceptional Indian cuisine, it feels excessive when paired with the shortcomings we experienced.

The restaurant does deserve credit for managing a very busy service with relative efficiency, and several in our party noted that Sheba likely offers one of the better dining experiences on Brick Lane. The lively atmosphere certainly contributed positively to our evening, providing an engaging backdrop for good conversation and camaraderie.

Accessibility is another consideration worth noting – the downstairs dining area requires navigating stairs, which could present challenges for guests with mobility issues.

In summary, Sheba delivers an authentic Brick Lane curry house experience with some genuine high points, but falls short of excellence due to inconsistent food preparation and questionable customer care practices. The restaurant clearly has potential, with some standout dishes demonstrating real culinary skill, but needs to address its service issues and honor advertised promotions to truly justify its premium positioning among its Brick Lane competitors.

No OCC Recommendation Sticker this time, as the “Queen of Curries” turned out to be more of a 2nd grade princess.

SCORES: Customer Care = 4.7, Service = 5.9, Value = 4.9, Quality = 6.6, Atmosphere = 7.5, Total = 5.9