Tian Tian - Tower Hamlets

Most unlikely of areas, visually a bit concerning but best Chinese you will have in London for 30% less than in Chinatown. Large portions so maybe order 3 mains for 4 people.

The restaurant has a minimalistic decor, but the food is truly excellent. The staff is polite and attentive, and they serve your food promptly so you don't have to wait long.

Not a fancy place, always full of students. We go regularly and the chef always says hello. Superb food huge menu, and whenever we are game to try something new and not our usual favourites it always pays off. Inexpensive, huge servings, BYO alcohol or they have a few choices in house.

We stopped by on the hottest day of the year and were pleasantly surprised by the refreshing breeze that greeted us as we walked in, making the restaurant relatively cool compared to the 38 degrees outside. This place is no-frills, with no air conditioning. There was a new waitress who was friendlier than the previous one we had seen. We come here for the delicious food, which did not disappoint. We tried the poached beef in chili (divine) and the Singapore chicken curry, a staple favorite. The portions were generous, with just some rice being enough for two people. We washed it all down with jasmine tea. A nice touch was the complimentary watermelon they served to all customers, which was very refreshing on such a hot day. Don't judge a book by its cover - while this place may look like any other Chinese takeout along the main road, it serves authentic Chinese food. This means that the dishes may be spicier than expected and the chicken will have bones in it, from all parts of the bird. They probably have more standardized, anglicized versions of their dishes as well, so feel free to ask for recommendations and give it a try.

Fantastic visit, staff are welcoming and authentic Chinese food. I heard from the manager that the rude waitress is no longer working at the restaurant.