Butt Karahi typically decent Pakistani food in London Southall

HALAL STATUS Fully Halal

In 2021, we reported how the original Butt Karahi in Pakistan denied any connections to the restaurant that had opened under the same name in east London’s Ilford.

When asked at the time to confirm or deny any association, the original in Lahore emphatically replied: “No. They are totally fake. It’s unbelievable,” before vowing to take legal action against said rival.

While this branch has since closed, there are others in London – namely in Leyton, Tooting, Croydon, Hounslow, and this one in Southall – that carry a byline under the logo of their shopfront fascia declaring: First time UK Famous Butt Karahi Original Taste of Pakistan.

In any case, this particular 50-cover restaurant, which opened in 2023 in the heart of west London’s Southall Broadway, looks the part, with a traditional, hand-crafted, south Asian wooden bed called a charpai or manji being used as a decorative piece outside the entrance.

Admittedly, while the thought of sitting cross-legged on this did cross our minds, common sense eventually prevailed, with us choosing the comfortable indoor seating instead amidst a bright interior.

For those seeking after a little more privacy, then Butt Karahi has two semi-enclosed sections sans chairs, with the smallest accommodating upto four diners and the biggest around a dozen.

STARTERS

From the starters, we were recommended both the Lamb Seekh Kabab and the Chicken Tikka leg, which were combined and served in a griddle container.

Of the two, while the kababs easily trumped their chicken counterpart, boasting a beautifully firm and bouncy texture, they didn’t quite have the smoky charring one would look for in Seekh kababs. The chicken was decent without being anything spectacular.

The grating of cheese did not bring much to what was otherwise a pair of lightly spiced and gently tandoored, succulent chicken kebabs.

KARAHI

As a first timer, we were, of course, recommended the ‘Butt Special’ signature Lamb Karahi, with the small portion comprising of ½kg of lamb, and said to be sufficient for two strapping adults, which it certainly was.

With this, we ordered one of their large Peshawari Naan for £2.99, which was wonderfully executed in the tandoor, before being attractively presented on a standing-rack of sorts.

With the curry being served in an iron cast karahi meant that the sauce had been expertly rendered down to a semi-thick consistency, with the pieces of lamb gorgeously tender to the touch.

Garnished with julienne ginger, there was no faulting this curry’s consistency. And despite the spices therein being, what we would describe as mild, we were hoping for a more sophisticated profile, that is, something akin to the phenomenally good curry had at the multi-award winning Akbar’s in Bradford.

On the other hand, this barbeque platter was robust in terms of its flavours, with plenty therein to keep you happily occupied.

It consisted of two hefty chapli kebabs, all chock-a-block full of coriander seeds, and resting atop typically marinated Pakistani chicken wings, relatively tender nuggets of lamb, and some lamb chops.

As for the rice at the very bottom of the bowl, as well as the slices of naan bread lining its perimeter, then these were both properly saturated in the greasy meat juices.

But was it worth the eye-watering £46.99 price tag? Definitely not!

Nevertheless, if you do decide on this, you might want a strong palate cleanser in the form of either everyone’s favourite, Mango Lassi, or a Jug of Soda, which in our case was an all-mint affair.

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Butt Karahi 
157 The Broadway, Southall, London, UB1 1LP.

T: +44 (0)7570 711112 | W: buttkarahisouthall.co.uk

Opening Hours: Mon-Sun 12:00-22:00