In this article, I will be reviewing Mi Chaii!

What is MI CHAII ILFORD?

MI CHAII ILFORD is a coffee shop, but in reality, it is more than that  – they sell teas, street food and afternoon teas!

What I Ordered And My Opinions On It:

Afternoon Tea For Two People (£24.99)

Samosas 

First up were the samosas, and they were classic samosas, packed with flavour and with a nice pastry covering at the top. They were quite large in size with the golden pastry at the top. For me they were a solid ⅗. They were executed nicely and were delicious, but it’s just your average classic samosas – a delight for us Asians.

Pakoras

Next up were the pakoras. The pakoras were small in size, and of this slightly dark orange colour. It had herbs on top, and looked appetising and slightly oily. They did not disappoint me, however, as they were still crunchy in texture and delicious. I again rated this a ⅗. 

Chicken Tikka Sandwich

The chicken tikka sandwich was quite unique to me. It consisted of white bread and looked quite colourful inside the soft white bread. But when it came to taste, I found that the mint overpowered the flavours of the chicken and the chicken tikka in itself was not of my favourite flavours. It was executed as suggested, but I wish there was a better balance of the flavours. I would rate this a ⅖.

Chicken Wrap

The chicken wrap, on the other hand, was wholesome. I rated this a ⅘. This was because it was a good portion size, and it was made of the white tortilla roll. Inside, it was packed with flavour, and it was quite unique to me. It was yummy and overall, I was satisfied with this wrap, despite being a person who is not a huge fan of wraps.

Masala Chips

For me, chips have to be really good to impress me as I don’t really like chips. But these chips, ladies and gentlemen, were not your average chips! It had a nice mix of orange and yellow on the outside and they were quite thick in size. When you eat it with the sauce, it is a great combo and it truly was a brilliant side to have. I would rate this a ⅘, as perhaps the chips could have been thinner but more could have been provided.

Red Velvet Cake

The red velvet cake was hands down absolutely amazing! The presentation was immaculate with the vanilla icing drizzled over the top. I loved the look of this and when it came to taste, it was absolutely tasty! All the flavours were in harmony together and it was not too sweet nor tasteless. This made me happy despite being a person who always takes chocolate. I would rate this a 5/5.

Gajar Halwa

The gajar halwa was a classic Desi snack, which I wanted to try after having heard about it many times. The gajar halwa is mainly made of carrot and it was presented in a cute silver dish which was very Indian. It was quite sticky in texture but it was still tasty, yet not up to the standards I was looking for. I would still recommend trying it once, which is why I would rate it a 3/5,.

Kashmiri Chaii

Last but definitely not the least, we have the Kashmiri Chaii. This drink was a beautiful pink in colour and served in this blue glassware with the jug containing the tea and the antique mugs. The chai was totally delicious and one of the best teas I have tried! I had more than one serving of this as it was sweet and contributed to the meal very nicely. I would rate this a solid ⅘.

The Place:

The place was quite small compared to what I expected from the photos. It is decorated in quite a homely yet posh way with the main colour theme being blue. There is a wide selection of seating to choose from such as two seaters or even six seaters. It is quite dark in the two seaters, which is why my sister and I moved tables.

The Service:

There was only one staff member there and she actually served us. The waiting time was around 20 minutes which was reasonable and the lady was very nice. She had the etiquette of asking how the food was during the meal and she ensured there was a smooth experience. It was overall good service, especially because there were only around 3-4 customers in the shop with us.

Would I Recommend It?

I would say that overall, I loved coming to this cafe and trying the food from here. This was a nice experience and I got to try some new foods as well as tap into the classic foods that I have known growing up! The service and place was homely too and my sister and I chatted about life while sitting there eating. I would highly recommend this place!

My Rating: 5/5

My Rating System:

⅕ – was below average and would not recommend even trying once

⅖ – the food was average and would not recommend trying

⅗ – the food was delicious but would recommend trying maximum once

⅘ – the food was really good and would recommend trying here

5/5 – the food was outstanding and is one of my favourites!

Order from here (not sponsored): Mi Chaii – New Tea In Town

Thank you for reading, and have a lovely day!

• My 2023 Reflections As A Medical Student 
• My First Term of Medical School | Exams, Essays and Events 
• My First Month of Medical School | Moving Out, Freshers And Workload
• The Ultimate Guide To Ace Year 12 | Revision, Friendships And Supercurriculars
• How I Got All A*s At GCSEs | 10 Tips Every Year 11 Student Should Know

What is Gourmet Burger Kitchen?

Gourmet Burger Kitchen is a restaurant chain in the UK and Ireland specialising in gourmet burgers. There are 35 locations, but I tried the Westfield Stratford branch in London.

What I Ordered And My Opinions On It:

Classic Beef Well Done Burger (£7.35)

My sister tried this burger. It was quite a large burger on the outside. Inside, there were different ingredients to classic burgers and they were quite unique. My sister enjoyed the burger, but she would only try it once. She rated it a ⅗.

Grilled Classic Chicken Burger (£8.95)

I tried this burger. Again, externally, it was a very large burger. I rated this a ⅗. The meat inside was cooked nicely, and it was again quite large. This made it quite difficult but satisfying to bite into, and overall it was a delicious burger. But again, I would only try this once, and I would rate it a ⅗.

Saganaki (£3.95)

When I had this last year, this was my favourite starter that I have ever tried in a restaurant (but now Wagamama’s starters are my favourites). This saganaki was melted with cheese and as an Italian, I loved this delight. The presentation was also beautiful and unique, with the soft colours giving an elegant touch to the food. Overall, I would rate this a ⅘, as it was something new. 

The Place:

The place was quite large as it is on the top floor of Westfield Stratford. It was very packed, especially as there were social distancing rules placed on the time, and there was limited seating. However, the colours were nice and there was a casual vibe of the restaurant.

The Service:

The staff were quite nice, yet very rushed and a bit frazzled. But overall, they got the job done by serving us food. I think at one point, I asked one of the staff for cutlery, and they completely forgot, and after waiting for some time, I had to ask another staff member. But that’s okay!

Would I Recommend It?

I would say that overall, it is a good restaurant. According to its brand, and what they sell, they sell food that meets what it suggests on the menu. The food tasted good. I would have loved to have seen a bit more variety or something a bit more extraordinary, as a popular and slightly expensive restaurant, and this is why I would recommend visiting this place only once.

My Rating: 3/5

My Rating System:

⅕ – was below average and would not recommend even trying once

⅖ – the food was average and would not recommend trying

⅗ – the food was delicious but would recommend trying maximum once

⅘ – the food was really good and would recommend trying here

5/5 – the food was outstanding and is one of my favourites!

Order from here (not sponsored): https://www.gbk.co.uk/ 

Thank you for reading, and have a lovely day!

• My 2023 Reflections As A Medical Student 
• My First Term of Medical School | Exams, Essays and Events 
• My First Month of Medical School | Moving Out, Freshers And Workload
• The Ultimate Guide To Ace Year 12 | Revision, Friendships And Supercurriculars
• How I Got All A*s At GCSEs | 10 Tips Every Year 11 Student Should Know

What is Thunderbird Fried Chicken?

Thunderbird Fried Chicken is a shop which prides itself in making ‘Award Winning Chicken Wings’.

What I Ordered And My Opinions On It:

Thunderwrap (£7.45)

This wrap contained strips, awesome sauce, American cheese, lettuce and pickles. It does normally contain bacon, but to make it Halal, I told them to remove the bacon from my wrap. Overall, this wrap was succulent and packed with lots of flavour. I loved the textures of the pickles combined with the juicy chicken. However, I wished that they packaged the wrap a bit differently as it was just paper and a bit difficult to eat that way.  

The Place:

This was a stall so I ordered, and when my buzzer rang, I collected my food and I ate at one of the tables in the food court. It was quite busy at around 4:30pm-5pm on a Saturday.

The Service:

The staff were quite nice, however, they were quite busy. The waiting time was about 5-10 minutes so it was quite decent. The queue to order was very long so I would recommend going at off-peak times. 

Would I Recommend It?

Yes, I would recommend it! The wrap was succulent and I really enjoyed this solo date with myself. Also, the pricing was reasonable.

My Rating: 4/5

My Rating System:

⅕ – was below average and would not recommend even trying once

⅖ – the food was average and would not recommend trying

⅗ – the food was delicious but would recommend trying maximum once

⅘ – the food was really good and would recommend trying here

5/5 – the food was outstanding and is one of my favourites!

Order from here (not sponsored): https://thunderbirdckn.co.uk/ 

This was my short review or diary entry about Thunderbird Fried Chicken. These are my opinions about this place. Make sure to check out my other restaurant reviews.

Thank you for reading, and have a lovely day!

• My 2023 Reflections As A Medical Student 
• My First Term of Medical School | Exams, Essays and Events 
• My First Month of Medical School | Moving Out, Freshers And Workload
• The Ultimate Guide To Ace Year 12 | Revision, Friendships And Supercurriculars
• How I Got All A*s At GCSEs | 10 Tips Every Year 11 Student Should Know

What is Wagamama?

Wagamama is a British restaurant chain, serving Asian food based on Japanese cuisine.

What I Ordered And My Opinions On It:

New Teriyaki Vegan Chicken Ramen (£11.95) 

I got this bowl of ramen. In terms of execution, it was as the menu suggested, but being Asian, the spice level wasn’t high enough but it was good flavour. The appearance was colourful and it is quite liquidy but they do provide different cutlery to choose from. When it comes to taste, this bowl was so different from other foods I have tried before and it had a unique authentic East Asia flavour. It was packed with flavour and this chicken was quite large in size and chewy too. I rated this a ⅘.

Yaki Udon Noodles Without Chicken (£10.95)

My sister got these noodles as her main meal. In a nutshell, this is one of her absolute favorite dishes! The chicken is Haram so ensure not to have that if you are Muslim. The noodles were thick, the prawns were very soft and tender and the spices combined together gave an overall outstanding taste. She would have loved to have a bigger portion and have more prawns. Regardless, this was still a 5/5 dish for her!

Hirata Steamed Buns Mixed Mushrooms (£6.25)

These were small and cute little buns that were like little tacos. They contained some mushrooms, and the bread was soft and white. Overall, they were a cute side to have and they did contain some mushroom flavour, but I would rate this a ⅗.

5 Gyoza Vegetable Dumplings (£5.95)

These dumplings were smaller than expected but were nicely presented. They were served with a specific sauce. The first thing I thought of when eating this was that it tasted like vegetable samosas. They have a bit of that crunchy texture and you can really taste the vegetables inside. Again, this is a great side to have and really represents Japanese cuisine so I would rate this a ⅘.

Smoked Chocolate Caramel Cake (£6.25)

Firstly, this cake came with vanilla ice-cream which was a pleasant surprise. The cake was darker in colour than I expected and I could see the caramel inside. My sister was skeptical to eat this as she dislikes caramel but overall, it just tasted like the mix of Mars Bars and brownies together, with that coldness from the ice-cream. If you are into Mars Bars/caramel, this is for you! I rate this a ⅗.

The Place:

The shop was quite large and we went at around 5:30pm on a Friday evening so it was quite dark and full with lots of people and a medium length queue. We sat in some seats in the center of the shop, which wasn’t my top choice. The lights and decor were beautiful. The music was also quite loud. Essentially if you don’t like dark restaurants with loud music, maybe Wagamama is not for you.

The Service:

The staff were quite nice, however, they were quite busy and we did have to wait some time before we received cutlery. The waiting time for the food was slightly long. My Teriyaki Vegan Chicken Ramen took around 20-25 minutes which was slightly longer than I expected but it was worth the wait. The rest of the dishes arrived at decent times.

Would I Recommend It?

Yes, I would recommend it! It is a very unique cuisine environment with some great flavours of the food and it may feel like you are in a restaurant in Japan so I would recommend this! And yes do try the new Teriyaki Vegan Chicken Ramen.

My Rating: 4/5

My Rating System:

⅕ – was below average and would not recommend even trying once

⅖ – the food was average and would not recommend trying

⅗ – the food was delicious but would recommend trying maximum once

⅘ – the food was really good and would recommend trying here

5/5 – the food was outstanding and is one of my favourites!

Order from here (not sponsored): https://www.wagamama.com/home

This was my short review or diary entry about Wagamama. These are my opinions about this place. Make sure to check out my other restaurant reviews.

Thank you for reading, and have a lovely day!

• My 2023 Reflections As A Medical Student 
• My First Term of Medical School | Exams, Essays and Events 
• My First Month of Medical School | Moving Out, Freshers And Workload
• The Ultimate Guide To Ace Year 12 | Revision, Friendships And Supercurriculars
• How I Got All A*s At GCSEs | 10 Tips Every Year 11 Student Should Know

What is The Halal Guys?

The Halal Guys sell authentic American Halal food. They also have Middle-Eastern style dishes.

What I Ordered And My Opinions On It:

Combo Gyro Platter with Hummus (£9.00)

My sister and I got one platter each and we did not regret it! The appearance was so colourful and it looked so appetising that I wanted to dig in instantly. The execution was what it was promised but I expected it to be less veggie. In terms of taste, it was delicious! I could feel the different textures in my mouth and it makes you feel healthy. The white sauce in particular is mysterious and also levels the food up. Altogether, it was a 5/5.

The Place:

The shop was medium size and beautifully decorated. There are a few seating areas. When my sister and I went at around lunchtime, there were barely any people but more people started entering later.

The Service:

The staff were very nice. There was, in particular, a specific staff member who even took the initiative to come up to us and ask if we needed anything else! That was very kind and proves the great customer service!

Would I Recommend It?

Absolutely! Despite only having tried it once, I would try this again if given the opportunity and this is one of my favourite restaurants in London.

My Rating: 5/5

My Rating System:

⅕ – was below average and would not recommend even trying once

⅖ – the food was average and would not recommend trying

⅗ – the food was delicious but would recommend trying maximum once

⅘ – the food was really good and would recommend trying here

5/5 – the food was outstanding and is one of my favourites!

Order from here (not sponsored): https://thehalalguys.com/

This was my short review or diary entry about The Halal Guys. These are my opinions about this place. Make sure to check out my other restaurant reviews.

Thank you for reading, and have a lovely day!

• My 2023 Reflections As A Medical Student 
• My First Term of Medical School | Exams, Essays and Events 
• My First Month of Medical School | Moving Out, Freshers And Workload
• The Ultimate Guide To Ace Year 12 | Revision, Friendships And Supercurriculars
• How I Got All A*s At GCSEs | 10 Tips Every Year 11 Student Should Know

What is Chaiiwala?

Chaiiwala is a franchise where they sell Indian street food, especially their tea/chai. They have many branches, but I tried the Walthamstow one.

What I Ordered And My Opinions On It:

Butter Chicken Roll

This cost £3.40. I have tried this both at eat-in with my friends and when I ordered it from Uber Eats. This has butter chicken in it but it is the dry version – it doesn’t have the curry inside. In terms of appearance, it is a spherical shape and wrapped in this antique newspaper roll which is so cute. However, I couldn’t see the filling inside, especially when I ordered it through Uber Eats. When it comes to taste, it is absolutely delicious and it has great butter chicken flavour. 

I have tried other foods which I do not know the name of specifically, but overall, I remember the food tasted pretty great.

The Place:

The shop was medium size and beautifully decorated. There are a few seating areas but it can get very hot and it isn’t very spacious.

The Service:

The staff were nice but very straightforward. The waiting time was a bit long in the shop.

Would I Recommend It?

I would recommend trying this because it was delicious, but it wasn’t anything too extravagant or extraordinary.

My Rating: 4/5

My Rating System:

⅕ – was below average and would not recommend even trying once

⅖ – the food was average and would not recommend trying

⅗ – the food was delicious but would recommend trying maximum once

⅘ – the food was really good and would recommend trying here

5/5 – the food was outstanding and is one of my favourites!

Order from here (not sponsored): https://www.chaiiwala.co.uk/ 

This was my short review or diary entry about Chaiiwala. These are my opinions about this place. Make sure to check out my other restaurant reviews.

Thank you for reading, and have a lovely day!

• My 2023 Reflections As A Medical Student 
• My First Term of Medical School | Exams, Essays and Events 
• My First Month of Medical School | Moving Out, Freshers And Workload
• The Ultimate Guide To Ace Year 12 | Revision, Friendships And Supercurriculars
• How I Got All A*s At GCSEs | 10 Tips Every Year 11 Student Should Know

What is Sultan Saray?

Sultan Saray Restaurant is a Turkish restaurant in Leyton and it provides a range of food.

What I Ordered And My Opinions On It:

Two Regular Chicken Boxes 

For both me and my sister, we got two regular boxes. Each box cost £6.50. In each box, they provide a box of chicken doner, naan bread, couscous, salad and sauces. This looks like a lot of food and it was nicely organised and packaged by the shop. The food looked fresh and delicious and the taste was amazing – the flavour of the chicken was tasty.  The sauces were regular and the naan was quite soft. Overall, it was a filling meal, but it wasn’t anything extraordinary.

The Place:

The place was medium size and there were seating areas available.

The Service:

The service was good and took a regular amount of time to give the food.

Would I Recommend It?

I would recommend this place if you live locally and you want some wholesome Turkish food. My family eats from here regularly as the food is authentic, so I would recommend it!

My Rating: 4/5

My Rating System:

⅕ – was below average and would not recommend even trying once

⅖ – the food was average and would not recommend trying

⅗ – the food was delicious but would recommend trying once

⅘ – the food was really good and would recommend trying here

5/5 – the food was outstanding and is one of my favourites!

Order from here (not sponsored): 

Link 

This was my short review or diary entry about Sultan Saray Restaurant. These are my opinions about this place. Make sure to check out my other restaurant reviews.

Thank you for reading, and have a lovely day!

• My 2023 Reflections As A Medical Student 
• My First Term of Medical School | Exams, Essays and Events 
• My First Month of Medical School | Moving Out, Freshers And Workload
• The Ultimate Guide To Ace Year 12 | Revision, Friendships And Supercurriculars
• How I Got All A*s At GCSEs | 10 Tips Every Year 11 Student Should Know

In London, there are a variety of food places. However, some shops always remain popular and brimming with customers such as KFC. I have tried KFC a couple of times, but is it really worth being popular or should you ditch it?

What is KFC?

KFC is a fast food restaurant company where they sell a variety of food but they specialise in fried chicken.

What I Ordered And My Opinions On It:

• I tried the ‘Mighty Hot Wings Bucket’ containing 20 wings which cost £5.99.
• Altogether, these wings have a crispy texture, and also are quite crunchy. They look appetising and they taste delicious. I sometimes wish they gave more meat in each wing, but overall, the wings are delicious.

The Place:

I have eaten at different KFCs and usually they are quite full, especially at lunch times. Sometimes, they can be quite unclean if there are a lot of people so unless you are eating with people. It would be quite comfortable to eat takeaway too.

The Service:

It depends on the KFC shop. The KFC in Lea Bridge Road is pretty fast and has seating areas (and I celebrated my birthday there once) so there is pretty good service there!

Would I Recommend It?

Yes, I would recommend eating these classic wings and even the Zinger burger is really good. With the 20 wings, they work as a perfect side or even something to have as a small lunch! SO yes it is worth it and I would try KFC a couple of times!

My Rating: 4/5

Their Website: https://www.kfc.co.uk/

This was my short review or diary entry about KFC. These are my opinions about this place. Make sure to check out my other restaurant reviews.

Thank you for reading, and have a lovely day!

This restaurant was none other than Feast and Mishti.

What is Feast and Mishti?

Feast and Mishti is an Indian and Bangladeshi restaurant which contains a wide range of food. Currently, it is widely known for its cheap Iftar packs.

What I Ordered And My Opinions On It:

• Firstly, my sister ordered two ‘Family Iftar packs’. These were £15 each.
• Inside, there was a wide variety of food of small quantities such as wings, aloo chop, jalebi, dates, chickpeas, lamb biryani, chicken biryani, pizzas, tandoori chicken, seekh kebab and beguni.
• Overall, the food was very flavourful and delicious. My favourite items were the wings and the biryani.
• My family also enjoyed the food. 
• The chickpeas were quite spicy.

The Place:

The shop was in Whitechapel, and my sister picked it up. It was pretty small but it would be quite comfortable to dine-in.

Would I Recommend It?

Yes, I would highly recommend this place. Even though the food was spicy and possibly a bit expensive for the quantity they give you, I thought there was a wide range and the flavours were tasty. If you can’t handle spicy food, some items might be a bit spicy for you.

My Rating: 4/5

This was my short review or diary entry about Feast and Mishti. These are my opinions about this place. Make sure to check out my other restaurant reviews.

• My 2023 Reflections As A Medical Student 
• My First Term of Medical School | Exams, Essays and Events 
• My First Month of Medical School | Moving Out, Freshers And Workload
• The Ultimate Guide To Ace Year 12 | Revision, Friendships And Supercurriculars
• How I Got All A*s At GCSEs | 10 Tips Every Year 11 Student Should Know

Thank you for reading, and have a lovely day!

McDonald’s is a fast food company which is absolutely classic. Known globally for many years, it is popular amongst many. However, every country has its own food. For the UK, they offer a few Halal options, but were they good enough?

What is McDonald’s?

McDonald’s is a fast food company which sells foods such as fries, burgers, chicken and drinks.

What I Ordered And My Opinions On It:

• Firstly, my sister and I ordered two fries, three ‘Mozzarella sticks’ and two ‘Spicy Veggie Wraps’. It is known to be Halal.
• One wrap was for my brother and the other one was for me. I also got to try the sticks.
• For me, the McVeggie wrap was delicious as it felt like I was eating chicken and it felt like a healthy option. It wasn’t really spicy or too flavourful for me.
• The Mozzarella sticks were also quite good.
• The fries are a classic and one of the very few types of fries I actually enjoy, despite not being a huge fan of fries.

The Place:

The shop was in King’s Cross St Pancras, so it was near the station. The shop was relatively small and quite busy when we went.

Would I Recommend It?

Obviously, McDonald’s is a go-to classic fast food so I would recommend it but for those who love their spicy food, this food will probably not be enough to satisfy your spice buds. I would say that it can be Muslim-friendly but the options are still limited in the UK.

My Rating: 3.8/5

This was my short review or diary entry about McDonald’s. These are my opinions about this place. Make sure to check out my other restaurant reviews.

Thank you for reading, and have a lovely day!

• My 2023 Reflections As A Medical Student 
• My First Term of Medical School | Exams, Essays and Events 
• My First Month of Medical School | Moving Out, Freshers And Workload
• The Ultimate Guide To Ace Year 12 | Revision, Friendships And Supercurriculars
• How I Got All A*s At GCSEs | 10 Tips Every Year 11 Student Should Know