Specialising in authentic Uyghur cuisine
Just around the corner from Walthamstow station you will find Etles, an unpretentious restaurant specialising in authentic Uyghur cuisine from Xinjiang, northwest China.
Traditional Uyghur cooking is heavily influenced by the old silk road trading route and has a melting pot of flavours ranging from, Turkish, Mongolian, Persian and Chinese. The husband and wife team at Etles combine these different cooking styles to produce a truly traditional and diverse menu.
The variety of dishes on the menu is just fascinating and you can see how strong the influence has been from the neighbouring countries of Xinjiang. Alongside classic Chinese dishes you will find crusty naan bread, kebabs, big plate chicken and Lagman.
The big plate chicken was one of my favourites, combining a variety of aromatic flavours to create a delicious hearty stew of spicy chicken and potato, all served on a bed of flat noodles. Every single noodle is created by hand in the traditional way of pulling and stretching the dough.
The walls of this homely restaurant are decorated with traditional silks, musical instruments, embroidered wall hangings and Doppa hats worn by Uyghur men.
Take a trip down to E17 and try out Etles for yourself.
Note: The restaurant is BYO and does not serve alcohol.
Web: www.etlesrestaurant.co.uk
Phone: 020 3620 69787
Email: info@etlesresturant.co.uk
Price Range: ££ Small dishes £9/Big Plate Chicken £25
Must Try:
Big Plate Chicken: Spicy chicken and potato stew served on top of flat hand-pulled noodles
Lagman: Hand-pulled noodles topped with a chunky sauce of stir-fried lamb and vegetables
Mukaddes homemade cake