Black Lotus Ilford

Superlative Ambience atmosphere qnd Genuine Aromatic Thai Food. Everything is 100% tasty and Halal. Service is excellent and Noodles are just right. Prawn need careful cooking not to get chewy and chef was careful. And succulent beef was wow. Amazing. Full Marks.

We recently dined at Black Lotus and, unfortunately, the experience was very disappointing. For starters, we ordered soup and satay chicken . Both were just about average. The soup was tangy but had an odd fishy smell, and the chicken in it seemed off, which spoiled the overall flavour. The main course was where things truly went downhill. We ordered sea bass, priced at about £15 ;what arrived was only the fin of the fish, deep-fried and heavily salted. The accompanying sauce made it even saltier, which was unpleasant and certainly not suitable for anyone mindful of their health. The chips served alongside looked and tasted like “frozen chips” from a supermarket — definitely not restaurant quality. The Singaporean rice was similarly underwhelming. The chicken tasted bland, as though it had simply been boiled and tossed in, with no seasoning or flavour. The rice itself was again far too salty, making the dish unhealthy and difficult to enjoy. In fact, after eating such salty, unhealthy, and flavourless food, we felt the need to go to a nearby coffee shop just to have coffee and neutralise the unpleasant aftertaste. Service was also very slow. Despite the restaurant being full, it took around 25minutes for the starters to arrive, and the mains took even longer. Clearly, all tables were waiting for their food, which suggests a consistent issue with the kitchen’s timing. The only positives were the ambience and décor, which were pleasant, and the staff, who were polite and kind. Unfortunately, service and setting can only go so far when the food itself is overpriced and of such low quality. Black Lotus charges premium prices but delivers food that feels cheap, unhealthy, and poorly prepared. Would I return? No. Would I recommend it to others? Certainly not. The combination of slow service, bland or overly salty food, and unjustified pricing made this one of the least enjoyable dining experiences I’ve had in a long time.

Had dinner at Black Lotus – honestly 5 stars across the board. The food was full of flavour – we had the mixed platter, spicy prawn rice, red chicken curry, and egg fried rice, and every dish hit the mark. Staff were lovely, really attentive without being over the top. The atmosphere was calm and welcoming, perfect for a relaxing meal. Everything is halal and there is a prayer room at the back which was a really thoughtful touch. Will definitely be back again, insha’Allah – highly recommended!