There’s magic in creating something, but you make yourself vulnerable too.
Last week we quietly celebrated three years of the Taste Tibet takeaway, but the place still feels new to us – a stranger in many ways. It’s in the details: the baby changing station, the “cleaning in progress” floor sign, the blast chiller. Do we really own these things?
Looking at the restaurant through other people’s eyes is endlessly fascinating: following how they interact with the space, browse the freezer food, read the menu. We love it when the place just works, when people come through the door for the first time and you can see that they feel safe.
There’s an honesty about our set-up that we know is appreciated. This approach took root when we still operated out of a gazebo in Gloucester Green. There were no back rooms in the days of our market stall: come early enough and anyone could watch Yeshi at work and learn what went into that chicken curry. The clean up operation at the end of the day was also a public lesson of its kind.
When we opened the takeaway we deliberately placed front and centre the piece of equipment that most restaurants hide behind closed doors. The hot counter is there so that you can see, smell and understand what’s on offer before you place your order. Many professional kitchens have these out back, dishing up your food out of view, as if it had been cooked fresh each time.
The restaurant is run street food style, and the awards we’ve (nearly!) won reflect this: in the BBC Food and Farming Awards we were finalists in the Best Street Food or Takeaway category; in last year’s Observer Food Awards we were runners-up in Best Value Eats. We have always seen ourselves as a takeaway first and foremost, a place serving home-cooked food quickly and at an affordable price – so apologies to those who come hoping for an immersive dining experience. Frills are not our forte, but we know what we’re doing and it is what it is.
If you love Taste Tibet, can you spare a second to leave us a Google review? This helps future diners understand what to expect from the experience. Thank you so much!
We’re open all the usual hours this week, as follows:
Wednesday – Friday: 5-9.30pm (dinner only)
Saturday: 12-3 (lunch) / 5-9.30pm (dinner)
This week’s menu is out now – check it! We also have good stocks of everything in our freezers, including momos, so come forage.
Looking forward to seeing you soon,
Julie and Yeshi
Opening hours this week:
Weds – Fri: 5-9.30pm
Sat: 12-3pm 🥢 5-9.30pm
☏ 01865 499318
If you love our cookbook please click here to review it! Thank you 🙏🏽
