The Jasmine Kitchen

A stones throw from Aldgate East tube station, the Jasmine Kitchen is a cosy little unassuming nook, with charismatic staff and delicious, bargainously priced food.
The have some comfy sofas near the back, but with a party of about 30 people, we commandeered the whole place. We put up our own decorations, brought our own drinks (for a reasonable corkage charge) and had a few obligatory silly party games.
As for food, to save on costs, the Jasmine Kitchen offered us a wonderful buffet-​style affair. We had some nibbles before the meal came (prawn crackers and caramelised mixed nuts, plus wine to get the party going), but I’ll tell you what: it was worth the wait.
A huge pot of sticky white rice, a huge pot of Thai red curry, and an equally large vat of Malaysian vegetable curry. There were vegetable spring rolls and chicken satay skewers as well: we were spoilt!
And I’ll tell you what some of our group must have been really light eaters, because I could have happily gone up for third helpings, there was that much left! The reason I DIDN’T go for thirds was that my first and second helpings had already been fairly generous. I really felt like I was going to explode. But it’s difficult to restrain yourself when food is THAT tasty.

THE MAP IS INCORRECT: It is actually on north Bradwell st. toward the railway.
Great food, but a little tricky to find and small inside.

I work at Queen Mary, University of London and this is one of our department’s favourite lunching spots. Tucked away behind the Mile End hospital, under a railway arch, it’s one place that you’d never find by accident.
Junie, the owner and chef, is always very welcoming, and her penang laksa is yummy.
If you are around on a Friday and fancy something a bit lighter, the Friday special of Thai salmon fish cakes is very good. Ask for some of Junie’s special chilly sauce to go with them.
Because word has spread throughout QM and the hospital, Jasmine Kitchen now gets very busy at lunchtime, especially on Fridays. Go early or phone your order in to avoid a long wait.

This little place is in a world of it’s own. A tiny little restaurant (that is appropriately named in the business name as a ‘Kitchen’) in a metal shed, fitted snugly inside the archway under a railway line, you really could be forgiven for missing this place or never seeing it before in your life. This was my situation, and I live about 3 minutes walk away from it? My girlfriend knew the secret though, and she bought me here to eat some lunch one fine, brisk winters day.
The kitchen has minimal seating. two tables and two pairs of sofas (I’m not sure if you can eat from the sofas or not.) And the seats themselves are actually little metal stools that sit about 2 feet off the ground. All in all, an interesting furniture experience! The choice available is minimal, and again you’re forcibly reminded that the place is more like a canteen then a restaurant. The prices aren’t very large though and the portion size is very decent. I got the Tom Yam Noodle Soup, a type of thin noodle popular in Vietnam that comes with chicken, a boiled egg, a DELICIOUS spicy broth and two crabsticks. My girlfriend got a £3.00 salad and it was large and thoroughly enjoyable. The waitress was a little abrupt — upon sitting down she says ‘know what you want?’ But she comes from the East End so we’ll forgive her this small crime. Find this place though, it’s so very worth it. Come towards a car entry point to QMUL along Longnor Road and look to the left for the signs. Not to be missed.