Elena E.
Yelp
My husband and I are in the midst of a week-long road trip from Edinburgh to London. We passed through Birmingham yesterday afternoon for lunch and dined at Al Faisals, which he had found and bookmarked through his online research prior. We were not disappointed! The restaurant has quite a bit of seating inside in its large, open, airy space. It has a more upscale feel to it without it being reflected in the prices. We got the sense this is truly traditional food, and it was my first time trying Pakistani food. We were pleased with the bowls of accouterments and crispy bread chips we were presented with upon being seated: A couple were spicy, one was spicy sweet, one was sweet, and one was cool. I ordered the Murgh Makhani and my husband ordered the Murgh Bhuna; we shared both over basmati rice and dipped buttery, garlic naan into each. These were solid dishes and hit the spot. We both agreed the sauce that was in the Murgh Bhuna was more flavorful with spices, while the Murgh Makhani tasted more on the bland side but was still savory. I asked for the Murgh Makhani medium spicy level, so perhaps that's partially why because the Murgh Bhuna had more of a kick to it (but not too spicy, just the right amount). The thickness of the sauces were perfect to soak and scoop up with the naan. Overall, we were pleased and admittedly kept eating because we liked the taste, perhaps beyond the point of our stomaches being satisfied. In other words, our bellies felt full for many hours afterwards and we ate a lighter, later dinner last night. Note: The Murgh Makhani, on the menu in the restaurant (but not on the menu on their website), has a note in its description about it being also known as Tikka Masala; however, I was expecting a orange, tomatoey sauce as a result, and it was yellow and didn't taste like the Tikka Masala I was expecting. There is actually a separate menu item for Tikka Masala, so order that instead if that's what you're hoping for. :)