"Whilst on an East Midlands tip, if you want the worst curry house in the UK, go to Sapna's (aka Scrapna's, due to the likelihood of a fight breaking out) in Nottingham."
I used to go to Sapna's all the time when I was in Nottingham. Probably cos it was the only place open after the clubs shut. I always had a dish called swot which I think was so named cos it was sweet and hot. It had loads of spice and also banana and pineapple, it was great.
Tayyabs - the dry meat is one of the best things I've ever eaten. People told me to shut up because I kept talking about it so much while eating and afterwards. It's really good, a really unusual taste. I tried to find out how to make it but it takes too long for my short-attention span. Agreed though about the busy-ness spoiling the experience, they've actually got people in jackets that say "Tayyabs Crowd Control" on the back preventing trouble. It's too much.
There's a good one off Brick Lane called Miraz - it's like a canteen, very cheap, no booze (bring your own) but allegedly it's where the guys from the other restaurants eat when they want some good food instead of the shite they serve. It's nice anyway.
My girlfriend used to live in Yorkshire and said that the curries in Bradford were so much better than the London version that she doesn't really bother with curries in London after too many disappointing experiences. She doesn't turn her nose up at Miraz or Tayyabs though. I should say that she's a vegetarian though so take her opinions with a pinch of salt.