Expanding Culinary Horizons

[prasad2]

I have not been much on this forum but city of London is one my favorites for dining INDIAN.

I have a restaurant in a small town but a very affluent town. I am the chef/owner of the restuarant THALI. Here is My Webpage. We are about 40 miles North of New York in NEw Canaan, Connecticut. I had the pleasure of meeting Iqbal Wahib of Cinnanmon Club in my restaurant.

Starting Nov 24th I should be staying in Chelsea for about seven days.

I definetely plan on visiting several restaurants like, Cinnanmon Club, Zaika, Veeraswamy, Tamarind, Benares, Chutney Mary, Le Port De Indes, Nobu. (Bombay Harbour..not sure)

Any other suggestions please ! and any cuisine is most welcome.

I am here for a reason.... to eat .... to learn... to get inspired. Food is important but also like to check trends.

What I really like to do is to spend a day or two in a couple of restaurant kitchens and I shall reciprocate in a similar way if any one is interested back in US.

May be as a guest chef? May be just to watch the kitchen in action? or may be even to chop some tomatoes or onions.

Thanks a million and looking forward for the culinary trip.

[tony h]

I'd skip Veeraswamy if I were you - gone downhill

[prasad2]

I'd skip Veeraswamy if I were you - gone downhill

Blind lemon Higgins:

Can you expand a bit on your quote. Veeraswamy was one of my favorites when I visited London five years back.

How did it go down hill? Did the management or the ownership change?

Which is your favorite restaurant now or which new ones should I try?

Thanks again.

[JC70]

I definetely plan on visiting several restaurants like, Cinnanmon Club, Zaika, Veeraswamy, Tamarind, Benares, Chutney Mary, Le Port De Indes, Nobu. (Bombay Harbour..not sure)

Definetely not in the same league, but Monty's in Ealing (they have different branches in the area), seems to be constantly busy, and this is always a good sign. I have tried it myself, and although is not luxury eating (is very good value indeed), the food wasn't bad at all and the portions were quite generous

[Matthew Grant]

Mirch Masala in Norbury, a more traditional style restaurant serving North Indian/Pakistani food, outstanding grills, breads and Karahi dishes. In my opinion better than New Tayab but I have only visited the once and I practically live in Mirch Masala.

Edited November 11, 2003 by Matthew Grant (log)

[MobyP]

Why have Nobu in your list - I thought there was one in NY - are they so different?

I think there is some serious cooking going on in places like Aikens, the Square , Chez Bruce, (Andy'll know). If you want to venture away from Indian food (not that any of us should, mind you), there's some wonderful stuff out there.

[prasad2]

Definetely not in the same league, but Monty's in Ealing (they have different branches in the area), seems to be constantly busy, and this is always a good sign. I have tried it myself, and although is not luxury eating (is very good value indeed), the food wasn't bad at all and the portions were quite generous

[prasad2]

Mirch Masala in Norbury, a more traditional style restaurant serving North Indian/Pakistani food, outstanding grills, breads and Karahi dishes. In my opinion better than New Tayab but I have only visited the once and I practically live in Mirch Masala.

MATHEW GRANT:

I am quite excited about mirch masala but I have heard great reviews about New Tayyab. I shall try to hit both and if you say you practically live in Mirch Masala may be I will bump into you. Why is Mirch Masala better than New Tayyab, are there any particular different types of cooking?

Thanks

[prasad2]

Why have Nobu in your list - I thought there was one in NY - are they so different?

I think there is some serious cooking going on in places like Aikens, the Square , Chez Bruce, (Andy'll know). If you want to venture away from Indian food (not that any of us should, mind you), there's some wonderful stuff out there.

MobyP:

Are they so different? I don't know the answer. I only know the Nobu in New york and not in London.

Any way, I think I have change of venues as far as Nobu is concerned, my friend from the other forum mentioned something like Zuma. Are you familiar with Zuma by nay chance?

Shall give a good try to Aikens, the Square, Chez Bruce........ BTW where is ANDY

Thanks

[Matthew Grant]

Why is Mirch Masala better than New Tayyab, are there any particular different types of cooking?

Prasad, The cooking at both restaurants is very similar escept Mirch Masala has a larger menu. I perfer Mirch Masala for its bold spicing, something that I think applies to Rajastani cuisine. On my visit to New Tayab, while the dishes were good it was severely lacking in good spicing, by this I do not just mean in chilli. This wasn't so pronounced on the grills but the Karahi dishes we were actually quite poor. In my opinion, there are dozens of restaurants serving 'proper' (as against'english') curry, just like New Tayab, in London. Some of them may be a little more popular as their decor is a little tidier I also concede that these types of restaurant may not always be as consistent as a high end restaurant and that my judgement on the two is impaired by my single visit to NT.

On my visit to New Tayab it was just an also ran, however, I have also had somebody else who has visited Mirch Masala and New Tayab who thinks that New Tayab beats Mirch Masala hands down. I'm willing to wager that that person doesn't eat or cook as much spiced food as I do

[tony h]

I'd skip Veeraswamy if I were you - gone downhill

Blind lemon Higgins:

Can you expand a bit on your quote. Veeraswamy was one of my favorites when I visited London five years back.

I didn't do any actual tests as such and therefore can't say that they gave me food poisoning the night I ate there but as it was the only thing I had that day it was a sad and unlucky coincidence which has obviously coloured my perception.

[tony h]

Why have Nobu in your list - I thought there was one in NY - are they so different?

MobyP:

Are they so different? I don't know the answer. I only know the Nobu in New york and not in London.

Shall give a good try to Aikens, the Square, Chez Bruce........ BTW where is ANDY

I'd also skip Nobu, London - just not special enough.

May I suggest lunch at the Capital over Chez Bruce

[MobyP]

I'm sure BLH is right.

Chez Bruce, although delicious, is a bit of a trip - and the capital, apart from having more stars, will be easier to get to. Might not be easier to get a reservation though.

[robyn]

Prasad - I would very much appreciate your reporting back after your trip - and telling us which Indian restaurants you liked and which you didn't like. My husband and I love Indian food - but it is not available where we live. So we like to eat it when we travel to large cities (like New York) - and we will be going to London soon. Regards, Robyn

[prasad2]

I am pleased to announce that I got an opportunity to spend some time at the Cinnamon Club in the coming weeks.

I am still open to spend some time with other kitchens as well. If there are any restaureuters or chef's of any Indian cuisine in this forum, I would love to hear from you.

Thanks again...

Prasad

Edited November 18, 2003 by prasad2 (log)

[Matthew Grant]

Prasad, I'll be at the Cinnamon Club on 29th November - don't fuck up my dinner will you!

[prasad2]

Prasad, I'll be at the Cinnamon Club on 29th November - don't fuck up my dinner will you!

Mathew: Now that you have said it.........

[Andy Lynes]

Shall give a good try to Aikens, the Square, Chez Bruce........ BTW where is ANDY

Here I am!

Belated reply I know. All I can say about Chez Bruce is that chef Bruce Poole is a friend of mine, that I visit the restaurant regularly and that I have never had a duff dish. They do what they do very well indeed, but are not in thrall to Michelin. I think Bruce is very proud to have a star, but that does not drive or influence unduly what he does. Many chefs say the most important thing to them is a full dining room, Bruce actually means it.

So what you will get if you go is the model of a busy London neighbourhood restaurant : great food, very good value wine list (although prices have increased noticably over the 3 years I have been going) and very customer focused staff. Yes they do turn tables, but at £30.00 for the menu, that's not surprising.

The restaurant is a 2 minute walk from Wandsworth Common railway station which is between 10 and 15 minutes from Victoria so is very easy to get to.

[foodie52]

What kind of food is Chez Bruce? I will be in England over New Year, and can go out to eat in the city ONE time only....I was thinking seriously about St. John....should I consider Chez Bruce instead?

[Jonathan Day]

The two are in very different places, and different categories -- so you should go to both!

St John and its offshoot, St John Bread & Wine, are fairly centrally located, in Smithfield and Spitalfields respectively. Their food is simple and basic, "nose to tail" cooking using every part of the beast, and more British than continental: calf's liver and turnips, potted rabbit, etc.

Chez Bruce is located south of the river, geographically not that far from the West End but psychologically much further. You can easily get there on the overland train, but not on the Tube. Its food is basically French, though on the simple rather than the fussy end -- e.g. duck breast with a pithivier savoyarde, glazed endive and madeira, sauté of stuffed poulet fermier with parsnips, lentils, chanterelles and tarragon.

Some eGullet members don't care for Chez Bruce; I like it a lot, and it is a joy to have a restaurant of this calibre near where I live. But as good as it is, there are other restaurants like it, both in London and especially in France.

There is nothing like St John, anywhere.

[foodie52]

Thank you , Jonathan! St. John it is!

[prasad2]

Thank you all and see you in London.