London Indian Restaurants

[chrisp]

Just my 2 pence worth but:

Benares is pretty dull, despite the Michelin Star, and you pay through the nose for anywhere in Mayfair anyway.

Brick Lane is 99% rubbish, but Cliftons on the Whitechapel end is pretty good I believe.

However, there are two places you really have to try:

Lahore Kebab House, just off Commercial Road, and New Tayyabs in Whitechapel.

Tayyabs is probably better in my opinion. Both are Pakistani however, not strictly Indian.

Edit: Oh, almost forgot - for a reasonably unique experience you can try Kastoori in Tooting. It's family-run, entirely vegetarian and entirely delicious!

Edited September 20, 2007 by chrisp (log)

[Siharris28]

Can't go wrong with the selection in Tooting.

For South Indian try Kastoori (vegetarian) or Sree Krishna.

For Pakistani try Lahore Karahi (decor won't impress you but food will) or Mirch Masala.

[cachan]

In Southall, I suggest you try Gifto's on the north side of the main road. From Shepherd's Bush you can take bus 607 or 207.

[Karim]

Most of the suggestions so far have been for a more 'authentic' curry experience - can I add Gunapati in Peckham to the list (excellent South Indian, served on a Thali).

I want to take my mother to a 'posh' restaurant for her birthday, and think that some of the michelin starred Indian restaurants look quite interersting and, for lunch, excellent value. I also like the look of the Cinnamon Club.

The comments above haven't been hugely complimentary towards the high-end Indians - but doesn't anyone have a recommendation?

Edited September 24, 2007 by Karim (log)

[rjs1]

I want to take my mother to a 'posh' restaurant for her birthday, and think that some of the michelin starred Indian restaurants look quite interersting and, for lunch, excellent value. I also like the look of the Cinnamon Club.

The comments above haven't been hugely complimentary towards the high-end Indians - but doesn't anyone have a recommendation?

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High end, I suggest Zaika rather than the Cinammon Club - spice with subtlety rathter than the Cinammon Club's sledeghammer approach.

Or how about Rasoi Vineet Bhatia?

[preeyanka]

I am an exchange student who is studying in Mile End and we have been to some of the restaurants at Brick Lane. As an American-born Indian, I was sorely disappointed by the quality at the two restaurants that we did visit although being in a Bengali area, I would have expected a great focus on Bengali style dishes than Punjabi-style indian food. As a rule of thumb (which may be inaccurate over here), I am turned away by Indian restaurants that categorize their food by sauce rather than meat.

That being said, I am sure there are wonderful restaurants in Brick Lane. Any recommendations for restaurants, especially those that focus on Bengali rather than Indian cuisine.

It's funny that you mention Mai'da, we received the menu in our mailbox several days ago and it looked good, there were a lot of dishes that I've seen in India and a fairly extensive Indian-Chinese menu which I always associate with India. Anyone care to disagree/agree.

Also, any unique Indian or Indian-inspired places under 20 pounds a person. I've taken note of the ones so far, looking forward to seeing more.

[chrisp]

I am an exchange student who is studying in Mile End and we have been to some of the restaurants at Brick Lane.  As an American-born Indian, I was sorely disappointed by the quality at the two restaurants that we did visit although being in a Bengali area, I would have expected a great focus on Bengali style dishes than Punjabi-style indian food.  As a rule of thumb (which may be inaccurate over here), I am turned away by Indian restaurants that categorize their food by sauce rather than meat.

That being said, I am sure there are wonderful restaurants in Brick Lane.  Any recommendations for restaurants, especially those that focus on Bengali rather than Indian cuisine.

It's funny that you mention Mai'da, we received the menu in our mailbox several days ago and it looked good, there were a lot of dishes that I've seen in India and a fairly extensive Indian-Chinese menu which I always associate with India.  Anyone care to disagree/agree.

Also, any unique Indian or Indian-inspired places under 20 pounds a person.  I've taken note of the ones so far, looking forward to seeing more.

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Tayyabs! Not strictly Indian (it's Pakistani) but certainly the best I've had in London of that type of cuisine.

[Andrew Chalk]

Vijay on Willesden High St.

[naebody]

That being said, I am sure there are wonderful restaurants in Brick Lane.  Any recommendations for restaurants, especially those that focus on Bengali rather than Indian cuisine.

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As I mention upthread, there are Bengali restaurants on Brick Lane, but they're heavily disguised to blend in with the touts and chicken balti menus of their surroundings. Places such as Gram Bangla, for example, run a tourist menu and a locals menu. It takes some cajoling to find out what's on the latter, but it's usually worth the effort.

Time Out did a good article on this a while back.

[Matthew Grant]

On the whole I would have thought that Brick Lane was a good place to avoid? As previously mentioned the Tayab restaurants are well liked here, my personal favourite is Mirch Masala which offers good North Indain/pakistani food. There are several branches now, one in the East End (http://www.mirchmasalarestaurant.co.uk/mm/index.htm Another area you might want to try is Tooting (I know you said the brick lane area but it doesn't hurt to visit somewhere else

[chrisp]

On the whole I would have thought that Brick Lane was a good place to avoid? As previously mentioned the Tayab restaurants are well liked here, my personal favourite is Mirch Masala which offers good North Indain/pakistani food. There are several branches now, one in the East End (http://www.mirchmasalarestaurant.co.uk/mm/index.htm Another area you might want to try is Tooting (I know you said the brick lane area but it doesn't hurt to visit somewhere else

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And if you do Tooting do Kastoori.

[Gareth]

Since people have asked about it, I was at the Cinnamon Club a week ago. Was very disappointed when it first opened and, after a couple of return visits, I didn’t go back, being able to think of better places by means of which to bio-degrade nose-bleedingly large numbers of £5 notes.

However, a couple of lunches over the last year suggested that I was being unfair and standards were a real step above my early-days experiences. The second half of the value equation was supplied last week with my discovery that they offer an ‘early bird’ special of three courses for £22. Relatively limited choice (3 options for each course) and you have to be out (by 21:00, I think) but I had a really enjoyable meal that I thought was great value and we were in no-way made to feel rushed or second best by the service.

So this now gives me another option for ‘posh’ Indian in the area (along with the much-underrated Quilon in Buckingham Gate).

That said, were I really treating myself in a sod-the-chequebook kind of way I would follow some of the other siren voices on this thread and make an unhesitating bee-line to Rasoi Vineet Bhatia (as Sunbeam says, can we take the ‘authenticity debate’ as read on this one, please?).

Which isn’t to speak one word against any of the more ‘bread-and-butter’ Indian (sic) recommendations on this thread (esp. Tayyabs and Kastoori) if that’s more the kind of evening you’re after.

[preeyanka]

I'm open to exploring all parts of London. It's just that I've heard so many accolades about London South Asian food and there's so much weeding to do. Any recommendations for Southall?

Also, if anyone knows off the top of their head about any threads about good vegetarian food in general in London, could they message them to me. I'll be searching.

[dougal]

I'm open to exploring all parts of London.  It's just that I've heard so many accolades about London South Asian food and there's so much weeding to do.  Any recommendations for Southall?

Also, if anyone knows off the top of their head about any threads about good vegetarian food in general in London, could they message them to me.  I'll be searching.

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Could I suggest that you might like the Diwani Bhel Poori House, and maybe Mandeer though (for shame) I haven't been in all the years since they moved out of the Hanway Place basement...

[ajgnet]

Hi -- I'm spending tomorrow night in London and am looking for a special place to take a few friends. It doesn't have to be "traditional," although that would be nice. Not looking for street food, a place where we could take a drink or two would be ideal.

Anyone have any particularly memorable experiences recently? If you had just one night to do Indian in London, where would you go? Thanks for your help with this.

[joesan]

Hi -- I'm spending tomorrow night in London and am looking for a special place to take a few friends.  It doesn't have to be "traditional," although that would be nice.  Not looking for street food, a place where we could take a drink or two would be ideal. 

Anyone have any particularly memorable experiences recently?  If you had just one night to do Indian in London, where would you go?  Thanks for your help with this.

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Hi,

I'd recommend New Tayyabs in Fieldgate Street in trendy east London. The food here is Pakistani and amazingly good and fresh. It is also ridiculously cheap but not in the most salubrious part of town. However you can do what we do - bring a really nice bottle of wine, have an amazing high quality meal for a cheap price and then go for a nice much more upmarket cocktail at nearby LoungeLover bar.

One thing is for sure you will not be dissappointed with the quality of the meal. Here is a recent review of the place.

[Gareth G]

If you can travel as far afield as Tooting (20 mins from the centre on the Northern Line) you have lots of options. Especially the vegetarian Kastoori that has been run by the same Gujarati/East African family for 25 years since Idi Amin kicked them out of Uganda. The food is a real treat, even for non vegetarians. It isn't BYO though.

Edited January 19, 2008 by Gareth G (log)

[preeyanka]

Hi -- I'm spending tomorrow night in London and am looking for a special place to take a few friends.  It doesn't have to be "traditional," although that would be nice.  Not looking for street food, a place where we could take a drink or two would be ideal. 

Anyone have any particularly memorable experiences recently?  If you had just one night to do Indian in London, where would you go?  Thanks for your help with this.

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I would go to Maida, which is in Bethnal Green (not too far from the City). While it is probably 100 yards from Brick Lane, it is not to be confused with the typical curry house. The owners keep halal so there is no alcohol served however they do make mocktails and if you go to spitalfields there are some nice bars over there for happy hour. It isn't horribly expensive but the quality of food is excellent. I would recommend the paneer tikka appetizer, they did a great job with it.

[Iestyn]

I'm with everyone else, Tayyabs in the East End, Kastoori, in Tooting. (I was pleased to see Kastoori got a bib)

I am also a fan of Diwana Bel Poori on Drummond St for a more central, quality and BYO curry fix. There's lots of places out in Southall, I will get to them but can't give a personal recommendation at the moment, but Madhu's and Brilliant seem very respected.

On the high end stuff, I haven't tried too many, budget constraints and all. That said, I went to Tamarind aout a year ago, and had an overall good meal, it was before my blog and have no notes but I still remember the most tender piece of chicken tikka and being overall impressed.

[gagit]

Need Indian fix on Monday for lunch, open to all ideas.

[Matthew Grant]

Authentic is a difficult one as most "Indian" restaurants in London are run by Bangladeshis and the popular cafes (Tayabs, Mirch Masala etc.) tend to be run by Pakistanis. I would stick with one of the cafe type establishments. new Tayabs is well liked, my personla favourite is actually Mirch Masala which now has several branches. you could do worse than go to somewhere like Tooting where there is a wide choice of restaurants including a branch of Mirch Masala.

[Siharris28]

Authentic is a difficult one as most "Indian" restaurants in London are run by Bangladeshis and the popular cafes (Tayabs, Mirch Masala etc.)  tend to be run by Pakistanis. I would stick with one of the cafe type establishments. new Tayabs is well liked, my personla favourite is actually Mirch Masala which now has several branches. you could do worse than go to somewhere like Tooting where there is a wide choice of restaurants including a branch of Mirch Masala.

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Agreed. Also in Tooting is Kastoori if you can handle a meat-free meal, which was recently awarded a Bib Gourmand.

[PhilD]

Authentic is a difficult one as most "Indian" restaurants in London are run by Bangladeshis and the popular cafes (Tayabs, Mirch Masala etc.)  tend to be run by Pakistanis. I would stick with one of the cafe type establishments. new Tayabs is well liked, my personla favourite is actually Mirch Masala which now has several branches. you could do worse than go to somewhere like Tooting where there is a wide choice of restaurants including a branch of Mirch Masala.

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Agreed. Also in Tooting is Kastoori if you can handle a meat-free meal, which was recently awarded a Bib Gourmand.

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Quilon in Bckingham Gate SW1 has a Keralan chef (Sriram Vishwanathan Aylur) so it is really Indian.

It got its Michelin star recently which is not always a good indication of an Indian restaurants quality/authenticity. However, there have been quite a few recent reviews that are very positive.

I also believe they do a good value set lunch.

[rjs1]

Quilon in Bckingham Gate SW1 has a Keralan chef (Sriram Vishwanathan Aylur) so it is really Indian.

It got its Michelin star recently which is not always a good indication of an Indian restaurants quality/authenticity. However, there have been quite a few recent reviews that are very positive.

I also believe they do a good value set lunch.

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Wonderful value set lunch, according to Matthew Norman's recent review in the Guardian.

[PhilD]

Quite a few Indian restaurants seem to be closed on Saturday lunchtime, but the Bombay Brasserie near Gloucester Road tube has a buffet lunch, so we thought we would give it a go. It. like Quilon is part of the Taj Hotel group so it should have potential.

I first ate here in the late ‘80’s and it was a glamorous venue for a long Sunday lunch. Today it has the same decor, and is in need of a bit of TLC. The welcome from the staff was good, which is often a positive, and it did indeed bode well for very professional, and attentive service. I don’t often say this but our every need as anticipated and we were looked after very well.

The buffet consists of a number of sections and I am sorry I can’t do justice to the correct names of the dishes . To start they had a split pea soup, potato pakora, spicy grilled chicken kebabs, papadums and good chutneys. The non-vegetarian mains included, a spicy fish in a rich tomtor sauce, creamy nutty chicken with istachios, a lamb saag. The vegetarian options included a paneer in a sweet creamy sauce, curried aubergines, deep fried potato balls, a complex dal, tomato rice, and plain rice. The salad table had a spicy chicken salad, carrot/vegtable salad, and a cucumber/lettuce salad. The desert choice was a creamed rice with nuts, fruit salad, and what seemed to be dried fine noodles with nuts and current. And throughout the meal really fresh nan breads are brought to your table.

Each dish was wonderfully different, with each having an individual flavour. They were well spiced, not overly hot, but with good depths of flavour. The staff keep all the dishes topped up with freshly cooked refills and you can go back as often as you like.

Most of the other diners were indian, with a few tables full of large extended families. We arrived at about 1:30 and te restaurant was quite emply but as we ate it filled up.

Overall an excellent meal, far, far better than the average high street curry, and still challenges some of the new higher end Indian restaurants. It is really great value at only £22 (plus 12.5% service) per head. Highly recommended for an excellent buffet lunch which I believe is on offer everyday.