Dinner at Kricket

03-02-2018 Local Black BookIndian, Kricket, London, recommendation, Restaurant, review, small plates, Soho1 Comment

I hate restaurants that don’t take reservations for less than 4 people.

I hate restaurants where the host, when I pop in and ask if they have a table for 2 at 7:15pm, answers they do… at 10:30pm.

And I HATE restaurants that insist on running separate lunch and dinner services so that I can’t have a meal at strange mid-afternoon hours on the weekend.

All of the above are the reasons why I hate loving Kricket so much.

It’s going to make my life so very difficult every time I crave Indian food.

But well, I’ll just have to deal with it all (and take friends down with me so we can book at table!) because the food, the drinks and the atmosphere are all fantastic.

The cocktail list is short but perfect formed, making the on-duty bartender a very busy man (or woman) indeed.

Which you could feel bad about or just embrace with a couple of the truly excellent whisky + orange marmalade cocktails…

Also excellent were the Jerusalem artichokes and pea samosas.

Light, crispy pastry triangles, filled with the most delicious, subtly spiced vegetable filling.

Needless to say, those didn’t last long.

My favourite dish – Pumpkin, makhani sauce, fresh paneer, hazelnut crumble, puffed wild rice.

Served with masala kulcha bread straight from the tandoor.

Charred pumpkin, the best (really, even my Indian boyfriend says so, and he’s had A LOT of butter chicken) butter-tomato sauce, begin to be scooped over some bread…

It was the sort of dish I wish I knew how to make so I could have it every day.

One that hangs around the top of my list of London’s best dishes, too.

Kricket’s signature Keralan fried chicken, served with curry leaf mayonnaise and pickled mouli.

Venison keema.

Warming and gently spiced, and the perfect reminder of why I must add keema to my winter meal rota.

Beautifully cooked duck breast, served with fiery vindaloo sauce and refreshing Brussel sprout and coconut thoran.

Polishing it all off on a sweet note in the form of carrot halwa with chestnut ice cream (delicious but veeeeeeery rich) and gorgeous, posset-like misti doi.

All in all, not a dal plate in sight at Kricket… So, no matter how difficult/irritating getting a table is, it’s worth the patience and hard work.

You know what they they… Keep calm and curry on!

Kricket Soho (the original venue’s in Brixton), 12 Denman St, Soho, London W1D 7HH

More things to eat in Soho

EVERYTHING at Temper

Cake for dinner at Cutter & Squidge

Ramen at Kanada Ya

Chinatown’s best hot pot

Madame D

18-09-2017 Local Black BookAsian, Indian, London, madame d, recommendation, Restaurant, review, small platesLeave a comment

My boyfriend has been wishing for Indo-Chinese food to make its way to London for as long as I’ve known him.

And, I don’t know if he finally found the magic lamp or something, but it looks like his wish has finally come true.

Hidden away behind the Old Spitafields market, you’ll find Gunpowder‘s new baby sister – Madame D – serving up a modern interpretation of the food prepared by Chinese-Tibetan immigrants in India.

To be honest, Madame D is a bit of a hipster child wonder.

Brick, plants, candles, creative cocktails, short but sweet menu of small plates designed to share, it has it all.

And it’s all very, very good indeed!

Starting with the naga chilli beef puffs.

Crispy on the outside & steamy on the inside, delightful spiced and utterly addictive beef morsels.

So addictive I easily could have eaten a buffet-sized plate of those all by myself. Sadly, that wasn’t on the menu.

Hakka chilli paneer – an irresistible take on the BF’s usual order at his favourite Delhi restaurant.

Sweet, sour, spicy and all in all spectacular, we fought over the last pieces and vowed to order it again on our next visit.

Ginger-scented stuffed aubergine with mushrooms.

Thanksfully not as spicy as the deep-red sauce would have you believe, but every inch as delicious!

Light and fragrant Kathmandu curry with bamboo shoots and sweet potato served over mountains of steamed rice.

Himalayan fried chicken, served Chinese-style with sliced spring onion, chilli and vinegar dipping sauce.

Much like the rest of the food at Madame D – absolutely faultless and just ridiculously tasty – all paired with super cosy atmosphere (the flip side of that one smallish-room, no reservation situation) and swift yet attentive service.

Unsurprisingly, getting a table is already near-impossible. But when the food’s that good, you’ll forget about the inconvenience the second the food hits the table and start making plans to go back to before you’ve even left.

Madame D, 76 Commercial Street, E1 6LY

Diwali at Trishna

08-11-2016 Local Black BookIndian, Marylebone, Michelin, Michelin star, Michelin-starred, recommendation, Restaurant, review, Trishna5 Comments

While most people spent the last weekend of October celebrating Halloween and relishing in exploring their (and London’s) dark side, we went the complete opposite way.

Celebrated in autumn, Diwali is the Hindu festival of lights. One of the major festivals of Hinduism, it represents the victory of light over darkness and good over evil.

Celebrations include millions of lights shining on housetops, outside doors and windows, around temples and other buildings. And of course, it wouldn’t be a holiday worth its name without a worthy feast.

Which for us translated into a cocktail-fuelled late-night dinner at Michelin-starred Trishna.

The bar menu includes many exotic twists on classic cocktails, with the Quinine Sour (created by sister restaurant Gymkhana) the most creative of the lot.

Basically a cross between a G&T and a citrus-y sour, with surprising, deeply savoury notes of curry leaf, it’s an unusual choice but one I thouroughly recommend you try.

There’s a lot you can tell about a restaurant from the nibbles they bring you before you even order, and Trishna’s bread selection was a clear sign of the team’s attention to detail and deeply ingrained sense of hospitality.

Coming with a side of the only mango chutney I’ve ever liked. Thick, slightly sour & subtly spiced, it was a wonder in its own right.

One of many more to come, to be honest.

Paneer Tikka Anardana, with corn, raw mango, pomegranate & mint chaat.

A delightfully light, vibrant dish of tandoor-roasted Indian cottage cheese, with sweet corn & tart pomegranate jewels.

Partridge pepper fry.

Trishna’s answer to fried chicken, the slightly battered bird is coated in a fiery sauce of Keralan spices, black pepper and sweet Indian onion.

Not one for the faint-hearted but delightful with just a little squeeze of lime juice!

But the real gem in Trishna’s starter crown is the Tandoori Lamb Chops.

Deeply smoky, super tender & caramelised meat, served alongside a refreshing, slightly mustardy radish slaw.

Quite simply perfect.

Mains are a very season-focused and a touch more traditional, with rather generous portion sizes (which means we totally over-ordered and I had Michelin-starred lunches for the rest of the week #winningatlife).

Tandoori duck (achari breast, keema naan, leg pickle, pineapple chutney)

Wild Mushroom & Berry Pilau Biryani (with chanterelles, girolles, berries and pink peppercorn raita)

Hyderabadi Dal (masoor-toor-channa lentils, mustard, curry leaf)

Very much the chilli on top and a good choice of side if, like us, you go for rather ‘dry’ dishes.

And bread. Obviously.

#CarbLoverForever

Even if you’re about to burst, try to squeeze in some pud’…

We went for the most traditional of them all, Kala Jamun, served with plum murabba, saffron and rose kulfi and it was the best I’ve ever had.

And make sure you have a taste of the petits fours… Because you’d definitely regret having naan!

Trishna, 15-17 Blandford St, Marylebone, London W1U 3DG

The Cinnamon Club

26-08-2016 Local Black BookCinnamon Group, cocktail, cocktail bar, cocktails, fine dining, Indian, library, London, recommendation, Restaurant, review, special occasion, The Cinnamon Club, upscale, Victoria, Westminster2 Comments

Was it the Colonel Mustar with the wrench in the library?

As I was perusing the cocktail menu while waiting for the Mr. to get to The Cinnamon Club for his birthday feast, Cluedo-themed flashbacks kept popping into my mind.

And for good reasons, as Chef Vivek Singh’s flagship restaurant, an instution in the world of Indian fine dining, is set in the historic Grade II listed former Westminster Library.

Opened 15 years ago, The Cinnamon Club has a long history of serving innovative and creative Indian cuisine in a magnificently majestic setting.

And the restaurant’s bar is no exception and is an absolute heaven for book- and cocktail-lovers alike.

Books all round, old London maps, beautiful, plush chairs in deep-blue, elegant charcoal and vibrant yellow shades…

… and stunning cocktails to match!

Pisco Punch (turmeric-infused pisco, herbal liqueur, lemon juice, pineapple syrup & preserved pineapple)

Refreshing, tropical but not too sweet, it’s the perfect drink for the season!

The Cinnamon Club’s signature cocktail, the Affinity (Mango infused Scotch whisky, sweet and dry vermouth, herbal liqueur, bitters) was an even bigger hit as it was perfectly mixed and just the right balance of strength and sweetness.

The perfect start to any celebration if you ask me!

Shortly after, we were led to our table in the restaurant’s main dining room.

And what a stunning room it is indeed: massive, luxurious yet so restrained, it’s the perfect backdrop to highlight both the building’s stunning features and Chef Vivek’s incredible modern Indian cuisine.

The perfect spot to get lost into a good book…

…or, you know, a good menu!

Soon after, the table started getting covered in fragrant plates.

As soon as we finished one, another immediately appeared in its place.

Much like having dinner in Disney’s Beauty and the Beast’s enchanted library, really.

First things first, more cocktails and some Champagne!

The amuse-bouche of the day, a cube of rice sponge (similar to South Indian Idli if only a bit more dry) with tomato chutney and other bits…

Super moist & succulent Reshmi kebab of Norfolk free range chicken, with excellent yoghurt raita & coriander chutney.

The Cinnamon Club | Cake + Whisky

But the star of the whole evening was the dish that made us book a table in the first place after tasting it earlier this year at Taste of London: the restaurant’s signature Smoked Herdwick lamb fillet and galouti kebab mille feuille.

Layers of delicately spiced mince lamb meat, seared lamb fillet & velvety lamb kebab, with picked vegetables, raita & coriander chutney.

An extremely technical dish, where every element was cooked to perfection and came together to form one of the best things we’ve eaten all year.

So good in fact that the Mr. said he couldn’t get a better version of that same dish anywhere in India (and he’s really demanding when it comes to kebabs, so that’s really saying something!)

There was also Black lentil Makhani dal, which was very nicely spiced if only a touch too ‘bit-ey’.

Mopped up with sweet, soft Garlic naan (what else?)

Tandoori breast of Anjou squab pigeon, tawa mince of legs, black stone flower reduction

Juicy, pink pigeon breast, strong, almost offal-y mince, served alongside a generous quenelle of velvety, spicy mash, it was a lovely combination that could only have been improved by a bit more of the aromatic sauce on the plate…

Roast saddle of Romney Marsh lamb, corn sauce, pickled root vegetables, masala cashew nut

An unexpected combination that worked wonders, carried by eye-rollingly good lamb (I actually did) and subtle spicing across the plate.

Another shining example of The Cinnamon Club’s chefs way with lamb, and a beautiful combination with a glass of dry Bourgogne wine.

Pudding came with a bit of flambé-ing tableside show…

Baked Jalandhar, an Indian-inspired take on the classic Baked Alaska.

With layers of thandai (a traditional drink combining almonds, fennel seeds, cardamom, saffron, milk and sugar), saffron and carrot halwa ice cream topped with spiced meringue and set on fire before your very own eyes!

The Cinnamon Club | Cake + Whisky

The ultimate exotic show-stopper of a pudding!

Last but not least, Green cardamom brulée with rose petal biscotti.

Silky smooth, with a good cardamom taste and a thin layer of caramelised sugar on top, it was everything a good brulée should be.

The birthday treat, complimentary Lassi panna cotta was also perfectly crafted.

Light, creamy & jiggle-y, it’s the perfect pudding for those times you wish you could manage pudding but aren’t sure you actually can.

Encouraged by the attentive and truly hospitable team, we linguered over chocolate truffle petits fours (and a sneaky little glass of sticky Pedro Ximenez) until late in the night.

Chatting, laughing and enjoying each other’s company.

The very best way to celebrate your nearest & dearest special day, and I cannot recommend The Cinnamon Club enough, especially for a special occasion.

It is not cheap, but considering the quality of the food, the drinks and the service, as well as the stunning venue and felted atmosphere, it’s well worth it and I garantee you’ll leave feeling like a Maharajah!

The Cinnamon Club, The Old Westminster Library, 30-32 Great Smith St, London SW1P 3BU

PIN FOR LATER:

Chakra on Holland Street

30-07-2016 Local Black BookChakra, fine dining, High Street Kensington, Holland Street, Indian, Kensington, London, recommendation, Restaurant, review1 Comment

I definitely don’t spend enough time in West London.

I do love the East, its dirty-around-the-edges look and ever-changing, pop-up-turned-brick-and-mortar restaurant scene.

But the truth is, the West, with its pretty brick-and-white houses, its shiny stores and oh-very-civilised restaurants (no queueing over here, they ALL take reservation!), could very easily steal my heart if I were to spend more time on the other side of the city.

And I won’t lie, one of the top reasons would be the proximity to Chakra, an upscale Indian restaurant with a neighbourhood feel, recently relocated from Notting Hill onto Holland Street.

Located on a quiet corner just off the hustle and bustle of Kensington High Street, with pastel-painted walls and attentive service, Chakra is quite an intimate spot.

Perfect for a middle-of-the-week date night!

Which also explains why we refrained from ordering the entire list of Indian-inspired cocktails and settled for lemonade instead (plain for me & Masala for him).

… but when it came to food, we weren’t quite as reasonable…

Poppadums with tamarind chutney.

Always a good way to start a meal!

Crab Galouti with Saffron & Nutmeg Potted Shrimp and Blue Corn Roti

Beautiful, melt-in-the-mouth crab patties, with a slight crispy pan-fried exterior and a fiery green chilli kick, the crab galouti was a wonderful, summery interpretation of the traditional Uttar Pradesh lamb kebab.

I would happily have eaten it all by myself, but that would have been a bit shellfish…

Plus it would have limited my claims on the delicately-spiced Tandoori Paneer with Basil & Mint Chutney…

For mains, we shared the Clay Oven Cooked Black Cod with Green Chilli & Garlic Yoghurt

… as well as the Tandoori Poussin, Red Onion, Lemon.

Both were beautifully spiced and cooked to perfection and a great hommage to the quality of the cooking at Chakra.

Trust me, when it comes to Indian food, that’s not something you can wing!

With a side of Okra, Red Onions, Chilli & Lime (that my boyfriend said tasted almost the same as the way his mum cooks them)…

… and a rather extensive selection of bread to mop every little bit of marinade off the plates, the whole lot made for a stunning Indian feast, representative of the diversity of food across the Indian subcontinent and worthy of the Royal Maharajah kitchens Chakra takes its inspiration in.

And for dessert, we had caviar.

Gulab Jamun Caviar, that is, served with Pistachio Toast and Cardamom Creme.

A playful take on the Russian classic, and a beautiful one at that!

With barely enough room for Chai, we said our goodbyes and on the way home, we were already discussing making our way West for another Indian feast soon.

The ultimate proof that the food at Chakra is very, very good indeed! Probably a naan out of ten!

Chakra, 33c Holland Street, Kensington, London W8 4LX

PIN FOR LATER:

Brunch at Dishoom

28-06-2016 Local Black Bookbacon, bacon naan roll, breakfast, brunch, Dishoom, eggs, Indian, Kings Cross, London, naan, recommendation, Restaurant, review1 Comment

I don’t usually give another chance to restaurants that disappoint the first time around but I made an exception for Dishoom.

Truth be told, after our last visit, I really wasn’t keen to go back. For me, it simply wasn’t worth the hype.

But many people told me that going for dinner was a mistake, and brunch was what Dishoom was all about.

And so, after hearing the same advice from quite a few foodie friends, I finally gave in and booked a table for breakfast at their dazzingly beautiful King’s Cross venue.

(yes, BOOK! Quite an improvement on the 30 min+ in the cold already!)

Once again, Dishoom signature decor, a mix of Bombay knick-knacks and vintage touches, took my breath away.

The carefully thought-out details and the smell of Chai…

The second you step in, you’re transported miles away from London and its rain into the heart of India’s cultural capital: Bombay, home of Bollywood and the famous Irani cafés Dishoom was inspired by.

But did the food measure up?

Considering it’s been in basically every ‘London’s best brunch’ list, we came with high expectations.

And having at heart to do as thourough a job as humanly possible, we covered the table in as many dishes as we could manage.

And here’s the good news. Some of it was very good indeed.

Top of the list being Dishoom’s famous Bacon Naan Roll.

Freshly baked tandoor naan, graced with a touch of cream cheese, chilli tomato jam and fresh herbs, and wrapped around rock-salt cured streaky bacon.

A Dishoom signature dish truly deserving of its accolades.

Not bad either were the Masala beans.

A massive portion for £1.5, with just enough warming chilli and a little sprinkle of fresh coriander, it is the perfect brunch side and anything but your usual baked beans.

Unfortunately, the rest of our selection wasn’t quite as successful.

Akuri – An Irani café staple of spicy scrambled eggs with onion and tomato, piled up alongside plump pau buns and served with grilled tomato.

A winner on paper, but while it tasted quite nice with a nice kick of green chilli and fresh coriander, the texture of the eggs was truly awful as they were dry, yet with plenty of liquid leaking out (presumably from the chopped vegetables not being pre-cooked).

Kejriwal (fried eggs on chilli cheese toast) was even more of a disappointment, as the inviting orange-yolked eggs were un-evenly cooked (one was runny and the other entirely cooked through) and so covered in cracked black pepper that it was impossible to taste anything else. Quite a shame, really.

And if the Chai was alright (not the best I’ve had, but not the worse either, and really quite helpful if you’re nursing a bit of a cold as I was that day), the Red grape & lemon wasn’t quite so. Too much lemon ruined the balance of the juice and brought out the unpleasant bitterness of grapes, instead of enhancing its natural sweetness.

So once again, Dishoom was quite a hit-or-miss sort of experience.

But if you stay right away from the fancy-looking options, and focus all your attention on the Bacon naan roll, it is actually quite a good brunch option!

Bacon, naan, chai. Sold.

Dishoom King’s Cross, 5 Stable St, London N1C 4AB – Book a table here

Do you give restaurants a second chance?

Darbaar

06-05-2016 Local Black Bookdarbaar, Indian, London, recommendation, Restaurant, review, ShoreditchLeave a comment

The more you know about something, the more demanding you become.

Which is why I never, EVER order lemon tart in the restaurant. And why my boyfriend had never found an Indian restaurant he was happy with in London.

So it’s with trembling legs that I led him to Darbaar for dinner.

Opened by the end of last year by Abdul Yaseen (of the Cinnamon Group fame), Darbaar was designed to bring the regal feel of the Maharajan court to London.

Which is exactly the vibe you get from the restaurant itself.

It’s a very ‘grand’ sort of place, with velvety curtains, honey-coloured wood and golden touches here and there.

Darbaar, London | Cake + Whisky

Which makes Darbaar the perfect spot for a business lunch or a late-night romantic date.

The menu draws its inspiration from all around India, featuring both classics and unusual dishes, as well as a couple of re-visited British classics.

The cocktail menu goes along the same lines, with loads of tropical twists on classics.

Including a (slightly scary) Cinnamon Mai Tai…

…and a deliciously refreshing Spicy Mango (frozen) Daiquiri!

With fresh mango, ginger & chilli blended together with rum, it’s an absolute must-have for any mango lover! (plus I’m sure it counts as one of your 5-a-day!)

Amritsari Spiced Calamari Fritters

A.K.A. deliciously soft calamari rings encased in crisp, spicy batter and served alongside a creamy red pepper dip.

Followed by super moist, succulent Nawabi Chicken ‘Pasanda’ kebabs.

Drizzled with the most delicious green chutney!

There were high expectations regarding the Butter Chicken.

A true Indian classic, and #1 dish to judge a restaurant on, according to my boyfriend.

His verdict? ‘Promissing’.

Which might not sound like much, but is the closest he’s ever come to being happy with Butter Chicken in London!

With a side of Masala Okra, which I wasn’t sure I’d like but ended up scooping up more than my fair share of!

All with some bread and raita. Just as it should be.

But if the starters and mains were rather on the traditional side of things, the dessert was anything but.

A stunning, modern take on Kulfi.

Beautiful in its simplicity, the parfait-style frozen dessert, perfumed with almond, saffron and cardamom was served alongside black-salt seasoned berries. It just made so much sense and was the perfect way to end the meal.

Just like most Indian restaurants, the more the merrier! Go with loads of friends, totally over-order and share it all.

In terms of a rating? Let’s say naan out of ten.

Darbaar, 1 Snowden Street, London EC2A 2DQ

Hoppers, Soho

01-04-2016 Local Black BookAsian, curry, Dosa, ethnic, hopper, Hoppers, Indian, London, recommendation, Restaurant, review, Soho, Sri Lanka2 Comments

To queue or not to queue.

This is a dilemma many a London restaurant-goer must answer.

Especially if your dinner plans include a visit to one of the JKS restaurants. Including their latest venture, Hoppers.

Of course you could put your name down and go for (quite a few) cocktail down the street while you wait for your table to be ready.

Or you could do as we did and go at some sort of weird hour. Early, late, or bang-on in the middle of the afternoon on a Saturday, your call.

And if you can time it right, Hoppers is worth the wait.

When you eventually make it to your table, you’re going to want to make the most of it and totally over order!

Mutton rolls with a side of truly excellent sambal.

Hot Butter Devilled Shrimps

Super spicy (definitely not one for the faint-hearted!) but absolutely more-ish!

Hoppers, a taste of Sri Lanka in the heart of Soho | Cake + Whisky

And a few different karis/currys to share.

Hoppers, a taste of Sri Lanka in the heart of Soho | Cake + Whisky

With a side of Egg hopper (a pancake made with a fermented rice and coconut milk batter)…

Somewhere at the crossing between a pancake, a crumpet and sourdough and absolutely delicious!

And a dose of dosa…

The fish kari, fragrant with coconut milk and spices, was my favourite by far.

We might also have gotten some Roti to whip off the last of the karis, but it was so flaky and irresistible that it didn’t make it on the pictures… (do get it though!)

All washed down with some rather beautiful-looking cocktails.

Kandy Gunpowder (Amrut Single Malt, Passion Fruit, Green Peppercorns, Fino Sherry) had lovely spicy and sour notes.

Colombo G&T (Colombo No.7 Gin, Fresh Curry Leaves, Cinnamon, Cardamom Tonic), a South Asian take on the British classic.

They don’t do desserts (or at least, we were not offered any…), so I’ll have to give them a naan out of ten (and come back for more of that fisk kari!)

Hoppers, 49 Frith St, London W1D 4SG

The Delhi Grill | Not your usual curry house

19-05-201519-05-2015 Local Black BookIndian, London, Restaurant, review, The Delhi Grill2 Comments

Until last week, I had never visited an Indian restaurant (Whetherspoon’s “Curry Nights” definitely don’t count!). It was not an option growing up (there are no Indian restaurants where I grew up), and after I moved away from my parents, it wasn’t really either (my boyfriend is Indian and cooks. Enough said). But we passed the Delhi Grill a few times, and it looked kind of fun, and the menu “seemed legit” (his words not mine).

Colourful posters on the walls and a lot of happy customers… I loved the way they managed to mix quite traditional items (movie posters, Indian music and TV…) but remain modern at the same time. I don’t know how they did it, but it works and Islington’s youngster population seems to love it!I was given a menu but must admit I paid very little attention to it (when you have an expert right next to you, it would be foolish not to let him do his thing, wouldn’t it?). There seemed to be a decent balance of well-known “classics” and obscure dishes though. While we were waiting for our (quite extensive) selection of dishes, we nibbled on salad. Which apparently is pretty typical, except you’re meant to eat it with your meal (oops).We soon got something more substanscial to munch on though! The Delhi Grill Platter is basically a meat lover’s dream come true: you get an assortment of chicken tikkas, tandoori paneer and sheekh kebabs to share (or not). My favourite was the chicken, which was perfectly cooked and SO MOIST (my boyfriend says it wasn’t spicy enough, but I doubt anything ever is for him!😜). I also quite enjoyed the paneer, which wasn’t too squeeky and nicely spiced up but would give the lamb kebabs a miss as they were a bit too dry and not all that interesting in terms of flavour either. Then came one of the most fun things I’ve eaten in a while (or maybe even ever, but I’m still planning on trying jellyfish some time soon, so that might change!): Pani Puri. It’s a snack that people usually buy from food carts and it is made of little balls of crispy batter, filled with chickpeas, coriander and chilli, which you fill with hot coriander-y stock right before stuffing the whole thing in your mouth. The combination of texture is really worth a try!

From the snack menu, we also got Aloo Tiki, which is a dish of smashed potatoes topped with a spicy mix of chickpeas, coriander and tamarind sauce. I’m still not entirely sure how I felt about this one. It wasn’t bad, but something seemed to be missing to take that dish to the next level.
We also tasted a couple of dishes in the “from the pot” section. Butter chicken with nan bread was the most succesfull of the ones we tried. The balance of flavours was far from perfect (it was way too mild and spices seemed to have been skipped all together) but once again, the chicken was cooked to perfection and the texture of the sauce (a blend of tomatoes and butter) was absolutely perfect.

Rogon Gosht on the other hand wasn’t really successful: once again, it was a bit bland from the lack of spices, but the texture of the sauce made things even worse as it was quite watery and unpleasant.For dessert, we had Gulab Jamun (dough balls cooked in sugar syrup), which my boyfriend loved but I found a bit too sweet, and Pistacchio Kulfi, which he said wasn’t made quite in the traditional way and as a result was too ice-y but I enjoyed it anyway (especially since there were so many pistacchio bits in it and I’m a sucker for anything pistacchio!).

What: A modern take on your regular curry house.

Why: For the atmosphere, first and foremost. A few dishes are also worth the trip (basically, go for the ones you’ve never seen anywhere before and you should be fine).

How much: about £50 for 2

Where: The Delhi Grill, 21 Chapel Market, London N1 9EZ

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