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The enormously popular Masala Zone Covent Garden has just been transformed into a glamorous,
visually entertaining brasserie with a new look, new menu and new spirit.
Owners MW Eat - whose portfolio of London restaurants also includes two establishments with Michelin
stars, Amaya and Veeraswamy, as well as Chutney Mary - are in the process of remodelling and
upgrading their Masala Zone restaurants. Masala Zone Covent Garden represents the culmination of the
bespoke makeover. This coincides with a launch of the new website.
Masala Zone Covent Garden is a visual delight with the combination of 20 antique wooden doors from
Rajasthan as well as the re-positioning of more than 350 Rajasthani ceremonial puppets that depict a
grand royal wedding. They are hung in spectacular fashion throughout the restaurant. The antique doors
are juxtaposed with the puppets giving a vibrant texture to the design environment, and are accented by
theatrical lighting, including two large striking chandeliers.
Additionally, a new bar has been added to the ground floor, including eight red leather bar stools facing
the rich stone tiled bar front. The new cocktail list features exotic concoctions such as the uplifting and
herbal Hyderabadi Highball, the Almond and Rose Sour (with ginger, cardamom and rosewater), and the
Narial Punch (like an Indian Piña Colada, with coconut, chai tea syrup and lime).
The menus at Masala Zone Covent Garden embrace traditional dishes, and many feature a contemporary
spin. Sourced from 30 years of research in gourmet homes, street stalls and Maharaja’s palace kitchens
throughout India, each dish features complex spice combinations, chosen from the best Indian spice
farms and shipped direct to the London restaurants. Some of the new dishes include:
• Idiappam Seafood Biryani – hand-pressed fine rice noodles with prawn, squid, curry leaf, coconut
and chilli sauce
• Egg Kottu Paratha - a Madurai Tamil street main meal with a melange of vegetables, egg,
paratha and shallots in a spicy sauce
• Coondapur Ghee Roast Duck with Soft Dosa – Ghee Roast is a legendary recipe from this small
town near Mangalore
• Malvani Tawa Seabass - griddled with a blend of coastal spices - Malvan is a town in the Konkan
region on the west coast of Maharashtra, south of Bombay
• Crispy Quail 65 - two spicy half quails marinated overnight, tossed with a tempering of fresh
coconut and curry leaf
The 150 seat dining room is overseen by a partially open-to-view kitchen, allowing guests a glimpse of
the chefs in action.
The lower ground floor houses a visually striking & exotic private dining room for up to 42, which can be
sectioned off for smaller parties, with menus from £30-£45 per person. Its eclectic yet opulent interior
design features a dramatic collection of paintings, murals, old wooden temple doors, original artefacts and artwork.
Masala Zone Covent Garden is open daily - Monday-Friday Noon-11pm, Saturday 12.30pm-11pm, and
Sunday 12.30pm-10.30pm
Restaurant details
Harden's survey result
Summary
“Fresh-tasting food with distinctive flavours” and “unpretentious, tasty thalis” make this small London group (now in its 21st year) a “go-to chain” for its fans: “amazing value for such high-quality cuisine”.
Summary
“Fresh-tasting food with distinctive flavours” and “unpretentious, tasty thalis” make this small London group (now in its 20th year) a “go-to chain” for its fans: “amazing value for such high-quality cuisine”.
Summary
“Very interesting Indian food for a chain”, “professional service” and a “lovely atmosphere” have carved a strong reputation for these well-established street-food cafés. “Prices seem to be creeping up” however, and even those who praise its “fresh flavours” feel it’s “not quite as good value as in the past”.
Summary
“We always go for the Grand Thali and it’s a knockout!” – These “ever-buzzing” contemporary Indians make a very “handy backstop”, with WC2 in particular “an excellent pre-theatre option” for a “fast and delicious” meal. “We thought it might be chain-bland, but the food was good and quite authentic… and good value too!”
Opening hours
Last orders: 11 pm, Sun 10.30 pm