London, Indian Restaurant Guide

“In Forest Hill… who knew?”; this “off-the-beaten-track” culinary mecca has, in fact, been “brilliant for years” (it opened in 1985) and “these guys just keep on delivering the goods”. It’s not just the “magnificent cooking”, often featuring game, or “seriously divine cocktails” (some of them “super spicy”) – the ambience too “is strikingly elegant given the mundane locale” of the distant south London ’burbs. Top Tip – “best experienced when they do their special seasonal menus and events”.

“Still at the top of its game” – the Sethi’s “posh Indian” in Mayfair is “worth the hype” and remains the most-mentioned Indian in the survey on account of “memorable and beautifully flavourful” cuisine delivered by “warm and friendly staff” in an enveloping, old-colonial-style setting: “get a booth on the ground floor and prepare to be transported!” Top Menu Tip – “How I love the tandoori lamb chops. After a marinade in spices, these thick pieces of meat become so succulent, tender and taste-laden, are magnificently presented and really delicious on the eager palate!”. NB: Just as the survey closed, in June 2019, a fire gutted the restaurant and according to its website it remains “closed until further notice”.

“Lovely neighbourhood Indian” near Hampstead Heath that’s deservedly popular for its “tasty food from an interesting menu” and “reasonable prices”. Now run by the second generation of the founder’s family, who provide “exceptionally friendly service”, its only drawback is that it “can be difficult to get a table”.

“Mindblowing!” – this “colonially-themed” yearling in the City’s Bloomberg Arcade is “another smash hit from JKS” and “probably the best place to eat in the Square Mile” right now. Occupying a “comfortable (slightly macho) sequence of little rooms”, staff are notably “patient and helpful”, while foodwise “the focus is on Indian sharing plates” with “insanely good” grilled meats (lamb chops in particular), plus “all your local curry favourites, dressed up with wonderful, perfumed aromatics and dazzling dips”. “They don’t pull any punches when it comes to heat in dishes either”, and “there’s a strong drinks menu too” – you can see “thought has gone into the beer selection”. With numerous TV screens, “it’s a great place to watch sports” (“they even have a pool table!”)

Rohit Ghai has done it again at his late-2018 newcomer: the latest occupant of the “cosy” and “romantic” (if “on-the-quiet-side”) Chelsea townhouse, which for many years was another premier Indian (Rasoi Vineet Bhatia, RIP). Practically all reports are a hymn of praise to his “faultless cooking”, which has immediately propelled it into London’s very top tier for nouvelle Indian cuisine.

“Some of the best Indian food in town” – “Cyrus and Pervin Todiwala are delightful hosts” and the “dated outside” of their City-fringe HQ “gives no clue that a meal here will be so delicious”. The cuisine offers “a different take on traditional Indian” (mixing Parsi and Goan dishes with more pan-Indian inspirations) and its longstanding “authenticity” and “creativity” is a continued joy, as is the “genuinely friendly way that TV-chef Cyrus T, OBE comes out to chat with guests”. “As good as you’ll get in Mumbai… and the traffic isn’t as bad!”