Dishoom

DISHOOM –12 Upper St. Martin’s Lane London WC2H 9FB

6/9/12

So I had heard a few good things about this restaurant but to be honest, I have only been to one Indian restaurant that I enjoyed the food. So you could say, I am a little picky, but coming from an Indian background (and this will sound very cheesy and I apologise in advance) I have never found any food that could rival my mother’s cooking.

At first glance at the menu, I was not very impressed with the variety of food. With the restaurant’s association with ‘Bombay Café’s’ I expected an array of street style food, hosting a wide variety of spices and texture. I was a little disappointed with the western mix of food on the menu. However there were a few items on the menu that I definitely wanted to try such as the small plates ‘Bhel’ and the calamari.

Again with the restaurant’s association with a café, I was expecting a small restaurant with a few Bollywood pictures on the wall and ashamedly something a little dingy. The restaurant was far from my expectations, it was classy, quirky and had a lively and buzzing atmosphere, with large glass windows facing the street and stylish lights hung very low from the ceiling.

Unfortunately there was a 45 minute wait for a table for two (!) so my friend and I decided to wait at the bar on the ground floor and order a few small plates. The bar was very small and cramped, with limited seating but luckily we were able to grab two stools. My friend who had been to the restaurant before recommended the’ Keema Pau’ and I chose the ‘Bhel’.

The food arrived relatively quickly and we were starving, so the quick service was greatly appreciated. The ‘Bhel’ was really tasty, very similar to how my mother makes it. I gobbled that up pretty quick. I liked the Keema Pau, it was tasty but a little bland – would have preferred a bit more chilli.

We finally were shown our table on the first floor of the restaurant. For the mains we ordered ‘dhabba chicken’ and ‘lamb boti kebab’ with garlic naan and ‘romali roti’ again the food arrived quickly. The chicken dish tasted very authentic. The lamb was also good, a bit on the chewy side but I enjoyed eating it all the same.

Although this review gives the impression that I am being quite negative, I think I am just nit-picking on small things. I really enjoyed eating at this restaurant which oozed a trendy and lively atmosphere with great food and drinks.

Verdict: Definitely would go again.

It seems like a great place to bring a large party (birthday celebration perhaps) or catch up with friends (one or more) but not for a first date. Another bonus all food is halal! J

• Food: 8/10 – tasty and well spiced
• Ambience: Lively, buzzing and trendy however too noisy for first dates
• Décor: Classy and quirky
• Service: Friendly and helpful
• Value for money: good – not cheap but not awfully expensive.

(2 small plates, 4 drinks, 1 grill, 1 ruby murray, 2 sides = £46 approx (including service charge – 12.5%)

~ by khannablog on September 14, 2012.