Kastoori

The Thanki Family at Kastoori have been serving up mouth watering vegetarian dishes for more than 24 years and are regarded as being one of the best Indian vegetarian restaurants in South London. The menu comprises of a Katia Wahdi cuisine (region of Gujarat) with African influences, having settled there for a while before coming to London.

Meaning - Fragrance

Established -1987

Cuisine - Gujrati with a African Influence

Awards - Bib Gourmand Award 2008

From the menu - Special Tomato Curry & Chilli Banana

Menu

Reviews

Brilliant

If you were Indian and living in London in the eighties, you knew of the Brilliant Restaurant in Southall, why, because we all use to flock there for the amazing Butter and Jeera Chicken platters. And after nearly 35 years its still serving up its brilliance.

Meaning -Simply Brilliant

Established-1975

Cuisine-Punjabi with a Kenyan twist

Awards-Best Indian Restaurant (Surburbs) 2007 by The British Curry Awards

From the menu- Brilliant Butter Chicken & Egg Curry

Reviews

The butter chicken platter?

If you were Indian and living in London in the eighties, you knew of the Brilliant Restaurant in Southall, why, because we all use to flock there for the amazing Butter and Jeera Chicken platters. And after nearly 35 years its still serving up its brilliance.

Meaning -Simply Brilliant

Established-1975

Cuisine-Punjabi with a Kenyan twist

Awards-Best Indian Restaurant (Surburbs) 2007 by The British Curry Awards

From the menu- Brilliant Butter Chicken & Egg Curry

Reviews

Trishna Restaurant (London)

Seafood Lovers: Mumbhai's best seafood restaurant opens it's doors in London.

With a fresh clean cut interior, yet another contemporary Indian restaurant open its doors in London, this time though the cuisine is seafood. On the menu, a mixture of some of our favourite Indian dishes as well as a variety of seafood ones with a Mumbhai twist, dishes like Tandoor roasted Market Fish & Seafood Biryani. I like the way the menu also gives you a choice of a wine to go with every dish.

Reviews

Trishna Restaurant (London)

Seafood Lovers: Mumbhai's best seafood restaurant opens it's doors in London.

With a fresh clean cut interior, yet another contemporary Indian restaurant open its doors in London, this time though the cuisine is seafood. On the menu, a mixture of some of our favourite Indian dishes as well as a variety of seafood ones with a Mumbhai twist, dishes like Tandoor roasted Market Fish & Seafood Biryani. I like the way the menu also gives you a choice of a wine to go with every dish.

Reviews

Quilon

Up until 10 years ago, seafood was commonly cooked in peoples homes in the west, you wouldn't normally see it on the menu of Indian restaurants, unless it was Prawn Puree, an Indian take on Prawn Cocktail, a semi dry sweet and sour prawn curry served on top of a puffed leavened bread.


Indian seafood dishes have always been popular back home from their coastal regions like Bengal, Kerala and even too Asian migrants who settled in east Africa. Slowly restaurants in the 90's started introducing fish dishes to the menu starting with Prawn Curry to other types of dishes, like cod and tilapia marinated of course in spices and either fried or grilled.


With the popularity of these dishes and the health qualities of seafood compared to red meats, the demand for these types of dishes have increased and now you will see dishes like Salmon Tikka and Tandoori Crab on certain menus.


One of the first Indian restaurants in London to offer coastal cuisine was:

Quilon (Victoria)

Meaning - Is a coastal district in South Kerala also called Kollam

Established - 1999

Cuisines - Offers a south Indian coastal cuisine experience with a difference

From the menu - Grilled scallops with mango and chilli & Pan fried lobster with mustard cream sauce

Reviews

South Indian Coastal Cuisine

Up until 10 years ago, seafood was commonly cooked in peoples homes in the west, you wouldn't normally see it on the menu of Indian restaurants, unless it was Prawn Puree, an Indian take on Prawn Cocktail, a semi dry sweet and sour prawn curry served on top of a puffed leavened bread.

Indian seafood dishes have always been popular back home from their coastal regions like Bengal, Kerala and even too Asian migrants who settled in east Africa. Slowly restaurants in the 90's started introducing fish dishes to the menu starting with Prawn Curry to other types of dishes, like cod and tilapia marinated of course in spices and either fried or grilled.

With the popularity of these dishes and the health qualities of seafood compared to red meats, the demand for these types of dishes have increased and now you will see dishes like Salmon Tikka and Tandoori Crab on certain menus.

One of the first Indian restaurants in London to offer coastal cuisine was:

Quilon (Victoria)

Meaning - Is a coastal district in South Kerala also called Kollam

Established - 1999

Cuisines - Offers a south Indian coastal cuisine experience with a difference

From the menu - Grilled scallops with mango and chilli & Pan fried lobster with mustard cream sauce

Reviews

Tamarind

Tamarind (Mayfair)

Meaning -Tropical Fruit Tree

Established-1994

Cuisine-North West Indian/Mogul Cuisine

Awards-Restaurant Achievement of the year for 2005 given by Best of Britain Awards

From the menu- Grilled Monkfish & Tandoori Broccoli

Reviews

Mogul Cuisine in the heart of London

Tamarind (Mayfair)

Meaning -Tropical Fruit Tree

Established-1994

Cuisine-North West Indian/Mogul Cuisine

Awards-Restaurant Achievement of the year for 2005 given by Best of Britain Awards

From the menu- Grilled Monkfish & Tandoori Broccoli

Reviews

Veeraswamy

The United Kingdom, has many thousands of Indian restaurants and takeaways today, within the large cities to the most remote villages. They have sprung up rapidly in the last 30 years and everyone has there own favourite Indian restaurant or takeaway, I know I have mine.

Though have you ever stopped to wonder, what was the first Indian restaurant to open in the UK?

Answer: Veeraswamy

Just off Regent Street in London is the oldest surviving Indian restaurant outside India that opened its doors in 1926. Serving authentic Indian cuisine from the various regions of India, dishes that were originally invented by mogul chefs for the super rich of their times. Today along with authentic cuisine, Veeswamy serves up new contemporary styles of Indian culinary fusion in elegant surroundings.

It's interior, which has had a few facelifts in it's time, was redecorated in 2006 for it's 80th birthday to represent the palaces and living styles of the Maharajah's of the 1920's.

A favourite with celebrities and world leaders, the likes of Charlie Chaplin and Marlon Brando dined there. So if you want to experience authentic Indian cuisine in lavish surrondings, why not give it a go.

Dinner will however set you back around £110 for two and wine, though do check out their website for special deals and lunch offers.

Reviews

The oldest Indian Restaurant outside India.

The United Kingdom, has many thousands of Indian restaurants and takeaways today, within the large cities to the most remote villages. They have sprung up rapidly in the last 30 years and everyone has there own favourite Indian restaurant or takeaway, I know I have mine.

Though have you ever stopped to wonder, what was the first Indian restaurant to open in the UK?

Answer: Veeraswamy

Just off Regent Street in London is the oldest surviving Indian restaurant outside India that opened its doors in 1926. Serving authentic Indian cuisine from the various regions of India, dishes that were originally invented by mogul chefs for the super rich of their times. Today along with authentic cuisine, Veeswamy serves up new contemporary styles of Indian culinary fusion in elegant surroundings.

It's interior, which has had a few facelifts in it's time, was redecorated in 2006 for it's 80th birthday to represent the palaces and living styles of the Maharajah's of the 1920's.

A favourite with celebrities and world leaders, the likes of Charlie Chaplin and Marlon Brando dined there. So if you want to experience authentic Indian cuisine in lavish surrondings, why not give it a go.

Dinner will however set you back around £110 for two and wine, though do check out their website for special deals and lunch offers.

Benares

Atul Kochar was the first Indian chef to win the prestigious Michelin Star, while he was the head chef at the Tamarind Restaurant in 2001. Since then he has gone on and established his own Michelin Star restaurant, beat Gary Rhodes on the Great British Menu TV programme and opened another restaurant. 

Benares Restaurant (Mayfair)


Meaning-Benares is a holy city in northern India which is located on the banks of the Ganges.

Established-2003

Cuisine-Indian Fusion

Awards-Michelin Star 2007, Owner/Chef Atul Kochhar also won a Michelin Star in 2001 while he was the head chef at Tamarind

From the menu- Pan Fried Lobster Tails & Sage Infused Vegetable Dumplings


Reviews

A Michelin Star

Atul Kochar was the first Indian chef to win the prestigious Michelin Star, while he was the head chef at the Tamarind Restaurant in 2001. Since then he has gone on and established his own Michelin Star restaurant, beat Gary Rhodes on the Great British Menu TV programme and opened another restaurant. 

Benares Restaurant (Mayfair)


Meaning-Benares is a holy city in northern India which is located on the banks of the Ganges.

Established-2003

Cuisine-Indian Fusion

Awards-Michelin Star 2007, Owner/Chef Atul Kochhar also won a Michelin Star in 2001 while he was the head chef at Tamarind

From the menu- Pan Fried Lobster Tails & Sage Infused Vegetable Dumplings


Reviews