Oh, and another onion bhaji ...

December 18, 2005 9:05 AM

Is there a good (and reasonably priced) Indian restaurant in Soho?

I'm meeting some out of town visitors this Friday lunchtime (23rd) - they're staying in Muswell Hill, I'm in Essex, so a central London meetup is best.

They're from the US, and I'd like to take them to an Indian restaurant, because they're not too familiar with the cuisine and are anxious to try different things. They like Mexican food, so don't mind spices. Aside from Veeraswamy's, I'm not sure if there are any decent (i.e. not the bog-standard curry house) Indian restaurants in Soho.

Any help would be appreciated.

Alternatively, if you have a favourite non-Indian restaurant in Central London (close to Northern or Central line stations, preferably), I'd love to hear of it.

posted by essexjan to Food & Drink (24 answers total)

Indian places in Soho in my mind have always been quite touristy and overpriced establishments (I may be wrong and there must be a hidden gem). If it doesn't have to be Indian you can always go to Busaba Eathai (cheap and good food, just google). But it tends to be rather noisy because you sit in communal tables, I don't know how much privacy you want. Then for other cheap options there is always Tokyo Diner (again just google), great cheap Japanese fare for low prices. That's what springs to mind but I'm on the move so can't give more thought at the moment.
posted by keijo at 9:43 AM on December 18, 2005

Vama on King's Road used to be awesome. I've heard the quality has gone down a little (maybe the prices too?) but it was spectacular a few years ago. Modern ambience, good music, delicious food, nice staff.

And a Mr. Bean at the neighbouring table. So awesome!
posted by fionab at 9:43 AM on December 18, 2005

Masala Zone is not bad. Its a big, modern place. It's not all that cheap but you can get a mixed plate for £10 - the portions are quite small with that though.

If you want to spend a bit more Rasa is great. That one does seafood, and looks like the other W1 one is vegetarian. It's South Indian - Kerala.
posted by lunkfish at 9:55 AM on December 18, 2005

The Red Fort is excellent. It's located on Dean Street, right in the heart of Soho. There is also a good bar/lounge downstairs called Akbar, which is good for pre- and/or post-dinner cocktails.
posted by DannyUKNYC at 10:02 AM on December 18, 2005

I second the Red Fort, it's quite good
posted by allen.spaulding at 10:17 AM on December 18, 2005

Sorry I don't know about SOHO but have you considered Brick Lane? It is within walking distance of Liverpool Street (Central Line) and definitely not full of 'bog-standard' curry houses. I have generally found the food to be of excellent quality and very cheap. If you are coming in from Essex I assume you will arrive in that neck of the woods anyway (Fenchurch or Liverpool St).
posted by numberstation at 10:29 AM on December 18, 2005

numberstation, I think they're talking NYC; not London!
posted by ParisParamus at 10:50 AM on December 18, 2005

Oh, my bad.
posted by ParisParamus at 10:51 AM on December 18, 2005

Red Fort is very very nice, though you pay for it. On the flipside, Gopal's on Bateman Street looks like an old-fashioned curry house, rather than a transplant from the Raj, but is still pretty decent. It depends whether you want to take your friends for 'a curry' in the Anglicised style, or for an Indian meal.
posted by holgate at 10:59 AM on December 18, 2005

The Red Fort is not my idea of affordable, but I realize that London food is just pricy all around and Soho especially so.
posted by redfoxtail at 10:59 AM on December 18, 2005

There are two indian restaurant on Denman Street, W1 - right in the heart of SOHO.
One is Chowki - 'modern' indian cuisine that I wouldn't recommend .
And the other is called Balti house (I think - its been a while), which is your typical british indian restaurant - prices are normal too.
As for Masala Zone mentioned above - its an ok restaurant but its really not a good example of a 'typical Indian restaurant', which (I think) is what you want to try and show your friends.
Have a good time!
posted by xoe26 at 11:13 AM on December 18, 2005

Rasa W1, mentioned above, is a great choice for a different from the 'bog-standard Indian' meal and is no longer exclusively vegetarian I believe. Red Fort's great but seriously spendy. (I sat at the next table to Tom Cruise there a few years ago).
posted by punilux at 11:51 AM on December 18, 2005

Also consider Drummond Street - a street of Indian restaurants of different kinds. If you can get to Chutney's vegetarian lunch all-can-eat buffet (between midday and 14:45) do so.
posted by Grangousier at 12:46 PM on December 18, 2005

Oh, and Drummond Street is near Euston and Warren Street tube stations.
posted by Grangousier at 12:49 PM on December 18, 2005

[At the risk of sounding picky...if you're after a curry you want a curry restaurant not an Indian restaurant. Apparently the industry prefer to make the distinction partly because about 95% of UK curry houses are run by Bangladeshis.]

In terms of top Indian restaurants you're looking at Café Spice Namasté which is near the Tower of London or Tamarind in Mayfair which actually has a Michelin star & not too far from Soho. You will be paying London restaurant prices but you will be getting pukka food. I've eaten at CSN a couple of times and it was worth every penny - nice decor too.

The Red Fort has a good rep & this review recommends it for first-timers.

If you want more curry house without being too bog standard, my old local, The Bengal Lancer in Kentish Town used to be popular & has been around for years. Just over the road from Kentish Town tube or get the 134 from Muswell Hill Broadway. Or Gangrousier's suggestion of Drummond Street...
...actually, a great & dead cheap Indian lunch will be at the Indian YMCA on the SE corner of Fitzroy Square a few hundred yards from Warren St tube.

However, if you want to really try different things but still keep with the curry angle try Sekara behind Buckingham Palace near Victoria Station. String hoppers, devilled Seer fish, egg curry and loads of other good Sri Lankan food. Always good.

OK I'm done. And feeling hungry...
posted by i_cola at 1:10 PM on December 18, 2005

Best answer: Good lord, get thee to Banglatown, Brick Lane. It's a short walk from Liverpool Street / Aldgate / Whitechapel stations. I can recommend Preem especially.

Brick Lane alone is an experience. Many of the restaurants will vie for your business on the street. This sounds like it could be quite annoying, but in my experience the guys trying to get your custom are usually quite good humoured, and you can get some great deals from them.

I guarantee you'll have lots more fun in Brick Lane than in Soho.
posted by coach_mcguirk at 1:22 PM on December 18, 2005

And yes, as i_cola pointed out - most of these places will be Bengali / Bangladeshi.

A friend told me about a superb Parsi Indian restaurant near Archway.. will try to find the details.
posted by coach_mcguirk at 1:24 PM on December 18, 2005

Response by poster: Thanks for all the recommendations. I'm tempted to see if my friends can negotiate the tube to Liverpool Street so I can take them to Brick Lane. I've had some great food there myself.

They're particularly keen to try Indian food (and yes, I know they are mostly Bangladeshi, but whoever says 'Do you fancy going for a Bangladeshi?').
posted by essexjan at 2:03 PM on December 18, 2005

Best answer: If you are prepared to stray out of Soho/Brick Lane, I'd recommend Lahore Kebab House just off Commercial Road. Unbelievably excellent and cheap. There's usually a queue out of the door, all waiting to taste fantastic 50p kebabs, and admire the photo of the owner posing with a lion. Authentic, delicious, and utterly non-touristy.
posted by roofus at 2:30 PM on December 18, 2005

Just a thought essexjan, but that's the last lunchtime before Xmas and, (although everywhere will be busy), Brick Lane will be likely heaving. Best to take a pre-emptive wander down to Brick Lane and maybe consider booking a likely looking place.
posted by punilux at 12:27 AM on December 19, 2005

Brick lane is fun, although defintitely bangladeshi as stated above.

Onething worth noting about masala zone is their truly excellent mango ice-cream. Not too sweet, and a great texture. mmmmmmmmmm
posted by lalochezia at 1:08 AM on December 19, 2005

If you do go to Brick Lane, then your best bet is to go for the New Tayyab just round the corner in Whitechapel. It is the definitive food snobs' curry house (just Google for reams of hyperbolic praise), although their bookings policy is not worth a damn, so expect to turn up and wait a few minutes for a table. It really is THAT good though - streets ahead of the bog-standard Brick Lane curry sludge.

If you're dead-set on Soho, then Rasa - as others have recommended - is fantastic. It's also a bit of an experience - if you go for the "Keralan Feast", it's a multi-course affair, with assorted crunchy indian nibbles, interesting pakoras and other starters, and a range of far out of the usual curries - lots of banana leaf, gourds and other interesting arrangements. The definitive Rasa is actually in Stoke Newington, but is vegetarian (as is a second branch in Mayfair). If your guests are omnivores, then Rasa Samudra on Charlotte Street (just north of Tottenham Court Road station) specialises in fish dishes.
posted by bifter at 1:35 AM on December 19, 2005

Response by poster: The New Tayyab is only open for dinner, sadly, but I will drag them out to Brick Lane for a trip outside their comfort zone ...
posted by essexjan at 1:45 AM on December 19, 2005

Ah, nuts - sorry about that.
posted by bifter at 4:09 AM on December 20, 2005