Authentic Restaurants

NNTP-Posting-Date: Sat, 27 Mar 2004 10:32:30 GMT
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Someone wrote:

>Hi
>
>I've been 'lurking' for a week or so, checking out the recipes and
>comments.
>
>Maybe this is somethig thats been discussed time and time again, in
>which case you won't mind posting some quick answers ;)
>
>Havig come from an indian [well, anglo-indian] family, and having spent
>time in india, I can only say that about 99% of 'indian' restaurants
>I've been to in the UK are shams, and wondered if the group had a list
>of 'Authentic Restaurants' that I could check out.

I quite like Mela on Shaftesbury Ave,
http://www.melarestaurant.co.uk/home.htm.  Don't know how "authentic" it is, but it seems to be restaurant food based on real Indian food rather than curry house-type stuff.  There's also Kerala on Great Castle Street and Ravi Shankar's (Drummond Street and the Angel). Both of these are good value.  I've also been to Cafe Spice Namaste on Prescott Street where I thought the food was quite good - but definitely overpriced.  Ma Goa I haven't managed to get to yet, as it's in Putney which is a bit out of the way for me.

Given the range of restaurants of every ethnicity in London, I'm always surprised there aren't more "proper" Indian restaurants rather than traditional curry houses - but maybe the British restaurant-going public can't be persuaded to pay proper restaurant prices for Indian food.  But then St John can get people to pay decent prices for offal and bone marrow - so it must be possible.

Article 16527 of uk.food+drink.indian:

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Salut/Hi j4c,

 le/on Sat, 27 Mar 2004 05:36:30 +0000, tu disais/you said:-

>Maybe this is somethig thats been discussed time and time again, in
>which case you won't mind posting some quick answers ;)

It _has_ indeed. Or rather, we have argued interminably over the virtues or vices of authentic vs Britindianresto cooking. You have to remember that this NG is in the UK hierarchy and that therefore 90% of the contributors here will have been introduced to "indian food" from the local "indian" restaurant, of which perhaps 50% were opened by muslims from Kenya. ;-))) (As was I - very nearly, except that it was an Indian restaurant owned by Bengalis).

Therefore for many here, their main objective is to cook food as close as possible to that which they find in the best "indian" they know.

I am one of a small but vociferous minority which prefers to try, when cooking food from the region to get closer to what an indian (or a pakistani or a goanese, or etc) might cook for themselves in Europe given access to the range of produce available in a very cosmopolitan area, and with little financial constraint.

>time in india, I can only say that about 99% of 'indian' restaurants
>I've been to in the UK are shams,

Of course they are. BUT you have to realise that despite their name, they are de facto the new "British" restaurant - and produce far tastier food at a better price than the workman's caff or the "Ye olde tea Shoppe" that unsuspecting foreigners find when trying to discover british food as tourists.

> and wondered if the group had a list  of 'Authentic Restaurants' that I could check out.

I don't think there's a list as such.

I can't help much as I live in France (and quite like the "sham food" even while I fully accept it's sham) and so can't pretend to be up-to-date in where to go. From time to time we see favourites mentioned, but given what I've said above, I'd want to know what criteria are used by those making recommendations.

>For my part I would like to add the following to the list:
>
>"Sayonara" in Belgrave Street, Leicester - Pure Veg, mostly South Indian
>recipes.

>Anyway, any recommendations? Especially for the Bedfordshire and London
>areas :)

A couple I've been to in NW London, where I used to live. One is Geeta's Restaurant 57 Willesden Lane. Formica tables, dingy and some excellent mainly vegetarian S. Indian food. Another, also S indian vegetarian is the Sabras 263 High Road Willesden NW10. Magnificent food, I loved their Undhiu (sp?). Caff style decor, both of them. I'd suggest both of these are real indian nosh.

_Yet another_ South indian vegetarian caff is the Diwani Belpoori house. Opened in the '70s, I don't think the decor has changed. 121 Drummond Street near Euston. Almost next door (124), "Chutney's" is similar apparently and has high reviews, I've not eaten there.

I make no apologies for the number of vegetarian places, given that many indians eat no meat, and that therefore a list of authentic indian restaurants should reflect that.

However, as Quandon said, Southall is full of indian restaurants, though I have not really eaten much there. One place that did please me  - I'm not sure about authenticity, though it's always full of Indian families and the food is quite different from the usual "standards" is the "Brilliant UB2" 72 Western Road. Hope that gives you a few places to try out. I'd greatly appreciate your feedback as I'm always on the lookout for good places when I visit London.
>cheers
>
>[ Oh, and I hereby commit to posting my hyderabadi aunt's recipe for
>chilli prawns :) ]
>
>Paul

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In message , j4c
Someone wrote:

>Anyway, any recommendations? Especially for the Bedfordshire and London
>areas :)

I like Mela on Shaftesbury Avenue. Also, try Painted Heron. I've reviewed both of them.

Cafe Naz in Brick Lane is good. I didn't like Cafe Spice Namaste.