When I first came to London, I was prepared to fill my days with all things touristy. There was a long list of must do’s I was handed over by friends and colleagues, some experienced, some wanting to live vicariously. It’s been a year since I made this city home and I haven’t visited half the places I wanted or was asked to. What I did do, however, was make friends with some delightful people who love eating. Thanks to our shared passion, I enjoyed some very tasty culinary adventures. Little wonder that I still haven’t visited the Buckingham Palace but have sampled some mouthwatering fare which was as authentic it could get without burning a hole in your pocket.
Al Tanoor: Edgeware Road
This was the first place in London where I really enjoyed a meal after disappointing trysts with fish and chips and Sunday Roasts for a month.
I landed here, thanks to a dear friend. A five minute walk from the Marble Arch tube station, Al Tanoor is in line with a row of Lebanese and Middle Eastern food joints. I ordered a safe bet – the mutton shawarma. Light on the stomach and heavy on flavor, if I were an addict, this dish would be my fix. Served with a side of salad and mint sauce, this starter is good enough to be a meal. The dish is delicious and helpings are generous.
But if you are greedy, as I was, go for a soujouk. This dry cured sausage made of beef mince or mixed beef and lamb, comes dressed as a shawarma but tastes completely different. It’s tangy and chewy, with cumin, red peppers and garlic providing a wholesome flavor.
If you are feeling a bit peckish, there are varieties of hot and cold mezzes to choose from with the usual suspects, falafel, kebbeh, arayess, hummous and, tabbouleh doing the rounds. A meal for two can be easily managed for around 16-17 quid.
Shalimar: Brick Lane
This place serves Indian food with a Bangladeshi twist. Standing proud amongst a string of restaurants, Shalimar on Brick Lane serves up quite a storm. The bhindi gosht is their signature dish, which believe it or not, blends the goodness of okra and succulent mutton pieces in an onion and tomato gravy. Another must have is the fried fish as is the dal tadka.
There are other preparations of mutton and chicken to choose from but do try the bhindi gosht once. Ditto with the misthi doi. Theirs is the best misti doi ever - creamy, sinful, and a fitting end to a meal which went on for over an hour at this quiet little restaurant. What it lacks in presentation, it more than makes up with its food. For about £20, a friend and I enjoyed gosht, muglai parantha, dal, fish, three humungous naans, a couple of soft drinks, misthi doi, and a friendly chat with the owner!
Gastro: Clapham Common
A hop skip and jump from the Clapham Common tube station is this bistro which is your portal to all things French. According to Time Out London, Gastro is as Gallic as any brasserie can get outside of France. Dim lighting, rustic furniture, spread over three rooms (one of which houses a communal table), suitable for a party of 10 and French chatter all around. But that is no impediment for non-French speakers. The hosts are friendly and ever ready to decipher the concise menu filled with delectable sounding fare.
A plate of cold meats and an endless supply of freshly baked bread supplied with all the butter you can smear -all for £11. The plate’s for sharing by the way. And if you still have room left for more, do dig into the French onion soup. I say dig because this broth is baked and has a crusty top and a hearty taste. The Crème brûlée is good, but be warned, it is quite heavy. A meal for two: £20
Mien Tay: Clapham Junction
All the 300-odd dishes on the menu are quite drool-worthy. You can start off with the house special: spicy soft shell crab or the mussels in garlic sauce. Neither will it disappoint your taste buds or your pocket. The one must have on the menu is the Aubergine stir fry with garlic. Yes Aubergines. The vegetable is cooked in fish sauce, with crunchy bits of spring onion and cucumber thrown in for good measure.
Next on the list is the curry clay pot, available in choices of chicken, seafood, and prawns. Available between £6.50 and £7, it goes well with steamed rice. And not to be missed it the Vietnamese cold coffee. Unlike the syrupy concoctions most of us are used to, this one does justice to the coffee beans in it. One suggestion, skip the dessert, have another glass of coffee. A meal for two: £20, with soft drinks
Café Caribbean: Covent Garden
Covent Garden is unlike any other place in London. It’s comfortably populated, street shows abound, has a good mix of up market boutiques and a fashionable flea market, pleasing to the eye, not so much to the pocket. It is a great place to enjoy a sunny summer’s day. If you have lived through even a single winter in London, you would know how precious such days can be. But there is one place in Covent Garden’s Jubilee market hall where you won’t mind leaving the sunshine behind for a little while. Tucked away in the food gallery above the market hall is Café Caribbean. Serving, you guessed it, Caribbean food. No frills and full of culinary thrills, you can pack away some amazing Caribbean fare for under 7-8 quid, a soft drink included.
On the menu are Jerk chicken, curried mutton (or chicken), stewed fish or chicken, pork or beef, Barbecued ribs and Ackee & salt fish. These cost you around £4-£5, depending on whether you go for a small serving or a large one, or for the brave - very large (that costs an extra £1).
Dishes are served with the island’s staple of rice & peas (£1.70), dumplings (80p each), or plantain (50p). If the server’s feeling generous, you can get a side of salad on the house.
The helpings are best described generous. I have seen a hearty eater shy away from going for seconds after consuming a small serving of rice and curried mutton. The food is delightfully spicy but not one that overwhelms you. Cooked well and flavorful, the food at Café Caribbean is a must-have! Meal for two: £14-16
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—About our writer:
Prerna is a freelance writer who loves to do anything that has to do with words, be it reading, writing or playing around with them. She did a B.Sc. in Zoology before choosing the pen over the scalpel. A post graduate in communication studies, she has reported for The Week, The Indian Express and CNN-IBN where she covered subjects like health, wellness, lifestyle, environment, science and technology and then some.
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