Place: A2B London
Location: 424, Alexandra Avenue, Rayners Lane
Cuisine: Indian
Meal: Dinner (with family)
On: Saturday, 13 July 2024
A2B, or Adyar Ananda Bhavan, is another South Indian restaurant we frequent along with Saravanaa Bhavan and MTR – it is usually a choice between these three when we decide to head out for dinner on a weekday. Located bang opposite Saravanaa Bhavan on Rayners Lane, A2B is a Tamilian eatery serving traditional (mostly) South Indian and North Indian cuisine.
The restaurant’s space is spacious and brightly lit, managed by an all-woman team on the floor. It was packed on this particular Saturday evening, and we had to wait about ten minutes before we settled down at a booth next to the billing counter.
We ordered two North Indian Thali (or A2B special as they call it) for myself and wifey, a plate of Idli and Vada for my mother-in-law, Set Dosa with Vada curry for our little one, and one-by-two Tomato Soup, and Mushroom Soup for the table. They had a special menu this evening, and we ordered a Veg. Cutlet from that.
The Idly and Vada were served first, in less than five minutes. I didn’t taste them, but I observed that while the Vada was decent, the Idly was quite thick. MIL echoed this sentiment — she wasn’t so happy with the Idly.
Next, the soups were served. We’ve had their Mushroom Soup in the past and really liked it, and it didn’t disappoint today either. Creamy, with chunks of sautéed mushrooms, it was delicious. The Tomato Soup was equally delightful — again, creamy and well-seasoned, it was just perfect. Our lil one liked this better than the Mushroom Soup, mainly because of the croutons.😁
The Set dosa was served next and was decent.
Their special Cutlet wasn’t bad either. It was a crispy, golden-brown patty, and the mashed vegetable filling was a bit on the spicy side but still good.
The thali came with a couple of pieces of Gobi Manchurian, Paneer Butter Masala, Mixed Veg., Dal, some Biryani, a Butter Naan, curd, pickle, and papad. For some reason, I remembered them serving another curry (Channa Masala) on our previous visit, but when I inquired, I was told that this wasn’t the case. However, they did mention that the katori sizes of everything apart from the PBM were smaller, and they offered to get us more of everything.
On taste front, the PBM was very good – the paneer was fresh and soft, and the gravy had a sweet tinge in typical south Indian style. The Mixed Veg and Dal were decent. The Naan was soft, just the way I like it. I believe they served their special biryani on the thali today (which isn’t usually the case), but I wasn’t complaining. Made in ghee, with loads of cashews and chunky vegetables, this is one of their best offerings and tasted delicious.
We were pretty much full after the meal, but wifey and lil one wanted some dessert. We asked for recommendations, and they suggested the special Fruit Falooda, so we ordered one.
The way they described it, it sounded delicious. But to our disappointment, it was a rose syrup-laden, super sweet falooda with some cut fruits and raisins, and a scoop of vanilla ice cream. It was so sweet that we couldn’t even finish half of it.
Overall, it was a decent meal apart from the disastrous Falooda to finish. The Thali and soup were the best dishes of the evening. I’d also recommend the A2B Special Biryani. The ambiance is alright, and the service can seem a tad slow at times, with the team often appearing disorganized. However, they serve with a smile, which makes a difference.
If you haven’t tried it yet, I would definitely suggest you visit Adyar Ananda Bhavan (A2B) the next time you are craving some South Indian fare.
Food: 8/10
Service: 7.5/10
Ambiance: 7.5/10
Meal for 4: £47.80
Verdict: 7.5/10
Here’s my lil one talking about the soup!
