Place: Apna Adda
Location: Leicester Square
Cuisine: Indian
Meal: Take-away
On: Thursday, 2 June 2022
After a fruitful day of celebrating Queen’s Platinum Jubilee, we were looking for a place to quench our hunger. Felt like eating Indian (again), and decided to drop in at Saravana Bhavan at Leicester Square. There was waiting, and while we did that, I looked at their menu and realized that everything was overpriced (as we just dined at SB at East Ham a few days ago which wasn’t expensive at all). So looked for alternates in the area and found this small Indian eatery right around the corner.
A couple of blocks away from Empire Cinemas (Cineworld), located right next to Bella Italia, you’d probably miss this unless you look closely. Apna Adda is a small shop with just a couple of tables. Having realized that dining in will not be possible, we decided to do a take-away, and ordered a portion of Veg. Spring Rolls, Veg. Hakka Noodles, Kaju Curry, and a couple of Naan. I was told it would take about 30 minutes for the order to be ready.
We explored the Piccadilly Circus area for a while, picked up the food, and hopped on a bus home. Our lil one was hungry, so we opened the Spring Rolls on our way. 7 small rolls were served along with some sweet chilli sauce, and they tasted alright. They probably were frozen ones you get at a supermarket, which justifies the size and more or less bland taste.
We were really excited to try the noodles and didn’t waste any time dug in the moment we reached home (without clicking any pictures). Unfortunately, they turned out bleh. With excessive soy sauce, they had a strong taste which I did not enjoy.
The Kaju Curry however was yummy. Loaded with cashew nuts (Kaju), the tomato gravy was perfect. I would have maybe preferred it a little spicier though. The Naan was decent, but the corners were a little too thick.
Overall, an okay meal. Our Indo-Chinese experience was mediocre while Indian food turned out to be good. Reasonably priced, they have quite an extensive menu. I’d definitely try this place again, hopefully soon!
Food: 7.5/10
Service: N/A
Ambiance: N/A
Meal for 3: £22.46
Meal: Dinner (Take 2)
On: Thursday, 7 July 2022
Dropped in here last week for dinner before a movie, and ordered a Vegetable Biryani. I then settled at a table on the street where there were quite a few entertaining performances to keep me engaged while the food was being prepared.
In about 10 minutes, the Biryani was served alongside some raita. This was dum-style Biryani with the curry at the bottom and rice on top, garnished with some coriander and fried onions. While the rice was perfect, I thought the curry was a bit on the spicy side, which made me sweat at the end of my meal. It may not be the best Biryani, but wasn’t bad either.
Food: 8/10
Service: 8/10
Ambiance: 8/10
Meal for 1: £6.95
Verdict: 8/10
### **”A Disastrous Dining Experience: Avoid This Restaurant at All Costs”**
Certainly! Here’s a more hard-hitting version of your review:
—
Visited yesterday and ordered the following items:
1. Samosa
2. Egg Biryani
3. Kadahi Paneer
4. Chicken Manchurian
5. Tea
None of these dishes were worth a single penny. The samosas were filled with uncooked potatoes, making them inedible. The Kadahi Paneer consisted of raw paneer pieces thrown into a bland and tasteless gravy. The Biryani was an absolute disaster, made with undercooked rice and artificial colors. The Chicken Manchurian and tea were equally disappointing, lacking any semblance of flavor.
This place is worse than a roadside dhaba in a remote area. It’s a disgrace that they claim to serve food. The absence of a professional chef is evident in every dish. It was a complete waste of time and money.
I will never visit this establishment again, and I strongly advise others to stay away if they value their taste buds and money.
Oh, it is unfortunate that you had a bad experience.