Author: Sasikanth

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!

Place: Three Falcons Restaurant
Location: 1 Orchardson St, near Lords Cricket Ground
Cuisine: Indian
Meal: Dinner (with family and friends)
On: Saturday, 15 June 2024

Influenced by the many Instagram reels, we decided to drive into London on a bright Saturday evening to try this pub/Indian restaurant. Initially, it was just our family, so we called ahead and made a reservation for four at 8:00 PM.

Upon arrival, although we had a table, it was a high stool one positioned right next to the door. We requested a different spot, but were informed that a large gathering had occupied most of the space and we’d be moved to a better table once the group left. Reluctantly, we settled in.

The restaurant had a dimly lit ambiance reminiscent of a traditional English pub, but it was quite small, with about 10-12 tightly packed tables. The Euros were playing on the TV, and a few patrons were at the bar enjoying the football.

To start, we ordered the Jodhpuri Mirchi Vada and Malai Broccoli.

The Mirchi Vada arrived in about ten minutes — four peppers stuffed with potato filling, topped with sev and murmura. It tasted good, though I would have preferred it a bit spicier.

The broccoli was moist and perfectly cooked, though I found the malai to be lacking and the portion size a bit small.

While we were enjoying our starters, a couple of friends nearby decided to join us. We requested a larger table, and luckily, as the large group had just left, we were moved to a more spacious spot in the center.

With more people joining, we ordered the Punjabi Samosa Chaat and Murg Angara Tikka (for our non-vegetarian friend). We also got drinks: a coke and a juice for the little one.

The Samosa Chaat was quite good, probably the best of the starters.

Our friend enjoyed the chicken, saying it had just the right level of spice.

For the mains, we ordered Shahi Paneer, Kadai Soya, and Dal Makhani, accompanied by Tandoori Roti and Garlic Naan. We also tried their special Seeti Biryani.

The Shahi Paneer was flavorful, with soft, fresh paneer and a well-prepared gravy. Unfortunately, the Kadai Soya was disappointing — the gravy was too coarse and tasted more like a bhartha. The Dal Makhani was the best of the lot — creamy, rich, and delicious. The naan was decent, though the roti was a bit too hard for my liking.

Next came the special Seeti Biryani, which made quite an entrance. As it was served, it drew attention from the entire room. It was essentially a vegetable biryani cooked in a pressure cooker (like we often do at home), served with raita, papad, and salad. The waiter pulled the seeti (whistle) at the table, making a loud noise and turning heads. Taste-wise, it was flavorful with plenty of vegetables, though my wife found it a bit bland. Paired with the Dal Makhani, it tasted just right.

While debating whether to order dessert, the floor manager, a Telugu speaker, treated us to their Gulab Jamun Cheesecake and Rasmalai. I loved the cheesecake — it had a lovely texture with a distinct jamun flavor in every bite. The Rasmalai, however, was just okay.

Overall, the meal was decent, with the dal being the standout. Service was hit-or-miss; we barely received any attention until we moved tables, but it improved significantly afterward. The cramped seating was also an issue.

The biggest disappointment, however, was the pricing. While I expected it to be expensive, I was hoping for better value. Apart from the biryani (which cost £25 and wasn’t worth it), most of the portions were either small or just adequate. Even fine dining restaurants in central London, like Farzi or Dishoom, didn’t seem this pricey — and we were in a pub! They seem to be banking on their Instagram fame, but I honestly don’t think it’s justified. Bottom line: Three Falcons is a pub/restaurant with a mediocre ambiance, serving decent food at exorbitant prices.

Food: 8/10
Service: 7/10
Ambiance: 7/10
Meal for 6: £181.97

Verdict: 7/10

PS: I don’t mind spending money, but I’d rather go to a fine dining restaurant to make it an experience. Spending about 180 quid at a pub for food is just not worth it and offers no value for money.

Place: Bombay Chow Brasserie Northwood
Location: Haste Hill Golf Club, Northwood
Cuisine: Indian
Meal: Dinner (with family)
On: Saturday, 27 April 2024

Bombay Chow has been on my list for a while, but I was saving it for a special occasion. Come MIL’s birthday in April, we finally decided to visit on a bright Saturday afternoon.

Tucked inside a golf course, Bombay Chow is a fancy, upscale restaurant with pleasant decor and well-designed interiors. The restaurant provides easy access to the course, so we noticed several patrons walking in after their game. We settled into a cozy corner, seated on a comfortable sofa.

Although Bombay Chow brands itself as Indo-Chinese, their menu leans more toward Indian cuisine. Apart from one starter, we opted for an all-Indian selection. We ordered Kung Pao Lotus Root and Charred Malai Broccoli for starters, followed by Banarasi Kofta, Dal Bukhara, and an assortment of breads: Bombay Chow Kulcha, Garlic Naan, Tandoori Roti, along with Veg Biryani to complete the meal.

While waiting for our food, the manager graciously offered us a complimentary spicy mango mocktail. It was delicious! My daughter accidentally spilled half of it, and to our surprise, they brought us a fresh one. They really didn’t have to, but it was a lovely gesture of hospitality.

The Lotus Root was served in about ten minutes, and it was absolutely perfect. The Kung Pao sauce was tangy yet not too overpowering, complementing the tender lotus root perfectly. It was a great start to our meal!

The broccoli was served soon after, and it was good as well. However, a couple of pieces were a bit dry. Thinking about it now, a little more sauce or malai would have helped this dish stand out.

The main course was served after a short while. I had read a few reviews online stating that their portion sizes are small for the price, but I beg to differ, as I found them decent.

The Banarasi Kofta was the highlight of our meal, with its creamy gravy and soft kofta balls. The gravy was rich and full of flavor, among the best I’ve had in recent times. I loved it so much that I licked the bowl at the end of our meal! Yummy!!

The Dal Bukhara was also enjoyable, creamy and smoky with a hint of garlic—just what you’d expect from a perfect dal.

Of the breads, the Kulcha was the standout: soft, paneer-stuffed, and a perfect companion to the kofta. The Garlic Naan and Tandoori Roti were good as well.

The biryani, served last, didn’t disappoint either. Loaded with vegetables, it was bursting with flavor. That said, the portion size felt a bit small considering the price.

Overall, an excellent meal. After reading so much about this place, it definitely did not disappoint. Service was really good; again, I was super impressed when they replaced the spilled complimentary drink. With perfect ambiance, it’s a great place for a nice party or even an everyday dinner. And contrary to what I thought, the place is actually easy on the pocket. I’ve already recommended this place to tons of friends and colleagues, and I think you should try it too!

P.S. I enjoyed Bombay Chow so much that we ordered their PBM, Kofta, Naan, and Biryani the following week. While the food was good, it wasn’t quite as exceptional as our dine-in experience. Hopefully, this was a one-off, and we’ll have a better experience next time.

Food: 9/10
Service: 9.5/10
Ambiance: 8.5/10
Meal for 4: £72.17

Verdict: 9/10 (Considering our takeaway experience as well)

Place: Anandha Bhavan
Location: 545 High Rd, Wembley
Cuisine: Indian
Meal: Dinner (with family)
On: Sunday, 30 June 2024

On a lazy Sunday evening, I was craving for some nice Italian food, but then, I thought about this new place in Wembley which served one of my favourite Indian dishes, so decided to head here instead.

It’s been a while since we came to Wembley for Indian food; the scene has changed a bit here, with a couple of new restaurants replacing old ones, and Anandha Bhavan (not to be confused with Ananda Bhavan or A2B) is one amongst the chain of Indian restaurants on the street. The place was neat (relatively new), and unlike most restaurants in the area, had people in it (which is always a good sign!). These guys have a huge menu offering specialities from every part of south India, so I was excited.

Mysore Bonda happens to be my (and now my daughter’s) favourite breakfast item, and there are not many places in London which serve this (the only other place I know of is Crispy Dosa in Hounslow). And this is what we came here for, so we ordered a plate right away. 

Mysore Bonda is a fried snack made mainly with maida and hung curd, and to my utter disappointment, these weren’t what they were supposed to be. To add to the horror, when I cut into one, I found uncooked batter inside – they weren’t even cooked properly! I immediately called for the waiter and they agreed to replace them.

A new plate was served, and while these were cooked properly, they still were not the Mysore Bonda I came here for. Instead, they turned out to be onion rava bonda with a bit of maida. They tasted alright, but they were still not the authentic bonda I wanted. However, the lil one didn’t really care and savoured them.

We ordered a Dragon Paneer as a starter, and this was served while we were waiting for the bonda. This was a decent dish – the paneer was soft and fresh, and the masala was tangy with not much spice. 

For the mains, we ordered a Raj Bhog Thali, Appam with Kaikari stew for wifey, and a Pesarattu for MIL. 

The waiter did inform us that this won’t be the Pesarattu we’d be expecting, which we kinda figured out after the bonda debacle. But MIL didn’t care much, so we ordered anyways. It was served first and didn’t look appealing. They filled it with podi while a traditional Pesarattu is actually filled with onions. I had a taste and it was mediocre at best. 

The appam and kiakari or vegetable stew came next. The appam was alright but the stew was too watery. We also couldn’t taste enough coconut in it.

The thali came with dal, channa masala, mixed veg curry, paneer butter masala, roti, biryani and a few other condiments. I asked for a butter naan instead of the roti and they obliged. On taste front, the PBM and dal were good, but other curries were passable. I’ve never seen broccoli in a mixed veg curry before this btw! The biryani was decent, on the spicier side, and the naan was soft.

Overall, a mediocre disappointing meal. I came in with a lot of expectations, especially for the Mysore Bonda, but soon realized they listed items on their menu without even taking the effort to cook them properly – there are tons of videos on what and how a bonda is made, couldn’t they have watched them? Same with pesarattu, and even the stew. Having a long list of offerings needs to be backed by a good chef who cook them, but these guys seem to be lacking there. To add to this, the service was super slow with just a couple of guys manning about seven tables. Unless they improve, expect Anandha Bhavan to be replaced by another joint.

Food: 6/10
Service: 6/10
Ambiance: 8/10
Meal for 4: £42

Verdict: 6.5/10