Category: London

Place: Sakonis
Location: Uxbridge Rd, Pinner 
Cuisine: Indian
Meal: Dinner (with wifey and our lil one)
On: Thursday, 19 September 2024

To celebrate one of our many anniversaries, we decided to head out for an early dinner on a Thursday night. We drove to a new place called Vaaghar in Pinner, but it was crowded, and they didn’t have any tables available for the evening. Next, we went to Social Dhaba in Hatch End, but they were fully booked as well. Given that it was a weekday, we didn’t expect restaurants to be so busy, but it seems Thursday is the new Friday. Thankfully, Hatch End High Street has several options, and we finally found a table at Sakonis.

Sakonis has been on our list for a while, but since their menu options are quite limited, we had been avoiding it. Anyway, we settled into a corner and decided to order Kurkure Bhindi and Manchurian to start the meal, and for mains, we got the Aam Ras and Poori, Paneer Butter Masala with Naan, and a Triple Hakka. The service was a bit slow, so we had to wait a while to place our order.

The Bhindi was served in about 10 minutes, and I was quite impressed with the portion size. In terms of taste, they were excellent—perhaps even a bit better than the ones you get at Dishoom. Crunchy and perfectly seasoned, it was a great start to our meal.

The Manchurian came next, and again, the portion was generous. The Manchurian balls were a bit hard, but overall, the dish tasted good. It was quite spicy, by the way.

Aam Ras and Poori were for the little one, and she enjoyed them. The pooris were soft and nice, and the aam ras, although made from canned mango puree, tasted fresh. It wasn’t too sweet, either.

The Paneer Butter Masala was served with a portion of naan. The paneer was soft, and the gravy was rich with a pleasant flavor. While the naan tasted good, it seemed like it might have been a store-bought frozen variety. Also, one naan wasn’t sufficient for the amount of curry, so we ordered another.

I love the Triple Schezwan Noodles you typically find in Mumbai, so I was looking forward to this dish. Triple Schezwan is usually a combination of spicy noodles and rice, topped with crispy noodles and served alongside vegetable balls in Schezwan gravy. Unfortunately, their version, called the Triple Hakka, was quite different. While it did combine noodles and rice with fried noodles on top, it didn’t include the side dish. Additionally, they used vermicelli noodles, which didn’t quite complement the rice. Although it didn’t taste bad, it wasn’t great either.

Food: 8/10
Service: 7/10
Ambiance: 7.5/10
Meal for 3: £66.76

Verdict: 7.5/10

Place: Dishoom Canary Wharf
Location: 13 Water St, Food Wharf
Cuisine: Indian
Meal: Dinner (with wifey and our lil one)
On: Sunday, 18 August 2024

After a lovely summer day at Greenwich Park, we passed through Canary Wharf and decided to try Dishoom. Wifey had been to this location before and had great things to say, but I was a bit apprehensive, as I’ve always felt Dishoom is somewhat overhyped. To our surprise, we were seated in about ten minutes, despite expecting a long wait.

The restaurant is expansive, featuring two floors of seating overlooking the water. It boasts a warm, fine dining ambiance designed to evoke Bombay. We were seated on the ground floor, right in the center. I asked if we could sit on one of the sofas, but they informed us the table was reserved (though no one showed up the entire time we were there). I’m not sure if it was intentional, but there were many waiters moving around, and we couldn’t quite tell who was responsible for our table.

Wifey noted that the waiters usually ask if it’s your first time at Dishoom and provide an overview of the menu. I saw this happening at the next table, but not at ours. We went straight to ordering: we started with a Bun Maska Chai for Wifey, a portion of Okra Fries, and Grilled Malai Mushrooms, along with a Virgin Piña Colada for myself.

Food: 7/10
Service: 5/10
Ambiance: 8/10
Meal for 3: £63

Verdict: 7/10

Place: Saravana Bhavan
Location: 403 Alexandra Ave, Rayners Lane
Cuisine: Indian
Meal: Dinner (with wifey and our lil one)
On: Friday, 13 September 2024

Saravana Bhavan in Rayners Lane is a restaurant we visit quite often, and I’m surprised I haven’t written a review for it until now! On weekday evenings, we usually face a toss-up between this place, A2B, or MTR for dinner. Last weekend, on Friday, we found the restaurant packed around 7:00 PM. The waiting area was well managed, and it took about 15 minutes before we settled into our booth.

Saravana Bhavan offers the same menu across all their London branches, though prices vary. I typically choose the North Indian Thali, but this time wifey decided to try it while I ordered a Channa Batura. Our lil one, being five and having her unique tastes, wanted a Butter Naan with Mushroom-65 — a quirky combination, but we went with it.

The Channa Batura arrived first, in about ten minutes. It differs from the Chole Batura found in North Indian restaurants; the batura isn’t as puffy, and the channa has a distinct South Indian flavor that’s absolutely delicious. My only qualm is that the quantity of channa isn’t quite enough for two baturas, especially for someone like me who likes more curry with each bite.

We were informed that the mushroom and naan would take a while, so our lil one finished one of the baturas.

The soup and spring roll for the Thali came shortly after. The soup was a vegetable broth with nice spice, while the spring rolls were crunchy and quite decent.

Next came the Thali, which included Paneer Butter Masala, Channa Masala, Aloo Palak, and Kala Channa, accompanied by two chapathis, a bowl of biryani, Gulab Jamun, raita, salad, and papad (very similar to what Arya Bhavan offers, but at a lower price). The PBM had a lovely flavor, while the Channa Masala was milder than the one served with the Channa Batura. The other curries were decent, and the biryani was good as well.

The Butter Naan was soft and perfectly cooked, pairing wonderfully with the curries in the Thali.

The Mushroom-65 arrived shortly after, and it was quite good. Deep-fried mushrooms tossed in spicy masala — what’s not to like?

Still feeling a bit hungry, we decided to order the Cashew Pulao. It arrived quickly and, in my opinion, was the best dish of the evening. The rice was perfectly seasoned and filled with just the right amount of cashews, making it incredibly flavorful. It even reminded me of my childhood favorite, Ghee Rice from Shanbhag in India.

Overall, it was a very good meal. Wifey prefers Saravana Bhavan over A2B, but I’m not particularly keen, as our previous experiences haven’t met my expectations. However, I must say that today was the best meal we’ve had during all our visits. The service is usually quick and friendly, and the prices are affordable. As the largest Indian restaurant chain in the world, franchises can make it challenging to maintain consistent taste, but this branch in Rayners Lane typically doesn’t disappoint.

Food: 9/10
Service: 8.5/10
Ambiance: 8/10
Meal for 3: £33.15

Verdict: 8.5/10

Place: Arya Bhavan
Location: 22 Ealing Rd, Wembley
Cuisine: Indian
Meal: Dinner (with wifey and our lil one)
On: Thursday, 5 September 2024

We were in Wembley shopping for Vinayaka Chavithi (Ganesh Chaturthi) and, as it got late, decided to try the new restaurant that replaced Saravana Bhavan.. Though it had a similar layout, the décor had been refreshed, and the tables were spaced out more generously. We found a cozy sofa at one end of the restaurant, settled in, and got ready to order.

It took a while for the waiter to attend to our table, but when she finally did, we ordered an Idli Vada for the wifey, a Ghee Uthapam for the lil one, and a North Indian Thali for myself.

The Idli Vada was served in about five minutes, accompanied by three types of chutneys, podi, and sambar. The idli looked decent and tasted good, but we were surprised by the tiny portions of chutney — they weren’t even a spoonful. The vada, unfortunately, wasn’t freshly made; it was microwaved from earlier in the day, and we could clearly taste the oil. Thankfully, they refilled the chutneys, but we had to keep reminding them.

The Ghee Uthappam arrived next, and it was quite enjoyable. They also served a sweetcorn soup that came with my Thali, which was decent.

The Thali included Paneer Butter Masala, Aloo Palak, mixed vegetable curry, yellow dal, a small spring roll, three chapatis, a bowl of biryani, a Gulab Jamun, raita, pickle, and papad. The curries were decent overall, but nothing really stood out; I’d say the PBM was the best of the bunch. The chapatis were soft at first but quickly turned kadak. The biryani was extremely spicy and not particularly impressive.

Wifey was still a bit hungry after her Idli, so we decided to order the AB Special Dum Biryani, hoping it would offer something different from what was served with the Thali.

To our utter disappointment, it turned out to be the same biryani, just tossed with some mushrooms and paneer. It felt like we were eating the same rice with a few added mushroom and paneer pieces — a big letdown!

Overall, it was a mediocre meal. We came in expecting something similar to Saravana Bhavan, if not better, but it fell far short of those standards. To make matters worse, the service was incredibly slow; we had to keep turning around to get their attention, as they seemed least interested. Additionally, the prices were a wee bit higher than those at the predecessor. I’m not sure if we’ll return, especially with so many better options on Ealing Road.

Food: 7/10
Service: 6/10
Ambiance: 8.5/10
Meal for 3: £41.14

Verdict: 6/10

PS: It turns out that Saravana Bhavan was replaced overnight by the franchise owners without any prior notice, and as a result, they are pursuing a court case over this sudden change.

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.