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 tons of Instagram reels, on a bright Saturday evening, we decided to drive into London to try this pub/Indian restaurant. Initially, it was just our family, so we called and made a reservation for four at 8:00 PM.
We reached the restaurant and, while we had a table, it was a high stool one right next to the door. We asked if there was anything else available, but we were informed that a large gathering had blocked most of the space and that we’d be moved to a better table once the group left. Reluctantly, we settled down.
The place was dimly lit and had the ambiance of a proper English pub. However, it was very small, with about 10-12 tables cramped close to each other. The Euros were on the TV, and a few patrons were sitting at the bar enjoying the football.
To start our meal, we ordered their Jodhpuri Mirchi Vada and a portion of Malai Broccoli.
The Mirchi Vada was served in about ten minutes. Four mirchis stuffed with potato filling, topped with sev and murmura, tasted pretty good. I would have preferred them to be a little spicier though.
The broccoli was moist and perfectly cooked, but I would have preferred a little more malai. Additionally, I thought the portion size was pretty small.
While we were enjoying our starters, a couple of friends who were nearby decided to join us. So we asked the staff for a bigger table, and luckily, the large group had just left, and we were then moved to a bigger table in the center.
Given that we had more people joining us, we ordered the Punjabi Samosa Chaat and the Murg Angara Tikka (for our non-vegetarian friend). We also ordered a couple of drinks, a coke and a juice for the lil one.
The Samosa Chaat was pretty good and probably the best of the starters.
Our friend enjoyed his chicken with no qualms. He said it was spicy enough for his liking.
For the mains, we ordered the Shahi Paneer, Kadai Soya, and Dal Makhani along with Tandoori Roti and Garlic Naan. We also ordered their special Seeti Biryani.
The Shahi Paneer was tasty; the paneer was soft and fresh, and the gravy was well-prepared. The Kadai Soya was disappointing; the gravy was too coarse and tasted more like a bhartha. The Dal Makhani, was delicious and the best of the lot — creamy and rich. The naan was okay, while the roti was a little too kadak for my liking.
Then came the special Seeti Biryani; it made quite an entrance, with everyone looking at our table as it was being served. It was essentially vegetable biryani cooked in a pressure cooker (just like we usually do at home), served with raita, papad, and salad. The waiter pulled up the seeti (whistle) on the table, making a loud noise and drawing all the attention. In terms of taste, it was pretty good — with loads of vegetables, it had a nice flavor to it. My wife, however, thought it was a little too bland, but it tasted perfect when paired with the Dal Makhani.
While we were contemplating whether or not to order any desserts, the floor manager (who was a Telugite) indulged us with their Gulab Jamun Cheesecake and Rasmalai. I loved the cheesecake; it had a really nice texture, and I could taste the jamun flavor in every bite. The Rasmalai was alright.
Overall, it was a decent meal. While all the dishes were satisfactory, the dal stood out. The service was hit or miss; we barely got any attention until we moved tables, and things improved significantly after that. Also, we struggled with the small and cramped tables.
However, the letdown of the experience was the pricing. I knew we were walking into something expensive, but I was honestly hoping for a meal offering better value for the money. Apart from the Biryani (which itself was £25 and not really worth it), all the other portion sizes were just about okay or smaller. Not even fine dining restaurants in central London (such as Farzi) are this expensive — and we were in a pub, for God’s sake! I believe they are banking on the Instagram fame at the moment, but I honestly don’t think any of it was worth it! Bottom line, Three Falcons is a pub/restaurant with a mediocre ambiance, serving palatable food at ridiculously expensive prices.
Food: 8/10
Service: 7.5/10
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 160 quid at a pub for food is just not worth it and offers no value for money.
