Once heralded as London’s best restaurant, Dishoom is a cacophony of flavours, sights and smells. Situated in the middle of the buzzing cosmopolitan Carnaby Street, along with 4 other franchises across central London, Dishoom brings Bombay to your table.
The waft of spices pulls you through the door as your eyes adjust to the deep browns and oranges of the interior design. Yet another restaurant that doesn’t have reservations, you’ll have to go at unsociable hours or wait for about an hour at peak times for this dining experience.
First ordering the best chai latte I have ever had is a must. Made with no water, the rich and creamy drink leaves a sweet kick to your palette that satisfies any craving stomach. Sharing between two as a starter, Harit and I had the Awadhi lamb biryani and garlic naan. This was just beautiful: a strong pulse of spice that gets hotter the more you eat, it is certainly not one for the faint hearted, but was my favourite dish of the night. The texture of the sauce and potatoes in the curry mixed with the garlic naan created a homely comfort that I had yet to experience from a restaurant.
For our mains, I had the Dishoom chicken tikka, since I wanted to sample their original recipe, whilst Harit had the spicy lamb chops. The meat was cooked very well, with a fantastic seasoning. I personally preferred the chicken over the lamb, but would recommend both depending on your preference of type of meat. Yet again, these were also spicy, I’m beginning to think Dishoom is not one for those with a delicate palette.
The sweetest thing of the night (no pun intended) was the dessert. A mango kulfi for me and malai (caramel) kulfi for Harit. Genuinely one of the most nostalgic food experiences I’ve had in a while; if the words ‘Walls mini milks’ brings back a wave of memories, this one’s for you. A conically shaped ice cream on a stick invigorates the child in every adult, licking your way through palette cleansing coolers that are a needed neutraliser after all the spice.
Overall, Dishoom was a wonderful and different experience. The uniqueness of the dishes opened my eyes to new flavours and textures that I very much enjoyed, and certainly will be going back to sample their other dishes. Also, at such low prices, it is not an expensive dinner out either. I’ve heard such great things about their breakfast so this is certainly worth a try for all you brunchers out there. If you’re not afraid of a bit of heat, and not looking for a kiss at the end of the night, Dishoom is certainly worth the wait.
What We Had
Holly:
· House chai £2.50
· Awadhi lamb biryani (shared) £10.50
· Garlic naan (shared) £2.90
· Dishoom chicken tikka £7.90
· Mango kulfi £3.50
Harit:
· House chai £2.50
· Awadhi lamb biryani (shared) £10.50
· Garlic naan (shared) £2.90
· Spicy lamb chops £11.90
· Malai kulfi £3.50
8/10
