Indian restaurants in Dulwich

[vshah]

Hi, having grown up on home-cooked Indian food I am always interested to see what the Indian restaurants in London are like. In my opinion, there are too many in Dulwich and some aren't great - bland and not high quality. However, two stand out from the crowd for me, and that is JAFLONG TANDOORI (not the Jaflong on Lordship Lane, but the one near Goose Green roundabout at 42 East Dulwich Road). Really delicious, a varied menu and friendly, authentic service. We have our monthly book club here and I've never been disappointed. I also like TANDOORI NIGHTS on Lordship Lane - inventive, interesting menu and very respectful staff. A bit pricier, but elegant. The fact I'm now getting the odd delivery from JAFLONG, in addition to our regular meetings there, is testimony to their yummy food I guess!

[Sue]

Tandoori Nights was good when it first opened, though expensive, then went well downhill.

In my opinion.

[Nigello]

I got fed up with TN because they over-stuffed the place with tables to an extent it was hard to get in and out even when not completely full. Also, for a place that is meant to be " a cut above" I didn't like the Blu-Tak'd menus/advertorials in the window - it bugged me too much than it ought to have. Reboot, perhaps?

[malumbu]

They are not Indian restaurants. They are Bangladeshi restaurants serving Anglocised generic food with a nod to the sub-continent. The flavours come out of a huge packet. I am always surprised when people compare Indian restaurants and rate them. It all tastes the same to me.

Obviously there are good places in Drummond Street, West Croydon, Tooting, probably Southall, definitely around Wembley and Harrow and funnily enough Gravesend. That place the Cheese Block ran was OK but I expect a bit too pricy and now long since shut.

Happy to give my recipes. Well the ones I use anyway.

And this place is a bit special http://www.welovehotstuff.com/ Even more so as it is next door to my beautiful launderette/

[KidKruger]

Everest Curry King, Lewisham.

That is all.

The ones in ED are usual predictable dross as malumbu says.

[camberwell70]

Spicy Food Plus in Victoria was always a good un'.

[DulwichFox]

It amuses me how many Experts we have on EDF with regards to the authenticity of our Indian / Bangladeshi food.

How many of these Experts have ever been to India let alone Bangladesh.

With 60 - 80+ Indian Food Regions, I doubt they could identify the differences between any of them.

Yes, they may go on about 'Real' Southern Indian food, but what do any of them really know about Indian food.

Please give it a rest. There are many 'Asian' curry houses in East Dulwich. Some are better than others.

But it comes down to individual taste and preference. If you do not like what's on offer, don't go there.

DulwichFox

[JohnL]

Maybe I'm so old fashioned that in terms of food - Bangladesh, Pakistan and India (+islands) are all Indian (meaning the sub-continent not political entities).

So much difference there - but over-arching Indian.

Probably the same as someone saying European food :)

[KidKruger]

"How many of these Experts have ever been to India let alone Bangladesh."

India 5 times totalling almost 2yrs, Bangladesh 4 times totalling several months.

Done community work there, lived in accommodation with no power where water is 1/2 a mile away for you to carry from a stream, been taught some recipes in family homes. But so what ?

I'm no expert, but having been to those countries or not wouldn't make one an expert anyway.

Just because people call a spade a spade doesn't mean they are self-appointed experts, it is an overly defensive response to suggest that.

The converse would be that these 'Indian' restaurants are authentic representations of food from India.

But actually they are not. And we all know they are not. So to point out the obvious does not make anybody a self appointed expert, it is just stating the obvious.

Doh !!

[DulwichFox]

On MANY things K.K. I make an exception to you. :)

Foxy.

[red devil]

I think a good sign as to how authentic a regional restaurant is, is if it's popular with people from, or have roots from that region. The Indian YMCA is a good example, the food served there is nothing like what you get in an average high street curry house, where the menus are heavily Anglocised...

[red devil]

[nods]

How does one anglicise Indian food ??

And if possible. Is it possible to anglicise a pizza or some nachos?

[red devil]

Chicken tikka masala is now a true British national dish, not only because it is the most popular, but because it is a perfect illustration of the way Britain absorbs and adapts external influences. Chicken tikka is an Indian dish. The masala sauce was added to satisfy the desire of British people to have their meat served in gravy

[JohnL]

red devil Wrote:

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> Chicken tikka masala is now a true British

> national dish, not only because it is the most

> popular, but because it is a perfect illustration

> of the way Britain absorbs and adapts external

> influences. Chicken tikka is an Indian dish. The

> masala sauce was added to satisfy the desire of

> British people to have their meat served in gravy

Supposedly at first it was just a hot tomato sauce (in the 70s)

but it sort of developed a life of it's own.

[DulwichFox]

Many Indian Spices originated from Portugal and South America.

Tikka similar but not as spicy as Piri-Piri

Foxy

[red devil]

Yep, and supposedly 'born' in Glasgow, so could be said to be Celticised.

The north does like it's gravy and sauces though...:)

ETA: In response to John's post

[miga]

No expert, but I rate Babur in this part of town, mainly because the different dishes taste distinctly different, and not overbearingly stodgy.

Authenticity can be overrated.

[malumbu]

red devil Wrote:

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>

Aghhh, I meant to add that video, "What is the blandest thing on the menu...."

Was also going to mention the Babur, but boy is it pricey.

[Sue]

Anglicise not Anglocise!!!

OK as you were ...

[Seabag]

I was in a restaurant in a hotel in Kerala South India, back in February. An big Indian family came in, from grandmas to little babies. The food flowed and the mum was sitting near to me and we chatted.

I asked what she thought of the food.

"Yeah nice, but not as nice as the food in Bradford"

[Michael Palaeologus]

Dulwich Tandoori and Jaflong for me.

For the Banglo-Indo-Anglo purists. Get a grip, nobody cares.

[DulwichFox]

The Old Jaflong 'Could' reopen.

[Earl Aelfheah]

Despite the high number of Indian restaurants on the Lane, there isn't really a great, standout one in my opinion. I've had good and bad experiences at most. I do agree that Barbur is pretty good (although it's been a long time since I got a curry from there).

[KidKruger]

Had OK Chicken Naga in Surma last night,nice guys in there.