Indian Dining

[TLBV]

Hi All

Im in talks to purchase the lease on The Junction shop on Lordship Lane.

My aim is to open this as an Indian dining restaurant - specialising in Balti's.

Do you think the area is viable for another indian dining room?

[EDmummy]

No!

[AC1964]

No ... in fact it would be to the area's benefit if several of the current crop were to fail and thereby make room for a little more culinary competition in Lordship Lane.

[AC1964]

Although, given the rogue apostrophe in your opening post, maybe you should consider opening a greengrocer's...

[Alan Medic]

Have you done any research into how the others are doing? Seems like there's already plenty in such a small area.

[Herroeeeey]

go see how busy Swadesh is on a weekend night.

You say "Indian Dining" - are you connected with Indian Dining Club / Kennington Tandoori?

[StraferJack]

TLBV

Is there a reason you specifically think an Indian restaurant is preferred over another kind?

Given the number of curry houses on the lane already, none of which are excellent consistently, there may be room for either a genuinely excellent balti house, OR a southern indian restaurant which does meat (a la Ganapati)

But if you are looking to open a restaurant in general, I think there is more room for success if you open a good restaurant which provides something different to the area

Vietnamese

Chinese a la Silk Road in Camberwell, rather than the traditional cantonese/peking styles

Mexican

Italian

But they should be good and not just churning out basics

[DulwichFox]

Specialising in Balti sounds very limited.

I think all the other Indian restaurants do Balti..

There really is no call for yet another Indian Restaurant on Lordship Lane/ East Dulwich.

Fox

[Horsebox]

I second what SJ says and would add (good quality) sushi & Japanese to the list.

[Jeremy]

A good Mexican would be very welcome, as would a nice Chinese (I'd happily settle for Cantonese as long as it was half decent). Japanese would also be handy (but not conveyor-belt sushi or dishwater ramen).

But please, not another Indian.

[Willard]

StraferJack Wrote:

-------------------------------------------------------

> TLBV

>

> Is there a reason you specifically think an Indian

> restaurant is preferred over another kind?

>

> Given the number of curry houses on the lane

> already, none of which are excellent consistently,

> there may be room for either a genuinely excellent

> balti house, OR a southern indian restaurant which

> does meat (a la Ganapati)

>

> But if you are looking to open a restaurant in

> general, I think there is more room for success if

> you open a good restaurant which provides

> something different to the area

>

> Vietnamese

> Chinese a la Silk Road in Camberwell, rather than

> the traditional cantonese/peking styles

> Mexican

> Italian

>

> But they should be good and not just churning out

> basics

I totally agree....(tu)

[KidKruger]

Only if it's South Indian or Sri Lankan cuisine.

[Cam123]

I'd agree - not another Indian. Rustic Italian (not just pizzas) might be nice, or i'd agree that Japanese would be good too.

I think there's a good group of foodies in ED who have a good solid disposable income that you should be aiming at - an Indian might not be aiming as high as you might given your audience.

[Champers]

No more Indian eateries please! Whether specialising or not, there are already plenty to choose from on LL alone but as others have suggested there are also some very good ones in the surrounding areas - competition is a good thing but in this case it may not work in your favour. Good luck with whatever you decide.

[Mick Mac]

This is a iwind up. Surely....?

[Nero]

Sri Lankan would be good, as would Vietnamese or a good Mexican, serving fish tacos and the like. Something along the lines of the 'posh chippy' down the road: functional, bright, prompt service, non-flashy surroundings, no music, cold beers, waiting staff with good English. Keep us posted!

[peterstorm1985]

Mick Mac Wrote:

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> This is a iwind up. Surely....?

Ditto. I was thinking of starting a thread on any support for a Waitrose/M&S in ED but I'll just check if TLBV has already done that.

[maxxi]

If this is not a wind-up I have to say that other curry houses do offer balti dishes, but they are way below what a proper Balti House would (should) provide and I would love to be able to order the real thing locally.

As far as too many curry houses goes Swadesh has only been open a couple of years (as had The Coriander before it) the Jaflong, what? three? If they are any good they survive. As for all the other cuisine suggestions (Vietnamese, Mexican, Italian, Japanese) I would love to have access to them all but it is only curry that I desire on a regular basis so the more competition/variety the better.

[Betterat50m]

I really like how Indian food has become far more advanced in the U.K over the years, different items on the menu's from that of the norm,better recipes ect. But yet another Indian food place, no, there are far too many in the area of Dulwich as it is, way too many for such a small area, it borders on being ridiculous.

[Peckhampoet]

and there was I thinking it bordered on Peckham.

[northlondoner]

A decent Ukrainian restaurant would be good.

[Herroeeeey]

The mexican that is closing down on Lordship is a prime example of what you don't want to do.

Open a resturant that sells bad food, change the country of origin but probably continue to serve the similiarly bad food... can't recall what is opening in it's place but guarantee it'll be the same dross.

Whatever you do make sure you are good at it and it's priced right.

[Jeremy]

The Mexican place is a great example of how our expectations have changes in recent years.

You could probably say the same about some of the Indian restaurants, but even so, we don't need another Indian restaurant in East Dulwich (anyway, I'm unashamedly fond of the trad british curry house).

[Penguin68]

A decent Ukrainian restaurant would be good

Even in the Ukraine

[kford]

The mexican was doomed from the start. At least the old place had a local charm. A good tapas bar would be welcome (and I not that the mexican plot has mention of a spanish eatery as a replacement.)