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Indian YMCA canteen - been there ?

KidKruger

By KidKruger
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red devil

red devil

Posted
Posted

I used to work opposite there, and it was a regular lunchtime hangout, but that was 10 years ago.

Not sure if it's authentic as I've never been to India, but if nothing's changed, expect a simple menu based on taste and aroma rather than heat, nothing Anglocised...rice, main, and glass of water...great hangover cure.

civilservant

civilservant

Posted
Posted

I used to go there a lot about 15 years ago when I was a student round about there. Its main customer base was/is the (mostly Indian) students staying at the Y, so it's authentically Indian eating-house, but not Indian home-cooking.


I'd really like to know if it's still as delicious value for money.

KidKruger

KidKruger

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Wow I feel like a real late-comer to this venue, how I never sussed it I don't know !

Indian eating-house is right up my street tho. As Jeremy suggested, I'll do a pseudo-review and share at weekend.

I'm just hoping for basic Indian food sans curry house standards.

DaveR

DaveR

Posted
Posted
I also went quite a few times as a student, 20 odd years ago. Lunch was about three quid back then. I remember more than once waking up with a terrible hangover and going to the YMCA for lunch, despite the fact that i'd already had a curry after all the beer the night before.
KidKruger

KidKruger

Posted
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I?m minded to say the Indian YMCA is a load of old crud so that there?s no huge influx of EDFers to the canteen, but I guess only one or two of you are actually going to really head up there, so here it is..


For me, it?s kitted out and has d?cor just like a canteen in an Indian University or similar facility, pure 70s-esque ? superb.


Go past reception at the YMCA and into the canteen, you queue up through the middle of the dining hall to the serving counter where the dishes are laid out on shelves.

Like someone said earlier, there?s a selection of mains and some side dishes you can select from, then the queue wraps round back up to the till, during which time you pass the OJ /water glasses/cutlery to collect on your tray.

You say whether you want rice and/or chapati and the guy gives you that with your plate


The mains today were basic curries, chicken, lamb, fish, mixed vegetable, they all come in bowls read to put on your tray. Also there was a ?special?, Chilli Chicken, which was another (hotter) chicken curry, a bit drier than the ?standard? version.

The sides/add-ons available were popadoms, raita (with veg chopped into it), pickle, dhal, sambar, onion bhajis and a couple of others.


There were 4 of us, seating was not an issue ? I?d thought it?d be tough getting a table but no problem at all. Tables have jugs of water on.

I had chilli chicken, rice, chapati, popadom, pickle, raita, dhal, and tried others? lamb curry and vegetable curry.

It was all splendid, I took on a fair old sweat with the chilli chicken, the standard curries were a little milder.

The curries were well-flavoured, dhal was mild. All the food is not quite hot due to being sat in bowls, but certainly not cold - it's under those heat lamps.

As mentioned earlier in this thread a couple of times, I can certify that it IS a decent hangover cure !!


I?ll be there at least weekly from now on.

Lunch FYI is 12-2pm

They also do dinners 7-8.30pm

Breakfast 7.30-9.15 am !!


Oh ? there?s loads of Indians there.


No Madras, Jalfrezi, Pasanda, Korma etc. in sight thank gawd.

  • 3 weeks later...
  • 2 months later...
malumbu

malumbu

Posted
Posted

It was OK, cheap, slightly disappointing.


Check out the India Club on the Strand:www.strand-continental.co.uk/Restaurant_%26_Bar.html


Or Goviandas: www.iskcon-london.org


Or just do Tooting, or www.iskcon-london.org


3/4 of Indians are vegetarians - many of which are strict (ie non veg = eggs)


99% of British 'Indian' restaurants are Bangladeshi, with food modified over the last 50 years for local tastes, and very much meat.


So there is no such thing as the authentic Indian, and of course in the sub continent food varies from state to state in any case.


There are also good places in West Croydon eg www.chennaidosa.com


And one or two on Drummond Street. www.shaheebhelpoori.com


Thnk you have to go off Brick Lane to find somewhere special.


PS how do I insert websites as hyperlinks please?

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