Tandoori Magazine | Home of Indian Food and Drinks

Perched a stone’s throw from the iconic Tower Bridge and the pleasant shops and walkways of Shad Thames, this is an upmarket addition to the area that should get everyone talking. Occupying a corner site, the downstairs bar is spacious and airy with a good selection of drinks, including some well-made signature cocktails, including the likes of chilli & passion fruit martini (chilli infused Vodka shaken with raspberry and passion fruit).

The upstairs dining room is serene and warm with a largely north Indian menu. Cooking reflects a partnership of the traditional and modern, with notable items including cod and shrimp cake, gilouti kebab, duck breast with apricots – one of the best and innovative dishes on the menu - scallops and chicken khumbi bahar. Service is friendly and overall, this comes close to being the finest Indian in the square mile.

Formerly the Chelsea Tandoori, the restaurant is not only the recipient of a new name. but also a bit of a makeover.

The real good news though is that the cooking has never been better. Hard to believe that in a quiet and unassuming basement site near Chelsea Cloisters, the establishment could have fine chefs at the helm and attract the in-crowd like the Rolling Stones and Madonna.

Worthy starters include a delicious chicken narangi, with chicken breast marinated in zesty orange and ground organic spices. Golachi lamb kebabs are also well made. Mains may be traditional, but they have a refinement about them with authentic flavouring. Dishes such as the lamb shank and the sea bass with lime and coconut hit the bullseye and sides have a freshness about them.

With the central London site at Haymarket firmly established as one of London’s most glamorous Indians, Mint Leaf is now making its mark in the City with the opening of this new venture.

The vast bar emphasises its credentials straight off, but while the cocktails and other drinks have always been Mint Leaf’s, the cooking here – made of sharing platters as at the Haymarket - is also crackingly good.

Robust and with just the rights hints of modernity. Executive chef Ajay Chopra puts together a veritable list of high quality dishes with first rate starters such as duck shammi kebab, lobster tails and potato and chestnut cakes. Mains have a subtlety about them as exemplified by the likes of baby lamb shank ‘salan’ and chicken ‘vartha varual’, while desserts are refined and delicate.

With no signs of slowing down, the renowned Rasa group of restaurants marches on with its ninth opening, only this new entry is just on the outskirts of London rather than in.

That’s nothing to get disheartened by though as the cooking at this site – with strong leanings towards seafood – is as good as it’s ever been at Rasa, if not better.

Staying true to style, its meal snacks features a lovely range of crispy Keralan treats such as banana chips, achappam and murukku. Add to that some delicious home-made chutneys such as garlic pickle and prawn pickle. Well-made starters feature crab thoran, kathrika, made of aubergine in batter, served with fresh tomato chutney. Enticing mains include kappayum meenum (kingfish curry) and specials like a spicy chicken curry while desert are outstandingly good.