We Visited DISHOOM Restaurant: INDIA IN LONDON…A TREASURE

If you can go to London it is something to do. There are many things to visit and see, explore, and imagine. Theater. People. The Tube (subway). The art. The history. It is all there. And definitely a place to eat. It is a mix of cultures and styles from a long history in the world of travel and finance. It was then. It is now. 

Visit India and you see the same but at their pace. It is fast and moving. They, too, have culture, people, history, and wonderful food. Their arts are special. Their culture is something to know. And when it comes to eating you cannot go wrong. 

So, when in London, you can find an Indian restaurant to visit and try. There are many, especially with the history of the two countries. And for dinner, there are some places in each area to try. But this time on the visit we wanted to try a place that we knew of when we first tried to have dinner there over two years ago but could not get in. It was packed. The line was long and you had to wait. We could not wait that long since we had an event that night. Yet, this time we were prepared and we went. 

Welcome to DISHOOM. 

It is the style of Mumbai, but the history of Bombay. And it is based here in the Covent Garden area in London. Which, in any way you think about this, it is exceptional. 

Watch this video to get a glimpse of Covent Garden:

PREPARE TO STEP INSIDE DISHOOM IN LONDON 

When you are visiting Dishoom, prepare to wait in line outside. Everyone has to do this. There is no escape. Takes over one hour to get in. The restaurant is packed. We were lucky this time as a few months before I found out how to make a reservation when I got there. That also took time, but I did make a reservation for an earlier time of the evening which was a good idea. 

Once we were there we were told there was a table at the top, on the floor above. We did want to be on the first floor and waited over by the bar while it was found. The bartender was helpful with special cocktails of the evening, or house spirits. Preferring to wait until we knew what to have did not take long. Within a few minutes, they brought us to our table by the window so we could see what was happening outside beside the line of people waiting to get in. 

The hostess was helpful when she gave us our menus and asked if there were any requests. It was a good discussion since she was also from New York (upstate) and living in London for the time. It is a

small world to meet from the same area but in another country. Naturally, we were able to make a few requests while looking at the menu. 

The first thing to have was a LASSI. A typical yogurt drink from India, that was mixed with mango. It is smooth and has a flavor that is special. You can find it in several Indian restaurants and establishments. But here, in Dishoom it was different. This was the type of Lassi I would normally get when working in Delhi. It was smooth and creamy. It also had a touch of fennel on top. This is different and is only naturally found when in India at any home. It was ideal. 

With the Lassi, the first item we always order, is VEGETABLE SAMOSAS. It is a great way to start a meal. And here it was pure vegetables. It was a short-crust pastry mixed with potatoes, and vegetables of the day including peas, spiced cinnamon, and other spices. It came with a tamarind style chutney for dipping. It was smooth and crunchy. The flavor was fresh and ideal. It was as if a mother had made it in her kitchen and was setting it out for you to grab a bite. Perfect. This could have been a meal to itself. But there was more to come as we finished placing our order. 

A PRESENTATION OF INDIAN CUISINE. 

Once the samosas were finished we sat and waited to see what would come next. We did not have to wait long as it started to arrive. 

All the entrees were bought at once. And in the traditional style, they were all placed in the center of the table for all to enjoy in whatever order they preferred. Per the recommendation, we had MURGH MALAI. This is a combination of bite size pieces of tender chicken thighs cooked in a creamy marinade with yogurt, cheese, ginger, garlic, and chili. It has been steeped overnight for that special taste and aroma. There is a balance of flavor from the creamy yogurt along with the heat of the ground chili paste and warmth from the garam masala powder. It has a special taste of flavor and spices and is creamy and warm. There were also special spices and dips on the side you could always add to enhance the taste even more. 

Next came the CHICKEN RUBY. This is a house specialty, and it is. It is tender chicken in a rich and silky makhani sauce. It is in a proper curry with a mix of spices including garlic, chili, cumin, garam masala, yogurt, and a makhani sauce. The chicken is flavored with a marinade that makes it special and tasty. The sauce is a combination of spice and technique that makes it different from what you could find anywhere else. This is a special dish I have not seen in New York, but only in Delhi. It was spicy, sweet, savory, and something you could not give up. Even when finished with the chicken I took the spoon and had the rest of the sauce as it was a soup. That was different to have and try. 

With this combination came something we never even considered, but again was recommended. This is CHILI BROCCOLI SALAD. It is not as simple as you imagine. Instead, it is a bowl with fresh broccoli, fresh red chilies, and pumpkin. It was topped with sunflower seeds, line, honey, shredded mint leaves, and even toasted pistachios. And this is a salad. It was very different, but a great surprise. This too could have been a meal to itself. It was a good compliment to the other dishes which were creamy and had some spice to the flavor. This was a taste to compliment everything you had. 

The dishes were served with NAAN and rice. Both are what you expect to have when eating a meal like this anyplace you are. 

THE FINISHING TOUCH. 

Typical of India is to finish the meals with a cup of CHAI. It is everywhere you go in India, but reminds you of what it might have been like in Bombay. It is rich and warm and has a flavor and taste you might know but did not expect. This does stand out and is a way to finish the meals you had which were rich and tasty. 

No dinner is complete without a little something sweet to savor at the end. 

A FINAL BIT OF OLD BOMBAY TO EXPLORE. 

When you enter Dishoom you are entering a bit of the past. It is the taste and style of India in the days of Bombay and more. It was a special time with a culture and mix of food and people and a style that is truly unique. When you are in Dishoom you are there and even more so. It is special. 

The team and the service is unbelievable. They are there to help and give suggestions if you are looking for something different. It is different as it is based on what you would normally find in certain regions of India itself. The more options the better. Order a variety to consider and share. There is a mix of meats and vegetables and tastes and styles. All unique to being over in India. But you are here in London to explore. 

The food is excellent. The proportions are just right. This is the way to eat and share the entrees and dishes so you can experience the variety it does have. This is an ideal way to eat and have a conversation at the same time. The variety is a good selection. There is something for everyone. And ask for the recommendations. It might be something you do not even know of or would consider. But it might be there. 

The atmosphere is purely from a time of the past when you would dine in a restaurant that had its own appeal to you. There is a crowd here, and they are of various ages. They are here to eat and to enjoy the food and each other. The prices do compliment them on that. It is what you expect on that level. But with the food and flavors you receive, it is more than you know. 

Step into Dishoom. Step back into India. See what you might have been missing in many ways. Dishoom is a port to experience.

LOCATION: 

DISHOOM / COVENT GARDEN 

12 Upper St. Martin’s Lane 

London 

WC2H 9FB 

Phone: 020 7420 9320 

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