My top five Indian restaurants in London are:
1. Gaylord: Based on Mortimer Street, this traditional from the days of the Raj serves 100% authentic food in a setting befitting a Rajasthani palace. It’s not cheap (about £30 a head) but a real treat. When Indians holiday in London, they go to Gaylords to eat
2. Vama: A modern Indian restaurant on Kings Road that serves authentic Indian food with a modern slant (see image). It combines the best of traditional cuisine with a twist for Western palates. The kali dal and matar methi masala here are superb. And you can expect to sit behind Vama regulars like Mick Jagger and Bryan Adams
3. Diwana bhel poori house: Set on Drummond Street in Euston, Diwana does an eat as much as you like buffet lunch for £6.50 that really gets the aunties going. The variety is large, and although vegetarian you are guaranteed not to miss meat
4. Masala Zone: A gem of a chain established by the long established people of Veeraswamy restaurant fame. There is something for everyone here and it’s cheap! You can eat like a pig for about £15 a head
5. Sarkhels: Ok, ok, I feel like a bit of a sell out here. I’ve never actually been to Sarkhels. But I went to a wedding recently where none other that Udit Sarkhel was cooking up a storm in the kitchen. His food is delicious and he’s a real champion for real Indian food. Food is not too expensive either.
the davenport hotel