Hot Stuff - Restaurant Review

Cuisine: Indian

Cost:  

Rating:

Where?: 19, Wilcox Road, Vauxhall. SW8 2XA.

Closest station(s): Vauxhall, Wandsworth Road Station Stockwell, Oval.      

Telephone:  0207 720 1480

Website: www.welovehotstuff.com   

A friend of mine booked Hot Stuff having heard great things from people at work, having been told I was going I had a quick look at some reviews and was quite shocked to have not heard of it previously – it could hardly be rated more highly.

The restaurant can be found hidden on a parade of shops before you reach Vauxhall from the West. This could not be said to be an upmarket road, to be entirely honest I believe I turned and checked that my central locking had definitely beeped twice. The restaurant is tiny, only holding about 25 – 30 people, tightly packed in – though luckily with the front of the restaurant opening up almost completely it does not become claustrophobic.

The instant we arrived there was an extremely friendly welcome, including the question as to whether we had eaten there before (no, it is not part of the harvester chain they were simply being polite). We were told that most people simply have a selection of dishes brought out having flagged any allergies or particular dislikes and that this would come to about £15 per person. Wanting to get into the spirit of things and with the staff being so friendly we went with their suggestion and waited for the onslaught of dishes.

Throughout our meal we did not have a bad dish. From the chilli paneer, to the mixed bhajis, to the goat lamb, to the table sized naan and ending with a selection of delicious side dishes the cooking was reliable, tasty, fresh and fully enjoyed by all. Was it the best Indian meal I have ever had? No. Was it some of the best food? No. It was however very good and without a dud. We came nowhere near finishing the dishes that were placed before us, though not for a want of trying.

The food at Hot Stuff is very good however it is the rest of the experience that combines to make it a great restaurant. The size of the restaurant and the no frills way in which it set up makes an extremely pleasant change from those restaurants that are trying all too hard to be something that they are not. A napkin made of some hideously thick material that is draped over ones lap with unnecessary pomp is not superior to a paper one brought to someone who is happy to have a chat - Hot Stuff certainly proves this. The service and the staff really do make Hot Stuff what it is, it is a while since I last had such friendly and genuine people serving me.

If the above was not enough Hot Stuff is bring your own (BYO) and there is no corkage fee – which to my mind is something that is difficult to beat. The off license next to the restaurant has a truly hideous selection of wine – however pop out to the main road and to Sainsbury’s and you find yourself in better stead.

I will certainly be returning to Hot Stuff, the cooking is good, the service great, you can take your own alcohol and for all that you pay a pittance. 

Varanasi chefs - Restaurant Review

Cuisine:  Indian

Cost:  

Rating:

Where?:  142, Battersea high Street, London. SW11 3JR.

Closest station(s): Clapham Junction.  

Telephone: 020 7228 3145

Website: www.varanasichefs.co.uk

Varanasi Chefs is tucked away on Battersea High Street, a rather shabby road that I had not eaten on previously. The décor is pretty standard for a run of the mill Indian restaurant, perfectly comfortable and welcoming however little more. The menu immediately caught my attention with a selection of dishes that don’t prescribe to the standard ‘samosa, bhaji, sheikh kebab, chicken tikka’ formula that you find on so many high street Indian restaurant menus. Here instead you have papri chaat, aloo tikki chaat and the wonderfully named lamb mo mo. So, the menu may be a little out of the ordinary however at Varanasi Chefs prices (pretty much all starters under £5) I wasn’t expecting them to be anything special.

The starters that arrived at the table were stunning, real effort has been made to make the starters a feast for the eyes as well as the stomach. These starters have the look of those you would find in an upmarket Indian restaurant; this is certainly more Benares or Cinnamon Kitchen than your bog standard high street Indian restaurant. The starters were without exception excellent.

The mains that followed were also very good, however they could not quite live up to the theatre or excellence of the starters. The sides, roti and naan were all particularly good – the Daal was one of the finest I have had.

I hold great affection for Varanasi Chefs, the staff are extremely friendly and attentive and the house wine comes in around £13. The last time I went I just had starters, which turned out to be a great meal. In addition, the restaurant often has offers in place that make the already reasonably priced food an absolute steal. 

Namaaste Kitchen - Restaurant Review

Cuisine:  Indian

Cost: 

Rating: 

Where?:  64, parkway, Camden, London. NW1 7AH.  

Closest station(s): Camden Road, Mornington Crescent, King’s Cross.

Telephone: 0207 485 5977

Website: www.namaastekitchen.co.uk

Walking up to the entrance to this new venture on Parkway I thought for a minute that I might have the wrong place, looking through the glass front I could have sworn I was looking at a new Soho bar rather than an Indian restaurant. Despite my confusion I ventured inside and was taken to a table at the back of the restaurant opposite the two grills where much of the restaurant’s food is cooked.

Namaaste Kitchen is certainly comes within the smart, trendy and upmarket categories; rather than trying to be your local curry house. This is a place where bottles of champagne are strewn around the bar.

My Kadhai spiced pan seared scallops were beautifully presented on a slate; as were my (vegetarian) dining partner’s Tandoori Portobello mushroom. The taste lived up to the presentation; to my mind making a Portobello mushroom the centre piece of a starter and packing it with flavour is a great achievement in itself. My scallops were not over-powered by the seasoning and delicately cooked.

The question then was whether the mains could live up to the starters. The red wine with which we had decided to wash it all down was good and certainly not too expensive. I have never had a rack of lamb in an Indian restaurant and all I can say is that I wish everywhere served it – it was mind-blowingly good. Cutting into the charred outer flesh I was greeted by moist and perfectly pink meat. The spices only added to rather than masking the flavour of the meat and the fat on the outside was the thing of dreams. The side dishes were also excellent, the stars of the show being sesame baby aubergine with mustard and curry leaf sauce and the black lentil dhall.

The service was also extremely good, if anything it was a little over attentive. Namaaste Kitchen is an excellent restaurant, it is not however cheap – you are looking at easily reaching £100 with wine for 2 people. The food is not your run of the mill high street Indian takeaway though, it is much more. I will certainly be returning for that horrendously good lamb.