My friends and I stopped by Simply Indian on vacation after hearing great things about the Indian food on offer in London. We were seated quickly upon entering the establishment, but the table next to us was filled with drunk, extremely loud patrons, at least ten or twelve. Their table was filled with empty bottles of booze and they were yelling, singing, and blasting music out of a shitty Bluetooth speaker placed on the table. By far the worst restaurant patrons I've ever seen anywhere. It's not SI's fault at all, but I really need to vent after such a shocking display of contempt for others. Luckily they left afer about fifteen minutes, but it was a painful time while it lasted.
Anyway. We quickly got our papadum after sitting down and it, and especially the sauces with which it was served, were amazing. The salsa (whose name I do not know) was phenomenal, and the chutney was better than any other I've ever had. But once receiving it, we were left hanging for a good ten or fifteen minutes before our orders were taken. We were considering leaving, but our food came out only five minutes later, and it was well worth the wait. I got chicken biryani, probably my favorite Indian dish, and it beat even the delicious biryani found in my local Indian place back home.
A friend got the Southern Thali and I think he won the night. The assortment of food that came with it was broad, and all of it was yummy. A little spicier than I was prepared for, but it was overall well-balanced and left me wanting a portion of my own.
The table also got some jhalfrezi. I'd never heard of the dish before, but the description sounded appetizing so we took a chance and, lo and behold, it was wonderful. Again, spicier than I was expecting, but it was something fundamentally different than Indian food I was familiar with. I've never noticed it on any menu before, but I'll be sure to look for it when I get back home!
We were surprised with a dessert menu and, at a friend's strong suggestion, got the carrot fudge with mango ice cream. Fantastic decision. At risk of sounding repetitive, it was something totally new to me and borderline indescribable. It tasted carrot-like, but smoother and sweeter. I'll echo that recommendation. Just get it. Our waiter actually brought one out without even taking our order, he was that sure we'd like it!
Afterwards, he came out again and had a chat about the chef's background and the philosophy of the food he had prepared for us.
Overall, despite the rocky start to the night, the food and service were phenomenal. It's sort of hidden in a back corner, but if you find yourself in the neighborhood, Simple Indian is absolutely worth a visit. read more