Any curry house recommendations for central london?

[minimonster]

Hi there.  I'm in Central London until Tuesday and looking for a good curry house. Had a search online and the brick lane ones seem to get quite mixed to poor reviews nowadays so looking for any recent recommendations. thanks!

[minimonster]

In a moment of madness I went to a curry house near my hotel called "light of india" on gloucester road.  The garlic nan was the only good thing I ate.  The madras was watery and lacked any depth of flavour and the service was poor.  Definitely one to avoid!

I'm back down with work in a few weeks so if anyone has any suggestions I'm all ears.  It may save me another bad experience... Thanks!

[adriandavidb]

It depends what you are after?  If you want something of Pakistani 'Balti' type flavour try the Lahore Kebab House.  I recommend the chicken Karahi and the lamb Saag, the sheek Kebabs are good, and the Vegy dishes are alll nice too.  I normally mop it all up with a few Rotis.  It's a BYO as far as alcohol is concerned.

Just head down the Commercial road out of the City (easterly) about 1/4 mile, just on the RHS near the traffic lights, in Umberston St.

Nearest tube Aldate East.

[minimonster]

It depends what you are after? 

Thanks for the recommendation.  I'm from East Kilbride (just outside Glasgow) so the BIRs are mainly Bangladeshi (I think?...) up this way and thats what I'm used to.

I'm down for 5 nights so would be nice to try a different curry house each night... if my insides can handle it.

[Peripatetic Phil]

I would second the recommendation for Lahore One (Commercial Road) w.r.t. the kebabs, but I did find their curries over-priced, particularly in view of the ambience, and not that inspiring.  But the kebabs are absolutely top-notch, and when Khanh & I visit we normally just pig out on those with chapatti ...

P.S. If you do go for kebabs and chapatti, it is well worth nothing how the locals eat them -- strictly right-hand only, left hand nowhere to be seen.

It might also be worth checking out the Agra in Whitfield Street (top of Tottenham Court Road, nearest station Warren Street), which used to be my all-time favourite for Tandoori Chicken -- it's now a long time since I last ate there, so I can't vouch for its current quality.

I have friends late of East Kilbride -- David & Linda Edmiston, now living (for many years) in Inverness.

[coogan]

The last time I went to Lahore One must have been a good 15-20 years ago the place was heaving with customers of all sorts. Yes the kebabs and breads were to die for - the boys their could certainly get a tandoor kicking - the curries and side dishes were not your normal BIR but more traditional I would have said - very nice. I thought it was incredibly cheap but that was probably because we loaded up with beer and wine from across the road to take in that must have made a hell off difference to the final bill shared between about 20 of us. The place was filthy especially the karsey's but the food and atmosphere were great. Unfortunately the establishment was actually closed down the very next day by the food and hygiene agency which was quite worrying at the time but we all survived. Anyway it reopened a week later shortly followed by the opening of Lahore Two a couple of miles down the road I seem to remember. They are probably now the cleanest curry houses in London today - well worth a visit I would say just for them kebabs and bread alone.

Bon Lahore