khan's restaurant, Bayswater, London

[chewytikka]

I

[Secret Santa]

This used to be my local haunt some 30-odd years ago when I lived in Notting Hill and I spent many a happy beer and curry filled night (and day) in the locality.

I tried every curry house there at that time, many (and the best) of which no longer exist. The one that we avoided was Khan's. Well apart from the one time we went there. It's offerings were over priced, the setting too formal and the curry, while adequate, was well below the quality of the surrounding smaller eateries. But as I say that was over 30 years ago.

Your description of the curries is spot on from my memories though especially the green Jalfrezi and the smokey Dhansak, both very characteristic of the area's curries.

It could be that they adopted the better styles from the smaller places that went out of business. It may be that you now know why I have very high standards when it comes to BIR.  ;D

[George]

I have very high standards when it comes to BIR.

Me too!

I first went to Khan's about 30 years ago and have been there about half a dozen times, the most recent being about 4 years' ago. I like the fairly large dining area and busy atmosphere but never considered the food to be any better than 'adequate'. The food quality may have improved but in the past, I was never anywhere near being 'blown away' as CT says he was.  It just shows how different people can have different opinions.

Given that the dhansak has been mentioned specifically, I must go back again soon, just to try that.

[Secret Santa]

It just shows how different people can have different opinions.

There's just no doubt that there is a wide range of what we BIR connoisseurs consider a good curry and that's obviously down to an individual's personal experience. Specifically regarding Khan's, who's to say, until a few others try it, that it isn't the mutt's nuts now given that my experience is 30+ years ago and yours 4 or so.

Judging just from Chewy's recipes though (in particular his madras) it's clear to me that we have a very different opinion on what constitutes a good curry. To be honest I'm just happy I can for the first time relate to a restaurant review because I actually know the place. 

[london]

Maybe London curries are better that the ones you get up north. My only experience of a northern curry was a dhansak in the lake district which was served with a whole pineapple ring in the middle which did not thrill me at all. 

[Secret Santa]

My only experience of a northern curry was a dhansak in the lake district with was served with a whole pineapple ring in the middle which do not thrill me at all.

Ahhh..the Gollum Dhansak..my preshussss!

[Donald Brasco]

Was the dhansak the reddish dish at the back? And the dhal the yellow soupy looking one at the front? 

I see their menu on the website says they cook their pilau in chicken stock, that's a lot of stock when you consider how much pilau a restaurant will shift. So how do they have so much stock on hand? Butchering their own chickens and ending up with a lot of bones to stew into stock? Doesn't seem likely. Or when they say chicken stock is this curried chicken stock, ie thin gravy residue from precooking chicken breast chunks in spices? More likely perhaps.

A good Indian is a rare find these days, worth a visit for sure

[Secret Santa]

Daal bottom left, korma hiding behind the glass, and dhansak just above it...if I'm not mistaken?

[Donald Brasco]

Well I find myself sitting here in Khans awaiting my simple order of meat madras and pilau rice to come out. Will let you know how it goes...

[Peripatetic Phil]

At 19:52 on a Friday evening, I would expect them to be very busy.  Are they ?
** Phil.