When in London last November, we ate in a really stupendous Indian restaurant in a northern suburb with a friend, but by the time we got home, we’d lost track of the name of both the restaurant and the suburb. Now maybe we’re easily impressed Americans dulled by the sad state of Indian cookery on our shores, but I was licking plates. This place was so much better than the trendy Pakistani place recommended by droves of people on chowhound.com, which was downright disappointing. I could probably dig up the name of that place, but why would I ever bother, when I have found a little paper wrapper in amongst some really tragically overdue paperwork and now can tell you that we got the *real* eats at Raaz Brasserie in Muswell Hill? 176-178 Fortis Green Road, Muswell Hill, London N10 3DU. 020-8442-1320 or 020 8444 8322. Yay!
I don’t know where you live, but I feel pretty good about the state of Indian cookery here in Chicago. Even if the only restaurant in town was Udupi Palace I’d feel good about it, and the fact is there are at least 30 or 40 more within a six-block radius, many of which are also quite good.
I must admit I’ve never had the privilege of a true London curry… but it’s not a lost cause here.
http://udupipalace.com