Moti Mahal (West End, London) review on Fluid Eating

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Fluid Eating's Review of Moti Mahal

I read a Jilly Cooper novel once. Oh sod it, I’ve nearly read all of them. Her books are shameless easy reading. You can really get stuck into one. You know when you pick up a copy of Riders you are in for a treat. They are, to be precise, exactly what you expect of them. To me, reading a Jilly is comparable to eating Indian food. What you expect is a chicken bhuna and that’s what you get. Curry is comforting, you can really get stuck into it, and you always want more. Or is that just me?

Moti Mahal is not the Jilly Cooper of the culinary world; Moti Mahal is the Salman Rushdie, the Roald Dahl, and the William Shakespeare. Moti Mahal is so different to the rest of the curry scene, in fact, that on my first visit I walked away completely stunned.

Firstly, it was a Monday evening. I don’t like quiet restaurants; I want atmosphere and more noise than the scraping of my cutlery. I want to see what other people are ordering and I want to blend in while I lick my plate. Jackpot! The only table not occupied was the one my friend and I would be sitting at. Is it just me that hadn’t heard of Moti Mahal before? Seems like everyone and their uncle had flocked to the curry house, surely everyone else can’t be as atmosphere pedantic as me?

I’m one of those annoying people who is asked numerous times if they’re ready to order, even before I’ve even looked at the menu. Drinks orders, however, they’re easy. Mojito? Screwdriver? Mai Tai? Not here, Moti Mahal don’t just do the classics, they put an Indian twist on everything, making them into modern amalgamations.

We welcome a Spiced Mango margarita - tequila, fresh mango, lime, cayenne, curry leaf, cinnamon and Cointreau infusion - and a Laurel leaf Smash - curry plant, bay leaf, fig, fig liqueur, blackberries, vodka, lemon and sugar. They were refreshing, unique, and most welcome. In fact, they can come again…and again.

Next up, the daunting task of ordering from the huge book-like menu. Think War and Peace but full of words such as Kararee, anardana and chemeen. I’ve got indecisive disorder so I was pleased to discover the set menu option and get back to chatting.

A glass of wine to start and then the magic began. Plump seared scallops with coriander and tamarind on a lime and cumin pea puree followed by a butterflied leg of lamb seasoned with cinnamon, bay leaf and green chillies with what can only be described as air-whipped heaven. Lastly, a vermicelli and masala chicken with pine nuts, baked with egg custard - so huge and so delicious it felt wrong to leave any, but I don’t think Moti Mahal is the sort of place that does doggy bags.

For the main course, stir-fried prawns with coconut and curry leaf, a venison stew with chillies, cloves and garlic, black lentil daal, fried lotus stem tossed with peanuts and coriander, a cooling raita and baked breads. Wow! And wow again! We weren’t sure if the waiter thought the people passing the window were joining us, but our dinner was huge enough for four. Four hippos.

Every morsel we managed to eat was delectable. It tasted unique on the taste buds. Just like the cocktails, Moti Mahal create every mouthful so that it reaches all five sections of the tongue.

After all that food we were stuffed, we couldn’t eat another thing. If Moti Mahal offered a blanket instead of a warm flannel I would have happily snuggled up and gone in to hibernation.

And then… dessert arrived. I am a firm believer in the fact (ahem) that the stomach has a small section reserved only for sweet things. We happily made room for a medley of desserts; a unique-tasting cardamom ice-cream, a sticky and sugary griddled Indian flatbread and a very sweet banana and blueberry cake. It was all very flavoursome and filled the allocated space but not wholly necessary after the banquet.

For what could be described as an Indian feast with three wines to match, Moti Mahal is amazing value for money; the portions were huge even for those with pachyderm appetites.

When leaving we took it in turns to roll each other back to the bus stop. Between rolls we discussed how we had a new perspective on Indian cuisine. Moti Mahal made my choice when it comes to ordering a curry so much more refined. No longer will I settle for a chicken tikka and a naan, give me Thatee Ka Gosht any day. My reading choices, however, will never change. Now when’s Cooper’s latest novel due out?

Reviewed by Rebecca Brett

DESCRIPTION: Moti Mahal restaurant, located on two floors, is modern in design with glass chandeliers, dark wood flooring, taupe walls and cream leather seating. Large windows run along two sides of the restaurant, while a curved wall of glass separates the kitchen from the dining area. Being able to watch the chefs in action creates a visual spectacle for diners and adds an element of theatre to the dining experience.

Moti Mahal is celebrating India’s culinary roots with the launch of a new menu that resurrects time-honoured dishes from rural India. The new menu introduces a culinary narrative highlighting long-forgotten recipes from along the Grand Trunk Road. (Updated 17/08/2010)

Average price per head: £40.00
Additional Info: No additional info for this venue.

Moti Mahal Food & Drink Menus

Listed below are few sample food and drinks items available at Moti Mahal. These lists are not enhaustive, but are instead designed to give you an overview of the venue's offerings and assciated prices.

Moti Mahal Food menu

Head Chef Anirudh Arora has travelled the length of Grand Trunk Road, starting from the shores of Bay of Bengal and covering the expanses of the Indus and Gangetic plains. In what became a hugely personal journey, he spent his time interacting with families, villagers, vendors and experts to rediscover the origins of Indian cuisine. Inspired by his experiences abroad, Anirudh has created an entirely unique menu at Moti Mahal.

Item	Price
Murgh Makhani ~ Moti Mahal, Delhi	£20.00
A particular speciality of ours, this butter chicken recipe was created by a chef at the first Moti Mahal restaurant in New Delhi. Faithfully recreating our namesake’s recipe, this dish features Chick
Murghi Nazakat ~ Punjab	£17.00
The preparation of three different types of chicken tikka is an indicator that the utmost care, attention and respect is being showered on one’s guest. Inspired by a hearty me
Qabali Seviyan ~ Kabul	£11.00
I experienced this unique Afghan dish at the end of my journey in Kabul. Qabali Seviyan is a richly textured dish –vermicelli and masala chicken supreme tossed with pine nuts and baked with egg custard. It is a rare and indulgent delicacy eaten during Eid to mark the end of Ramadan
Chapli Kebab ~ Gawalmandi, Lahore	£10.00
Birth place of my father, pot pourri to the exceptional kebabs, lahore sets the bench mark of my travel. ‘Gawalmandi’ is the food street where I found this version of
Bhalla Papdi Chaat ~ Old Delhi	£9.00
A tea time favourite for all North Indians, this dish finds its roots in the Gallis ‘streets’ of Old Delhi, where crisp fried pastry and chick peas are drizzled with creamy yoghurt, tamarind and mint
Sorpotel ~ Goa	£23.00
The origin of this dish is in Goan cuisine, a region where spices are blended to such an extreme intensity that the flavours cannot be described in words, their complexicity can only be experienced. H
Meetha Kulcha aur Shrikhand	£11.00
‘Kulcha’, a speciality filled flatbread adored all over India. Here the sweet Kulcha is griddled and served with ‘Shrikhand’ – a creamy yoghurt flavoured with cardamom,
Anjeer Kulfi Falouda	£7.00
Kulfi, frozen and sweetened milk, is the most famous of all North Indian desserts. At Moti Mahal, creamy ‘Kulfi’ is served with sweet noodles, stewed figs and basil seeds

Moti Mahal Drink menu

extensive wine list and cocktail list available

Item	Description	Price
Gin Shikanjvi	Bulldog Gin, fresh Basil & Mint leaves are blended together with roasted Cumin & Black Pepper, fresh Lime juice & pure sugar cane syrup with a hint of Ginger.	£10.00
Goa Fire	Kettle One Vodka & Galliano L’Autentico Liqueur paired with fresh Strawberries, Strawberry purée & a hint of Chilli & Lime.	£10.00
Moutard Prestige Rosé NV	champagne.	£65.00
Château Langoa Barton 2001, Saint Julien	Bordeaux collection.	£94.00
514 Gruner Veltliner, “Lois” Fred Loimer 2009, langenlois	white.	£33.00
Côtes du Rhône Rouge “Parallèle 45” Paul Jaboulet Aîné 2008, Rhône valley	red.	£36.00

Moti Mahal Special Offers

Moti Mahal special offers

Title: DINNER OFFER - Kebab Menu £19 (for reservations up to 8 guests only)
Classification: Weekend, Dinner, Eat out from £10 to £20, Fixed price Menu
Date: 16 Apr, 2012 - 30 Sep, 2012
Days: Sunday, Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, Friday, Saturday
Time: n/a
This is an online special offer only - Click here to book

Moti Mahal Opening Hours

Sunday	Monday	Tuesday	Wednesday	Thursday	Friday	Saturday
Closed	12:00pm - 3:00pm 5:30pm - 11:00pm	12:00pm - 3:00pm 5:30pm - 11:00pm	12:00pm - 3:00pm 5:30pm - 11:00pm	12:00pm - 3:00pm 5:30pm - 11:00pm	12:00pm - 3:00pm 5:30pm - 11:00pm	5:30pm - 11:00pm

Moti Mahal Map

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Customer Reviews for Moti Mahal

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“We found this place by accident, you could walk straight past it and not notice it was a restaurant. I will never just walk past again without going in for dinner! What an AMAZING place for dinner - I agree with the other review, the best Indian in town. Delicious food and massive portions. I recommend to everyone and challenge them to find a better curry. Oh and the drinks ar delicious too” Rating: — June Wilson, London (12 Aug 2010)

“Easily the best Indian restaurant in London. No other comes close. The food is divine and i can't go there often enough. A prefect example of how Indian restaurants should be. A gem.” Rating: — Sachin, London (24 Jul 2010)