Curryhouse.net dines out in the Capital
Curryhouse.net dines out in
the Capital
| Feature Restaurants... | Our Reviewer
and newest member of the Curryhouse.net Team, Anne, reports back from her
night out.
Chor Bizarre
Rasa W1 Bill for two people (starters, main course, dessert and a bottle of wine - approx £60) I stumbled into Rasa following a disappointing start to the evening at Chor Bizarre. As we entered Chor Bizarre the view was of an ornately decorated room, mosaic tiled tables, carved chairs and an abundance of other crafted objects; a room which took the diner straight to the heart of the Indian sub continent. We were directed however downstairs to a table for two next to the kitchen doors. The room was large, empty, and had the air of being put together for the purpose of the 'Christmas party' influx. 'It won't be empty for long there's a large party joining you soon', said our waitress. Not quite the setting I had in mind for a fine dining curry experience! Despite enquiry no agreement could be met to move us back up to the ground floor so we left. My first impression? When busy Chor Bizarre does not pay attention to those aesthetic extra's of ambience, setting and service and this made me query their real motivation, numbers rather than quality. I may be wrong but it will be sometime before I return! Rasa however, was on the other end of the scale for attentiveness and good service. Despite being full to capacity Rasa assured us that a table would be available within 15 minutes if we were prepared to wait. Waiting was not a problem, we headed off to Hanover Square where, despite being a Friday night, the Davy's Wine bar, Chopper Lump, was quiet enough for us to be served within a few minutes. Rasa is tucked off Oxford Street, on Dering Street. Simple decor, with some Indian artifacts hanging on the walls; this is not your average curry house. It specialises in Keralian dishes which are subtle and tasty. It is definitely a restaurant rather than a curry house. The ambience is lively and relaxed and the clientele ranging in age from twenty to thirty plus. The menu is vegetarian and varied. Starters are limited, approximately 6 in all, but there are plenty of main dishes to choose from. Licensed, Rasa has an extensive wine list both red and white and even a few choices for rose wine and champagne. For those who prefer beer, bottles of Cobra are on the list. I started with cassava masala chips, whilst David opted for the spinach and mushroom samosas (£4.25). Both were ample portions, served with a yogurt dip. I'm guessing the dip had onion seed and cayenne, whatever it was it was very tasty. David complained that he couldn't taste the mushrooms. Given that he had three samosas, there didn't seem any harm in eating one myself to verify the claim. I could taste the mushrooms, but it has to be said the flavours are subtle, consisting of gentle spice combinations which compliment the vegetables, neither taking precedence. There was a large selection of main dishes (£6.50), none of which I had ever come across in other curry houses before. Side dishes were limited, only three (£3), and a good selection of rice (£3), plain, lemon and tamarind to name three, and breads (£2.50). We both ordered curries. Bagar baingan, an aubergine curry with a rich, gently spiced yogurt sauce, whilst Pacharacha kootu curry consisted of mixed vegetables with mustard seeds and onions. We ordered Tamarind rice and athisaya pathari, made from rice flour with cumin, to compliment. Portions were small but, having had such ample starters, that didn't matter. Neither of the curries were 'chilli' hot, however fried chillis were served as a garnish, so we sliced them up and added as much heat as we wanted to each mouthful! Despite being full, I treated myself to a Mango Kulfi (£3) for dessert, although looking at the other tables I wished I'd had room to try the other desserts (rice specialities). The kulfi, a type of ice-cream made from sweetened milk with added fruit or nuts, was good but no better than I have eaten before. The mango was strong enough to hold its own against the milk base and was a fitting end to a great meal. Service was slightly slow, but the staff offset this by being friendly and helpful. In fact quite the friendliest staff I've encountered in a restaurant for a long time! If you're looking to dine on indian food which bears no resemblance to the usual chicken tikka masala parlours, then this is a great place to come. It does get busy, so make sure you book if you wish to avoid disappointment. Copyright 2002 The Web Collective Why not tell us about your
own experience of the Chor Bizarre or the Rasa W1. We award a prize each
month for the best review that we receive.
|