Masala Grill
535 Kings Road, London SW10 0SZ
Telephone: 020 7351 7788
As the youngest child in my family I can truly understand how it feels to have achieved something only to be told that your older sibling did the same, and not only that, but obviously did it before you as they are older. I can imagine that those in charge at Masala Grill have a similar feeling about its ‘older sibling’, namely the restaurant that used to occupy 535 Kings Road, in the heart of Chelsea, before them. I am not going to succumb to mentioning its predecessor, as I think that Masala Grill’s achievements are such that they stand alone, and they are a great addition to Chelsea life.
Masala Grill comes from the same group who own Amaya,Veeraswamy and Masala Zone, and is located between Sloane Square and Fulham Broadway tube stations, on the Kings Road, and they provide top quality Indian food in an eclectic setting.
As you leave the hustle and bustle of the Kings Road you step into the informal and calming atmosphere that is Masala Grill. The reception area is warm and full of rich colours, with a lovely centre piece - a flower covered water bowl (I am advised this is good Feng Shui), and this area felt less like a restaurant and more like a front room of a house. On descending into the restaurant the warm de´cor continues with rich tapestries and Indian statues adorning the walls, all of which I believe have either been sourced from the owner’s own homes or Indian markets, and the space is surprising. The dining room is split into 3 distinct parts; one a separate dining room for approximately 35 which is revealed by pulling back some mirrored shutters; the second a warm dining room filled with well spaced out tables; and the third, the tables surrounding a Ficus tree in a conservatory adorned by festival ribboning of vibrant reds and pinks.
We were seated in the conservatory, where, whilst sipping a perfectly mixed cocktail, perused the menu. Accompanying our pre- dinner drinks we nibbled on some popadoms eAtinG OUt accompanied by a delightful trio of chutneys, of which two were spicy and the third a sweet mango chutney. Following these we decided to pep up our taste buds before the main courses with some Pani Puri (£5.50) and one of the signature dishes the Chicken Sixer (£7.50). The Pani Puri were crisp whole wheat puffs which we carefully filled with a refreshing splash of sauce and then were eaten whole - a street food classic. The Chicken Sixer was named after cricket lovers in the South of India, and the succulent chicken surrounded by a crisp coating provided just the right amount of heat to stimulate your taste buds, and this was served with a rich and spicy tomato chutney.
What I love about Masala Grill is that it dares you to be brave and choose things you may not have thought of, and I truly urge you to go with it as you will not regret it. As a starter I would usually look to Lamb Seekh Kebab ( £9.50), which although true to its Punjabi regional roots, and very tasty, is not a patch on the vegetarian dishes. Many of those I tried I would probably never have chosen, and that would have meant me missing out on treats such as the Dahi Puri (£6), a variation on the Pani Puri, and fills the crispy puffs with a mixture of refreshing yoghurt and tangy pomegranate where the flavours simply burst in your mouth and stimulate all of your senses - a must have. Another Punjab region inspired dish is the Vegetable Samosa Chaat (£6.50), which again is a must have, and unlike most Samosa’s is made from ‘proper’ pastry which is light and wholesome, and is served warm with yoghurt and tamarind.
Having already gone ‘off piste’ with my selections, and being rewarded with some delicious delights, I was determined to maintain this adventurous spirt for the main course, and looking again at the menu I realised how far Indian food in the UK has come. In the not too distant past, Indian food was thought of as something to do after a few beers in the pub in a gaudily decorated restaurant. Oh how different it is now. Masala Grill offer a 4 pronged attack for the main courses. Prong one are delightful Biryanis with a Chicken (£14) or a Vegetable (£13) option. Prong two, Thalis where those who really cannot decide what to have can have a tasting menu on a tray. The vegetarian option (£16) includes Paneer Makhanwalla, Daal and cauliflower and peas whereas the non- vegetarian option (£18) have a wide variety of curries both of which will help on your next visit (yes I guarantee you will return), where you may prefer to select one dish. Prong 3 is the grill section where the choice is extensive. I tried the Dehli Chicken Tikka (£12.50) a novel twist on the usual Chicken Tikka where, instead of breast meat, chicken thighs were used, and the subtle blend of Kashmiri red chillies, ginger and garlic take this dish to a different level. Other notable choices include King Sized Prawns (£23), and Raan Khyberi (£21) which is a slow cooked leg of Lamb served with Star Anise and caramelised onions. My choice and my wife’s came from Prong 4 - the Curries. My wife chose the Butter Chicken (£13.50), which gets its name from the smoothness of the chicken rather than any use of butter in the dish and I, retaining that adventurous streak, chose the Punja Rara Gosht (£15). Accompanying this we had one rice (£2.75), a Sag Aloo (£4.25) and a Roti for my wife (£3), and in my current carefree attitude, a Cheese and Green Chillie Naan (£4).
The Butter Chicken lived up to its name and was luxurious and rich with just enough heat to complement rather than overpower. My Punja Rara Gosht was another eye opener as the slow cooked lamb hit the spot with the spice adding to the taste rather than dominating it. The green chilli and cheese naan to me was fine without the cheese, which I felt only added an unnecessary additional flavour, but the actual naan is light and frankly doesn’t need any additions.
It almost feels odd to say it at an Indian restaurant, but it is worth looking, and ordering, from the dessert menu. The Gulab Jamun with salted caramel ice cream (£5.50) is worth a look, as is the Chocolate and Caramel Fondant (£7.50), which Reese’s Cup chocolate lovers will enjoy.
Masala Grill also do a Sunday buffet (£26 a head), and I for one will return for this, as from what I have currently tasted, this will enable me to try widen my horizons even further.
Masala Grill is a quality restaurant in its own right and offers exceptional Indian food at sensible prices, and I for one am eternally grateful for them giving me more confidence in my choices, because some of the choices I made here will be my selections for years to come.