[Restaurant Review] Veeraswamy - Michelin Indian Food

Veeraswamy is the UK's oldest Indian restaurant. In addition to the heritage, they serve great food, at least according to the Michelin inspectors who awarded it one star, year after year.

Is the food really all that good? Especially in London where there's tons to eat?

The Food

I had the pre-theatre dinner. This offers great value, as you get to enjoy a 3 course dinner for just 41 pounds. Pre-theatre dinner (or pre-theatre menu) has its origins in serving a quick dinner for people who need to grab a bite before catching a show or musical. Many restaurants near the London West End serve such a menu; in Singapore, CUT offers this as well (in the form of Early Cuts).

Pre-theatre menus tend to be cheaper but more limited in their offerings so do take note!

I had the samosas for the first course. Aren't these the most perfect-looking samosas?

The samosas were perfectly crispy, and had great flavour. Unlike other samosas, I didn't feel like my mouth was coated with a layer of oil after having them. This can only be achieved with perfect temperature control when frying.

I ordered a mango lassi to go with my meal. I won't exaggerate, this is just okay. How great can a lassi taste anyway?

The biggest compliments that I can give for the lassi is that it tasted fresh, and you can tell that they used good quality mangoes to make the lassi.

My main was served next, and it was the grilled fish exotica, paired with naan.

I loved this dish. The combination of freshly-baked naan, with hot and spicy curry, with perfectly cooked seafood. This dish is a winner.

The fish was expertly grilled, resulting in a crispy skin, and tender meat. The accompanying prawns were well-cooked too, and you get a juicy crunch when you bite into them.

The attention to detail for this dish is mind-blowing. Veeraswamy garnished it with some fried shallots, and some herbs, to enhance the taste and aroma of the curry. The curry is really spicy though, so if you can't take spice, beware!

I'm convinced that everyone loves a freshly-baked naan, and that was what I received for my meal. The naan was warm, soft and tender, but flaky at the same time. This made the naan a perfect vessel for enjoying the curry.

Last but not least was the dessert. The gulab jamun was warm, soaked in a sweet syrup, and topped with a gold leaf. The texture of the gulab jamun was great, no complaints.

Indian desserts tend to be SWEET, and this was no different. However, the pairing of the gulab jamun with a salted caramel ice cream, and a raspberry chutney was really smart. The raspberry chutney added acidity to the dish, while the ice cream added a tinge of saltiness to prevent the dish from being overwhelmingly sweet. It was stated on the menu that the dessert will be served with vanilla ice cream, but I'm so glad that Veeraswamy served it with salted caramel ice cream instead.

The Venue

Veeraswamy is steeped in history, and they are not afraid to let you know that. The place is decorated with photos from their history, and you will experience that from the moment you take a lift up to the restaurant.

The interiors are well-designed, befitting a restaurant with Veeraswamy's history. I liked that the restaurant branded their utensils too!

Conclusion

What makes a great restaurant? Or maybe, what makes a restaurant deserving of a Michelin star?

In my opinion, a restaurant deserving of a Michelin star takes care to ensure that a customer enjoys their food.

During my visit to Veeraswamy, I was seated next to an Indian couple. I arrived right after them, and we ordered our food soon after we got seated. It wasn't long before our starters were served. I finished my starter in no time, and noticed that the couple did not touch the soup, and samosas.

In fact, fifteen minutes later, when I was served my main course, both of them still weren't eating. The server noticed this too, and asked if there's anything wrong. The couple responded that they were fasting, and they will begin their meal in about ten minutes. The server immediately offered to take the food back, and serve them a fresh serving of starters for them in ten minutes.

This, in my opinion, is what makes Veeraswamy, a great restaurant. There may be better curries in another place in London. However, that place may not care if you are enjoying their food in optimal conditions.

The pre-theatre dinner at Veeraswamy offers great value. Coupled that with the thoughful service, you should visit Veeraswamy if you are in London, and you want a satisfying meal.

Disclosure: This post is not sponsored.

Other Stories