Veeraswamy

Victory House, 99 Regent St, London

There are reasons to be cynical about Veeraswamy: first, there’s the fact it’s part of – shock horror – a group (Masala World, since 1997). And it holds the title of being the UK’s oldest Indian restaurant. Mentioning such things isn’t always a sign of quality. Yet I would recommend Veeraswamy to everyone because, quite frankly, what’s not to like? Even as you walk in, it’s a feast for the eyes. The hallway is filled with pictures of the glitterati that have dined here since it opened in 1926 – Edward, Prince of Wales, King Gustav of Sweden, Marlon Brando and, of course, Charlie Chaplin.

In the dining area there are brightly coloured lanterns; uplighters that change from purple to yellow to green; perilously balanced chandeliers; tables covered with rose petals. The walls are adorned with Kalighat-style paintings and turbans from the Indian Maharajas who’ve eaten at Veeraswamy. It’s vibrant in a way only an Indian restaurant can be. After the experience of getting to your table, there’s the food. Veeraswamy doesn’t pin its flag to any specific region of India; but whether you choose chicken chatpata from the north or a southern Malabar lobster curry, the staff here don’t just know what’s on your plate, they know its heritage too.

Starters rarely get better than raj kachori. Veeraswamy’s take on this Indian street food is essentially a wheat puri filled with lentils, tamarind chutney and yoghurt. Sweet, creamy and refreshing inside, outside the soft, slightly crisp pastry made the perfect casing for this light and tasty starter. Other options such as the succulent, tandoor-cooked crab seekh kebab and wild tiger prawns with coriander, mint and chilli were equally good, as was the red snapper tikka with big, manly chunks of fish in a black pepper marinade.

For mains, the Kashmiri rogan josh offers shanks of lamb with meat falling off the bone, and a rich prawn Travancore curry. In some Indian restaurants, dessert can be an afterthought, but what Veeraswamy does, it does well. The caramalised banana kulfi was the best I’ve tasted and the tandoori fig with pistachio ice cream also ensured the meal ended on a high note. It may be old, but Veeraswamy is the whole package.