Our national dish, curry, to me remains perplexing and mysterious. Life has afforded me plenty of exposure to its charms, yet I fully recognise that profound understanding is best learned at home and from birth. So, with no small amount of imposter syndrome, I went to explore the London opening of Masakali, already well established in Reading. The name (a famous Bollywood song from ‘Delhi 6’) is an invented word meaning ‘aspiring to fly high through peace and liberation’ like a dancing white pigeon.
It had been a busy day. Liaising with a bat expert for a barn conversion I am designing, then on to record a voiceover playing an 80’s Radio One DJ in a studio just down the road from Masakali.
Formally the Lord Nelson, its hostelry roots remain. Remnants of the anaglypta still adorn the ceiling and the layout is ubiquitous boozer.
With banquette seating each side, the layout is generous and adaptable.
The food is inspired by cuisine from all over India, and the majority of customers on my visit were also Indian, surely the ultimate litmus. Comprising nibbles, small plates, tandoor, curry and biryani, the temptation is to have a bit of everything. And when the most expensive item is £22 why not?
We asked for the six dishes we ordered to arrive as and when ready, first to the table being avocado and kale chaat – a cold dish, imagine crispy kale tempura; sweet, sour, mildly spicy.
Lamb chops in a coconut, mustard oil and yoghourt dressing were a real treat. I could eat these all day.
Kurkure bhindi, sliced and battered are a great nibble. Like courgette fritti but with the umami of finely julienned okra.
Fish Amritsari bites in a fine carom-spiced batter, literally dissolve with the first bite, served with a mint yoghurt. I insist you try these.
The peppery chicken was quite a surprise – almost sweet and sour, the deceptive warmth follows. It’s the soy that tips this dish further east in its heritage, and I loved it.
One of their staples is Old Delhi butter chicken – buttery, creamy and mild, mopped up by fluffy saffron pilau rice, it’s a classic comfort dish.
To round things off we shared an apricot delight; egg custard on a sponge cake with dried apricots in a moat of vanilla cream. So glad it was 1 between 2, it was enormous.
I had a pint of draft IPA, my companion a glass of La Famille Lacasse Merlot and, although they offered us doggy bags, we were weak and ate the lot. By the time we had finished we needed to be wheeled out on sack trollies. Keenly priced, charming staff, but above all a flawless performance from the kitchen. A consistently delivered dining experience that I will repeat when next in the area – that, my friends, was a very good night out.
Masakali is at 48 Stanhope Street, London NW1 3EX
opening hours: 12-11pm Monday-Sunday