Rasa Travancore

The lurid pink facade is a giveaway – as familiar to foodies as the Rasa name itself. This Stoke Newington vegetarian restaurant first brought the home cooking of Kerala to London back in 1994. Since then, the Rasa group has spread across the capital & beyond, but this dimly lit, incense-tinged original is still reckoned to be the pick of the bunch. Prices are low, & the meat-free delights are exciting enough to convert the most bloodthirsty carnivores. Start a meal with punchy homemade pickles & crunchy snacks, before moving on to street-food starters or peppery soups. Go on to main courses of ‘divine’ dosas, subtly spiced bold-flavoured curries, or specialities ranging from moru kachiathu (sweet mangoes & green bananas in yoghurt & green chilli sauce) to stir-fried cabbage ‘thoran’ with potatoes, lentils & mustard seeds. Over the road, younger sister Rasa Travancore offers a similar menu, but with meat & fish added.