Rasa

Sprung from Stoke Newington, this W1 branch of the ever-growing Rasa chain is no bad fit for Mayfair, shunning formulaic curry-house rip-offs in favour of Keralan authenticity without any real hike in price or formality. Kick off with amazing crunchy snacks & vivid homemade chutneys, then segue into lentil-based rasam soup or maybe mysore bonda (spiced potato balls in chickpea batter). Curries mix veggie & carnivorous themes, from tangy, tomato-based thakkali or spiced kingfish with steamed cassava to varutharacha kozhy (a ‘home-style’ chicken dish spiked with coconut, dried red chillis & fresh curry leaves). If you need a speedy lunch fix, drop by for dosa pancakes with sambar & coconut chutney (a snip at around £10) – although Rasa’s shocking-pink livery & whiff of incense may be harder to swallow.