Maida

Curry lovers’ wisdom has it that the best ‘Brick Lane’ curries are not on the tourist & tout-infested thoroughfare itself, but just off it. Mai’da, only steps away from the Lane at the northern end, is a case in point. It differentiates itself from the rest by using fresh not frozen ingredients, cooking from scratch in-house, & providing Indo-Chinese dishes such as thread paneer & lollypop chicken from Mumbai’s fusion food culture. Paneer kathi wrap, butter chicken & spring lamb biryani are brilliant & bold-tasting at their best, though the cooking of late has not been quite as consistently strong as regulars have come to expect. The dark wood & red interior has lost a little lustre too. Halal (HMC) certified, Mai’da doesn’t serve alcohol, but alternative sins are to be found on the novelty milkshake & dessert menu.