119 Brockley Rise,
Forest Hill,
London,
SE23 1JP
0872 148 4560
Note: Calls cost 10p per min plus network extras.
The ViewLondon Review
Modern, stylish, Indian: Babur is to restaurants what Sachin Tendulkar is to cricket.
The Venue
Diners are greeted by a large, fierce-looking tiger, but there's no need to fret: the tiger, thank goodness, is stuffed and above the door. Inside things are much cosier, although a traditional curry house this is not. From the exposed brickwork to the handmade wall hangings, Babur is a cut above.
The Atmosphere
Despite the apparent drawback of its railway-carriage like shape, Babur has a fantastic, lively buzz. While it’s nice that the staff are so friendly and helpful, the great atmosphere can largely be put down to the restaurant invariably being comfortably full, whether it be Saturday or Tuesday night.
The Food
One of the delights of the restaurant is the occasional festivals they run celebrating the cuisines of different parts of the Indian subcontinent. Previous festivals have highlighted the food of Rajasthan.
That's not to say that you should avoid the main menu, which is full of interesting takes on Indian cuisine. Highly recommended is the Gilauti kebab, a spiced lamb patty, perhaps followed by the magnificent beef Xacutti, a rib of beef roasted in the tandoor and then served in a gravy thick with Goan spices. If you’ve still got room, as they say, you could then have some kulfi (a sort of Indian ice cream). If you’ve still got room after that, you must have a lot of room.
One of the best times to visit is Sunday lunchtime, when the Buffet is rolled out. Don’t worry, there are no manky-looking bhajis here, nor does the food sit around getting cold and morose-looking - it is quickly gobbled and replaced. And at under £11.00 a person, it’s a snip.
The Drink
Unusually for a suburban Indian restaurant, Babur has an excellent wine list. There’s a surprisingly good Indian Shiraz and an excellent Semillon from the King of the Barossa Valley, Peter Lehmann. There are plenty of cocktails too, for people who like that sort of thing, plus a slightly less inspiring range of beer.
The Last Word
There’s really no need to gild the lily: Babur is a fantastic place to eat high class, good value Indian food.
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