With the stiff competition for Indian restaurants along the London institution that is Brick Lane, Bengal Village manages to do the impossible – it stands high above the rest with some of the best curries and Indian cuisine this famous road has to offer.

The Venue
Bengal Village is about half way down Brick Lane, in amongst the throng of curry houses, and it looks like any other restaurant from the outside. This subtle and unassuming look continues inside with clean, simple decor for the intimate surroundings. In charming contrast, a small bar sits at the end of the restaurant bedecked with flashing fairy lights and resembling the interior of a Mumbai rickshaw.

The Atmosphere
A warm welcome is guaranteed from the staff, who are professional, patient and friendly, whether you are in a couple or a large group. The front section of the restaurant caters for larger groups and can get lively, but there are more intimate areas to choose if you are there for a sedate evening. The crowd are a discerning bunch, ranging from 25-60+, who have enjoyed the delights of Bengal Village before or who have come on a recommendation.

The Food
Bengal Village’s extensive menu looks a little scary at first, but in fact it is very well set out, divided into dishes from all over the sub-continent, with clear and concise descriptions to guide you, and hopefully tempt you into ordering something different. All the usual curries are on the menu too: Korma, Do-piaza, Jalfrezi, Korai, Bhuna, Masala, Rogan Josh and Biriani and so on, so if you would rather stay in your comfort zone, you will be able to.

One of the chef’s recommendations is the superb butter chicken. A depth of flavour runs all the way through the succulent barbequed chicken pieces and butter, cream, almonds and a hint of coconut combine to make the sweetest, most heavenly sauce, which has a light, fluffy texture that melts into your mouth. Other recommended mains are the Chichinga dishes, featuring Bangladeshi vegetable with spices, coriander and green chilis, and the sizzling, fragrant Sylhet chicken flavoured with Kali jeera and accompanied on the sizzler by red peppers and onions.

If you’re into sag paneer, you won’t find a more delicious one anywhere. The main ingredients of this side dish are spinach and cheese, but the Bengal Village version also includes a generous amount of sweet, creamy sauce with a hint of coconut, making it a heavenly way to get one of your five a day.

All varieties of naan bread are available, and the Peshwari version is well filled with coconut, and the keema naan contains a healthy portion of meat if that’s your thing. Rice also comes in many varieties, including the delicious mushroom rice.

The gratifying thing about Bengal Village is that you get all these scrumptious dishes for fantastic prices. All the mains are well under a tenner, and the vegetarian mains all come in at under a fiver. You will be hard pressed to spend more than £25 a head, including drinks.

The Drink
A strong selection of wines includes a fruity Blossom Hill Cabernet Sauvignon, a crisp Pino Grigot and very decent house wines. Cobra beer comes in large pint bottles, which you will find are frequently topped up throughout your evening.

The Last Word
No need for fancy gimmicks or show-off decor, Bengal Village focuses on the most important thing – superb food with unbelievably good prices. The best curry in London, bar none.

venue information venue map view london review user reviews (3)