Brick Lane may be the most famous curry house-lined street in London but every good foodie knows to go a bit further afield to hunt out a truly good Indian meal. And now Redchurch Street is one option, with the excellent Bangladeshi café Chaat.

The Venue
Chaat is lucky in that it’s on one of the coolest streets in Shoreditch, away from the main strip of Brick Lane but close enough that when you get those curry pangs you won’t have to trek too far. The restaurant itself has a simple frontage that’s welcoming in blue hues with a lime green canopy and large windows offering views inside. And inside is certainly worth investigating. The space is small, with little square wooden tables neatly lined up in slightly-too-close-together rows. Large feature lamps hang overhead and the decor is neutral without being boring. This is mainly because of the incredibly beautiful artwork that covers the walls and states, in no simple terms, ‘you are in Shoreditch and here we care about art’. Nicely done.

The Atmosphere
Whilst many of the Brick Lane curry houses pull in tourists and party people with the munchies, Chaat attracts a mix of cool East Londoners, the odd suit and a lot of people who know exactly where they’re going on a night out in Shoreditch. As such, the proprietors have to deal with less aggro from the customers and are a lot more welcoming, seemingly genuinely happy to see you. And they probably are. The service is quick and the curries arrive hot at your table – in more ways than one.

The Food
Korma? Nope. Tikka? Nah? The food here is not Anglo-Indian rubbish. Chaat is all about genuine Bangladeshi cuisine and it’s actually really good. The menu is easy to follow with five columns where you select a dish from each – the ‘chit chaat’ starter, your main dish, a mopper, an accompaniment and a dip. For example, a chit chaat of a vegetable samosa is excellent, with a pleasant spicing that packs a bit of a kick, a generous filling of fresh vegetables and a crisp, well seasoned pastry that brings it all together.

Of the mains, the keema is highly recommended. The lamb mince is free from gristle and is clearly good quality, with pleasantly soft chunks of potato and texture from the peas, all perfectly spiced with cloves, cardamom and cinnamon, offering an almost sweet aftertaste that works well with the natural sweetness of the lamb. The prawn and coconut curry, though, is a bit disappointing with slightly rubbery prawns and too much cream, drowning out any subtlety in flavour.

An ideal mopper for the keema are two chapatis whilst an accompaniment of cauliflower and aubergine simply spiced with hot mustard seeds is pleasant and the vegetables cooked so they’re not too soft. Finally for dip, the cutely named Mama’s Mango is sweet, without being too sickly. Best of all, though, is that you’re not looking at anything more than £20 a head for food and drink.

The Drink
The drink offering is second to the food but Chaat does have some alcoholic options with a couple of red and white wines to choose from and a good choice of beer, including Corona and Kingfisher. Otherwise, it’s all about the tea with an excellent selection that includes the Bangladeshi Syhletea, ideal for aiding your digestion after a right royal stuffing of your face.

The Last Word
Chaat is what curry houses should be all about. Bye, Bye Brick Lane, hello Redchurch Street.

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