Don’t be fooled by the bog-standard appearance of this curry house – this Angel restaurant really is something special.

The Venue
Located down a back street in Angel, alongside an array of fast food takeaways and 'locals'' pubs, and away from the hustle and bustle of Upper Street, this is slightly hidden if you’re not familiar with the area. It is, in fact, only a short stroll from Angel station. With a brightly lit exterior that will help you find the place, modern artwork on the walls, peach table cloths laid out on around a dozen tables, and a small bar area at the back, it’s comfortable and functional, but doesn’t scream anything special at all. It’s definitely more about the service and food than the venue.

The Atmosphere
The restaurants attracts a mixture of locals and those in the know travelling from further afield. How busy it can get varies a lot – come on a weekday, you might be the only person in the restaurant, whereas on a Friday or Saturday night it’s best to book or you’ll be queueing out of the door. Staff take great pride in their service and are friendly and helpful, yet not invasive – giving you space to just order if you know what you’re doing or offering advice if you’re unsure.

The Food
This is where the place really stands out. The menu of Bangladeshi food is huge – with pages of dishes including starters, house specialities, (including Lebu Bengal, Japuri and Achari tandoori dishes), and what they term 'European Favourites' – dishes you might be used to ordering from your regular takeaway joint. Each dish is tailored to your individual preference and, with whatever you order, you request how spicy you want it. When it arrives at the table, the waiter will make you taste it to see if it meets your expectations – if you're unhappy, they'll whip you up a new dish within five minutes. With all dishes, you can pick from paneer, chicken, lamb, beef, duck, goat on the bone, fish or king prawns.

The jalfrezi Bengal with chicken (£7.95) is a deliciously aromatic and flavoursome dish, made with special hot Bengal chillis, full-flavoured onions and sweet red pepper strips. The sauce is a perfect consistency – not too thick or heavy – and it comes with a generous amount of tender chicken pieces. The lebu Bengal with mixed veg (£5.95) is another tasty pick – and definitely one to go for if you like things spicy. The fresh green chillis, spices and herbs work perfectly with the subtle lemon zest and it comes packed with onions, sweet peppers, methi leaves and juicy tomatoes.

The sag paneer is a delicious side dish. It comes in sweet or spicy, with an aromatic, hot sauce. The pieces of dense cheese are small and evenly distributed, and they work perfectly with the spinach and spices. The Indian rice (£3.25), made with garlic, chillis and onion, is not for the light hearted, but delicious all the same. If you still have room for dessert, there’s quite a long menu of ice cream and sorbet-based dishes at £3.25 each. Alternatively, you can have lychees, mangos or pinapple at £2.50 a portion.

The Drink
The venue doesn't have a drinks licence, but you can BYO from a local off-licence and you’ll often see people arriving with the tell-tale blue bags. There’s no corkage fee, either. If you do want to order a soft drink, you’re looking at paying around £2.25. Lassis comes in sweet, salty, rose or mango, and are £1.95.

The Last Word
With a unique service, fantastic food and friendly staff, this really is a hidden gem.

venue information venue map view london review user reviews (9) order a delivery book a table