Thali is a gem. As authentic as you’ll find in London, this is Indian food with real charm.

The Venue
Thali is small and unobtrusive so don’t miss it. Situated opposite the Drayton Arms, it is an easy walk from Gloucester Road tube and about a 10 minute stroll from South Kensington along Old Brompton Road. One wall is painted deep blue with the others kept simple white, whilst a small bar with bottles on display takes up the space at the back of the room. There are sculptures and statues, a large mirror and a rather lovely chandelier, which all contribute to a feeling of fusion between the traditional and contemporary. There’s also the Thali Lounge in the basement, which can be hired for private functions.

The Atmosphere
Soft lighting along the blue wall and candles dotted around the restaurant create a calm and inviting atmosphere, with crisp white linen and silver cutlery hinting at fine dining, without being overly formal. The service is utterly charming and faultless; in fact, it would be the perfect place for a romantic date. Unfortunately during midweek the restaurant can sometimes be very quiet, but this feels much more like a reflection of austere times rather than the quality of the food. It’s a real shame as Thali deserves to be packed.

The Food
The food is wonderful. The menu comprises dishes developed over fifty years and three generations of the same family – all with a fresh, modern approach. The restaurant’s name is the word for a selection of dishes, usually served in small bowls – a sort of Indian tapas – that, of course, features on the menu.

A delightful waiter explains the dishes and gives helpful recommendations and advice on how much to order, enabling you to tuck into papadums and mango chutney while you mull over the menu. The standard rice flour, fried papadums are good; the lentil flour, roasted versions are excellent – crisp and nutty. Choose from a selection of appetisers and tandoori (clay oven) dishes to start – prices range from about £5-£8. Palak Chaat, a combination of crisp baby spinach, sweetened yoghurt, coriander and tamarind is a delight, and (apparently), not found at any other Indian restaurant in London. Cardamom and clove marinated tandoori lamb chops have a lovely dry heat that's cooled by a coriander chutney. Prawn balchao are amazing: tiger prawns are beautifully spiced with warming Goan masala and perfectly cooked to produce one of the menu's real highlights.

For main (between £10-£17), chicken tikka makhani is full of flavour but over salted. However the Northern Indian karbahari fish curry, recommended by the waiter as being as authentic as you will find outside of India, is stunning. A combination of halibut, red chillies, onions and rich coconut milk, served according to tradition with plain rice, it's a gorgeous mix, with halibut that is cooked to succulent perfection. A side dish of okra with onion, cumin and tomatoes (bhindi do piyaza) is light and full of flavour, whilst peshawari naans are sweet and chewy.

For traditional Indian desserts, sahi tukra - a kind of Indian version of bread and butter pudding comprising fried crispy bread with milk sauce, flaked almonds and pistachios – will not be to everyone’s taste. It is too greasy and sickly, but the pistachio ice cream is very good, and the milk dumplings (gulab jamun) soaked in syrup are light and sweet.

The Drink
The Sauvignon Chardonnay house white wine at £17 a bottle is clean, fresh and perfectly quaffable. There’s a wide selection of white and red wines available, enabling you to spend a little more if you're looking for something a little more special, but if you're just after a beer, Cobras and Kirins are available too. A wealth of soft options are also on hand, so those keeping things tee are well catered for too.

The Last Word
Go, take all your friends and spread the word – this is Indian cooking at the top of its game.

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