Thursday 13 November 2014

Monsoon Indian, N21 - Restaurant Review

Twice in a week I visited Monsoon. Before that it had been a few years. Shame on me. It's a great local Indian restaurant (if you live in North London, that is). Friday nights are relatively busy, but without booking a table we were seated straight away. Thursday nights, much quieter, but perfect for a cosy chat in your preferred booth.

The décor is contemporary, with the traditional touch of white linen tablecloths, and bow-tied waiters. Waiters who, on the whole, were friendly and attentive, and we weren't kept waiting at all, even on the busy evening. In fact, we were so busy chatting, we kept them waiting...

The menu is extensive, and includes practically everything you would expect from a typical Indian restaurant. And surprisingly good value. For four of us, we paid just over £90, including two bottles of wine. And they deliver... which is why we went there, as a little flyer came through the letterbox that morning, not just on it's own, but in a sealed envelope, with a stamp and everything. Good PR, guys!

For starters, it's always good to share, and we tried chana chat, a chickpea and chilli dish; the Monsoon tandoori mix, which does as it says on the tin; and of course, the onion bhajis, always my barometer for checking how good an Indian meal is. Very good! The mint sauce and the lime pickle were just to my taste.

Tandoori Mix and Chana Chat
For mains, we sampled all of the following: chicken tikka balti, saag chicken, vegetable biryani, prawn saag, chicken bhuna, chicken korma, chicken cylon (that's cylon, not ceylon - that's what it says), a tarka dal and the essential peshwari naan and pilau rice. I couldn't fault any dish and although we shared, the portion sizes were just right.



Chicken Ceylon, Prawn Saag, and Vegetable Biryani


Tikka Balti, Saag, Bhuna, and Korma - all chicken!
I'll certainly be returning to Monsoon. Not only is it, in my opinion, great value, but it's right on the doorstep of the N21 pubs, and well worth the five or so minute walk down from the Green. The only negative thing I would say is that the bathrooms were FREEZING!


Monsoon Indian
10 Station Road
N21 3RB
020 8360 6909 or order online for takeaway

Meal for two including drinks ~£35-40


Square Meal Monsoon on Urbanspoon

No comments:

Post a Comment

Comments make the blogging world go round. Please let me know your thoughts, thank you!