Let’s talk about Delhish Vegan Kitchen. Have you driven by this St Clement’s restaurant and briefly noted a flash of colour, but then kept going and never looked back?
That was my only experience until very recently, when a friend I trust urged me to visit. And now it’s my turn to tell you the same thing: stop, dine, enjoy!
This casual Indian restaurant is a great choice for a relaxed meal with super flavours. It’s also a small family-owned and run business. Jaya Patel (the chef/owner) describes it as her passion, her hobby, and her everything. She told me she uses Ayurvedicalmethods to prepare healthy and nutritional vegan Indian food. That sounds like a win-win for all of us.
I immediately liked the bright and colourful décor, which was quickly matched by a warm greeting from the one server. She seated us in the small main room and gave us a helpful explanation of the menu. This menu features Gujarati snacks and street food, some curry specials and a range of breads and pickles. There are also plenty of soft drinks on offer. I had a mango lassi made with vegan yoghurt (delish), and my husband tried one of the soya milk fruit smoothies. These would work as a dessert, though I viewed them more as a cocktail alternative during the pre-dinner menu reading.
Wanting to try a bit of everything, we ordered the ‘Thali feast.’
It includes a samosa, pakora, three shaaks (aka curries), roti bread, poppadom, rice, salad, pickles and a sweet. And it was, as promised, a feast in terms of both quality and quantity. Our appetiser was a samosa – hot from the oil and eaten in a flash. This was followed by the arrival of a wide metal tray containing everything else, so big it took up most of our table.
The main dishes were our three curries: yellow lentil, bean and peas, and aubergine. The latter was the standout for me, with a rich depth of flavour and delightful seasoning. I later found out from Jaya that she loves aubergine, and this really shone through in our meal. The lentil dish was on the mild side, so benefitted from the extra pickles. The beans were hugely satisfying and demanded I finish them all. So I did. The rice and breads were exactly what you’d want for sopping up all the good sauce, though the chickpea sponge-bread was on the dry side. The thali included dessert, and we thoroughly enjoyed the rice kheer (like a vegan rice pudding) with a homemade jam.
My one visit to Delhish has whet my appetite to return and has also reminded me that you don’t always need fine dining to eat well.
Good to know…
The thali costs £25, plus £20 per additional person, but that includes unlimited top-ups of the shaaks. Make sure you are hungry when you order it!
Delhish is mostly a one-woman show, run by Jaya with support from her son and daughter. The opening hours are therefore limited, so check the website before you go. The ambiance is uber-casual and fun.
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