Delhi Grill Lunch Thali

Though I have been back to Delhi Grill a number of times since my first visit, I’d not had a chance to catch up with Aman Grewal (one of the two brothers who own the restaurant) for a long time.

When he told me about their new lunch thali, I popped down to check it out and to catch up with him about the latest developments.

Although they still sell lunch wraps at the stall just outside the restaurant, Aman and Preet now also offer a fast sit down lunch option. They’ve redeveloped the space by the entrance, and created a larger counter area. Trays and plates are at the ready, as are pots of piping hot food. Instead of wasting time sitting down, waiting for table service, placing an order and waiting again for their food, diners queue directly at the counter as they come in, make their selection between the meat or vegetable option of the day and choose either rice or roti as their accompaniment. These are quickly dished up into the compartmentalised metal plates (which took me straight back to childhood), along with a side portion of dal, an additional snack, two chutneys, a little plain yoghurt and mixed chopped salad.

With the meat choice, the lunch thali is £6.90, or £6.40 with the vegetarian choice.

On the day of my visit I chose chicken kofta curry (over the potato curry vegetarian choice of the day) and roti (which was satisfyingly enormous). I was also served a rich yellow dal, two potato tikkis (spiced potato cakes), a fresh coriander chutney and a mango chutney plus a dollop of natural yoghurt and a small side salad. Everything was very good, as I’ve come to expect, and I was absolutely stuffed. It’s probably just as well I don’t live closer, to be honest!

For me, this quick and tasty lunch thali really did bring to mind the food and style of a real Indian dhaba.

The Grewals are currently working on a new food cart which will allow them to serve a wider range of hot snacks out front, things like pakoras, served piping out out of the oil. They’ve not yet blinged the cart up, and I’m strongly urging them towards an OTT Tata truck kind of style!

If you work near Chapel Market (near Angel tube station) or are passing by, I thoroughly recommend trying the new thali for a quick and affordable lunch break. Delhi Grill are planning to update their website, to show the meat and vegetarian dishes of the day, but in the meantime, you can always ask them via twitter!

Kavey Eats dined as a guest of Delhi Grill