Review: Chor Bizarre
Did you know that there are 17,915 in central London? If you were to eat at a different establishment every evening, it would take you 49 years to try them all. And that’s even before you consider the new eateries opening every day.
With so many, it is hard to know where to head to for a genuinely good meal, especially when it comes to a ubiquitous cuisine such as Indian. Let’s be honest: chicken tikka masalas are everywhere, but an excellent one is hard to find.
Chor Bizarre in Mayfair is currently celebrating its 15th year, and word on the grapevine is that it’s the place to go if you wish to be re-acquainted with the flair and finesse of Indian food.
We visited on a Thursday night, and at the relatively early slot of 7pm there was barely an empty seat to be seen. Even before you eat, the one-off restaurant is a treat for the senses: the décor is a charming collection of furniture, fabrics and trinkets scoured from the most curious markets in India (the name stems from ‘chor bazaar’, which means ‘thieves market’). The effect is about as far from standard-issue curry house as you could hope for: you feel as if you’re sitting in the dining room of a wealthy (and mildly eccentric) Indian royal family.
Chor Bizarre features a decent wine list but, even more appealingly, the bar staff are happy to take any cocktail requests. My friend and I ordered tamarind margaritas which were a sweeter, and thoroughly delicious, take on the classic. We swiftly asked for a second.
With starters ranging from £4.50 to £12.50, it is not unreasonable to indulge. The menu includes several savoury pastries, along with the more unusual rasam (Indian soup) and scallops, but the real star of the show is the tawa tofu hara pyaaz. The soft, silky tofu is steeped in a fragrant, sweet onion and chilli mixture to make a dish which is about a million times more remarkable than it sounds. The chefs were more than happy to whip up an off-menu gluten free dish too: their version of grilled cottage cheese, lightly marinated, was more akin to halloumi, with a creamy, salty flavour and a firm texture. Again, it’s a dish in which you can taste the attention to detail.
For £26.50, you can enjoy a Royal Repast, which is Chor Bizarre’s take on a thali. Several dishes are delivered on a very grand-looking silver plate – at first glance, the portions look very polite, but do not be deceived. The Kashmiri roganjosh features generous chunks of tender lamb, the dal Chor Bizarre is hearty and rich while the sharabi kababi tikka masala really is exceptional. The sauce is both buttery and plentiful, and flamed with brandy to add a smokey depth of flavour. The chewy naan is especially delicious when smothered in it too. With servings of bhojpuri aaloo (crisp potato) and gobhi methi melai (tender cauliflower) on top, you find yourself filling up long before you want to stop eating.
A small cup of Chai is about all you can manage for pudding. While you wait for your food to go down, it’s worth asking the staff about the stories behind the curious objects around you – they are keen to share. If ladies ask especially nicely, they may even get a sparkly bangle as a takeaway trinket too.
Delicious food, friendly staff and tales behind every table? This is one restaurant out of the 17,915 which you can’t afford to miss.
www.chorbizarre.com
With so many, it is hard to know where to head to for a genuinely good meal, especially when it comes to a ubiquitous cuisine such as Indian. Let’s be honest: chicken tikka masalas are everywhere, but an excellent one is hard to find.
Chor Bizarre in Mayfair is currently celebrating its 15th year, and word on the grapevine is that it’s the place to go if you wish to be re-acquainted with the flair and finesse of Indian food.
We visited on a Thursday night, and at the relatively early slot of 7pm there was barely an empty seat to be seen. Even before you eat, the one-off restaurant is a treat for the senses: the décor is a charming collection of furniture, fabrics and trinkets scoured from the most curious markets in India (the name stems from ‘chor bazaar’, which means ‘thieves market’). The effect is about as far from standard-issue curry house as you could hope for: you feel as if you’re sitting in the dining room of a wealthy (and mildly eccentric) Indian royal family.
Chor Bizarre features a decent wine list but, even more appealingly, the bar staff are happy to take any cocktail requests. My friend and I ordered tamarind margaritas which were a sweeter, and thoroughly delicious, take on the classic. We swiftly asked for a second.
With starters ranging from £4.50 to £12.50, it is not unreasonable to indulge. The menu includes several savoury pastries, along with the more unusual rasam (Indian soup) and scallops, but the real star of the show is the tawa tofu hara pyaaz. The soft, silky tofu is steeped in a fragrant, sweet onion and chilli mixture to make a dish which is about a million times more remarkable than it sounds. The chefs were more than happy to whip up an off-menu gluten free dish too: their version of grilled cottage cheese, lightly marinated, was more akin to halloumi, with a creamy, salty flavour and a firm texture. Again, it’s a dish in which you can taste the attention to detail.
For £26.50, you can enjoy a Royal Repast, which is Chor Bizarre’s take on a thali. Several dishes are delivered on a very grand-looking silver plate – at first glance, the portions look very polite, but do not be deceived. The Kashmiri roganjosh features generous chunks of tender lamb, the dal Chor Bizarre is hearty and rich while the sharabi kababi tikka masala really is exceptional. The sauce is both buttery and plentiful, and flamed with brandy to add a smokey depth of flavour. The chewy naan is especially delicious when smothered in it too. With servings of bhojpuri aaloo (crisp potato) and gobhi methi melai (tender cauliflower) on top, you find yourself filling up long before you want to stop eating.
A small cup of Chai is about all you can manage for pudding. While you wait for your food to go down, it’s worth asking the staff about the stories behind the curious objects around you – they are keen to share. If ladies ask especially nicely, they may even get a sparkly bangle as a takeaway trinket too.
Delicious food, friendly staff and tales behind every table? This is one restaurant out of the 17,915 which you can’t afford to miss.
www.chorbizarre.com