Malabar

We were in London last weekend, for a well-earned mini-break, 3 nights from Sunday to Wednesday. This was our first holiday since we were in Australia and New Zealand last year, and we made the most of it.

On St Patrick's day, after a morning's shopping in Boden (more about this in another post), we had lunch in Malabar in Notting Hill.

Brendan had done his research before we travelled and had read good reviews for this Indian restaurant hidden away at the back of the main street. The reviews were right. Malabar is a modern restaurant - all whites and grays, including the photographs on the walls, photographs of dunes and ancient observatories, beautiful abstract curves. One of the photographs was in orange and rust hues, and that was the only dash of colour in the whole place. Apart from the food, that is. All colourful and fiery. Of course, I can't remember what I had now, but I think anything on the menu would have been good. We had a side dish with aubergines I think (or was it pumpkins?) and it complemented our main courses perfectly. 

It was a Tuesday lunchtime, so I didn't expect crowds, but I was surprised to see only us and two ladies-who-lunch there (their husbands were "playing golf or at Cheltenham", or so they said to the maître d' - though I thought that Cheltenham was the previous week - They're obviously not keeping close tabs on their husbands).  I hope Malabar gets the crowds in the evenings and other days of the week, as I certainly wouldn't mind going back there next time we're in London (and we don't go often. The last time was about 6 years ago).

The meal was nicely finished by little colourful sweets (much smaller than tic tacs, in oranges, whites and yellows, a coating of sugar over an aniseed-flavoured seed, fennel if I remember correctly).