Chowki

Named after the raised platform where Indian families traditionally eat, Chowki is Kuldeep “Mela” Singh’s answer to the cheap, fast, volume formula of Wagamama et al.

If only Kuldeep had got in first: as reliable as Wagamama, the food isn’t a patch on Chowki, which satisfies in terms of speed but also adds quality to the mix. The value is amazing too: a typical starter will set you back £3, a main around £7 – and that includes a curry, a dal, rice and a bread. That means you can eat heartily, with a drink, for about £13. Which is cheaper than my distinctly average local. And every other distinctly average – or just plain bad – local I’ve ever been to.

Food varies monthly, with a changing menu that offers a gastronomic “tour” of India. Every month, the menu features a selection from three different Indian regions, profiling the various areas’ different ingredients, herbs, spices and methods of cooking. There’s a vegetarian option for each region, the fresh cooked aspect of the dishes means they can take allergies into consideration and, if a region’s traditions demand a certain sense of heat, the spicing isn’t shy. Chowki may be a crowd pleaser but it sticks to its culinary guns with admirable tenacity.

Service is crisp and efficient, the ingredients are good and the extras – the dals, nan breads, etc – are excellent, and not the “filler” the deal might suggest. A big thumbs up.

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