Koyal

I have written previously about the background of Koyal and its head chef, Nand Kishoor.

A dish I had not tried before was beetroot tikki (£9.50), and it was a delight. It had lovely texture and the characteristic earthy taste of beetroot, each tikka topped with turmeric-tempered yoghurt, the dish accompanied by an excellent mint and coriander chutney. The yoghurt went very well with the beetroot, and there was just enough kick of spice to enliven the dish (easily 16/20).  

An old favourite is a kind of bhajia dish called hara pyaaz aloo and palak (£8.50). This dish resembles an onion bhajia, but is of a quality that is far from the familiar bhajias of a high street tandoori. A mix of spring onions, potatoes, spinach and spices, the dish is served with a lively hari chutney, which is made from fresh coriander, green chilli, lemon, ginger and mint. There is not even a hint of greasiness about the bhajias, the flavours are distinct and the spicing is vivid (16/20). Tandoori lamb chop (£12) was a generous chop cooked pink inside. It was carefully marinated with Greek yoghurt, garam masala and Kashmiri chillies and served with a lime and jaggery chutney. The lamb had excellent flavour and the spice balance was exemplary (16/20). 

A selection of chicken tikka, chicken lollipop and malai tikka was made with a special pre-ordered chicken. This bird, from Arnaud Tauzin in the Landes, is generally reckoned to be the best tasting chicken in the world, and is served at 3-star restaurants. The depth of flavour of this chicken is remarkable, accounting for its high price, and the preparations here showed that flavour off beautifully. I won’t score this as it an off-menu dish, but if I was to do so it would be 18/20. It is chicken heaven. Black pepper stone bass (£16.50) was particularly good today, the cooking very precise, the fish flavoured with kasundi mustard, roasted garlic and black pepper, served with a cherry tomato salsa (16/20) 

Wild boar vindaloo (£19) is a dish I have eaten here many times before. It is an adaptation of the classic vinegared pork dish of Kerala, but here upgraded to wild boar, which has more flavour than regular pork. This has a dark, rich, deeply flavoured sauce, with just enough vinegar to cut through the richness (17/20).

Aloo gobi (£8.50) was a very good side dish, the cauliflower and potatoes retaining their flavour well, and the spicing just enough to enliven the dish (15/20). A selection of breads, including garlic naan and lacha paratha, had excellent texture (15/20). Muntjac biryani (£20) came with a casing of puff pastry, which helps to retain the cooking aroma of the rice and spices. The deer was tender and the rice highly aromatic (16/20)

Palak mushroom (£8.50) is another dish that always impresses me here. The depth of flavour conjured out of the humble spinach and mushrooms is remarkable (16/20). Methi chicken was again made with the Arnaud Tauzin chicken, with its greatly enhanced flavour compared to regular chicken. If I were to score this it would be 17/20. For dessert I enjoyed pistachio kulfi (£7.50), which had plenty of pistachio flavour and smooth texture (15/20). Also excellent was gulab jaman (£6.50).

Service was excellent. The bill came to £134 per person, but that was with the pre-ordered Arnaud Tauzin chicken, which bumped the price up substantially, as well as corkage. A more normal price per person here might be around £65. Koyal is serving the best Indian food in London right now. As a bonus, it is a fraction the price of the fancier places in central London. There may not be a grand piano in the corner of the dining room, which presumably is the criteria Michelin use these days to assign stars to Indian restaurants, but the quality of the food speaks for itself here.

Further reviews: 08th Mar 2026 | 04th Dec 2025 | 10th Nov 2025 | 18th Sep 2025 | 12th Aug 2025 | 02nd Mar 2025 | 27th Dec 2024 | 06th Dec 2024 | 06th Oct 2024