[title]
The British Indian Good Food Guide dropped its hot list of the UK’s finest Indian eateries for 2024 last month (just before we released our own new ranking of the Best Indian and South Asian Restaurants in London). The highest ranking London spot was taken by Westminster’s Quilon, which came second overall (Number 1 was Raval Indian Brasserie & Bar in Newcastle). Quilon has been around for 25 years, opening up in 1999 and winning a Michelin star in 2008 for its south-west coast specialities. The Guide highlighted Quilon’s “lighter sauces and more eclectic menu” as its winning characteristics, with Kerala-born chef Sriram Aylur bringing the seafood-rich cuisine of the region to the distinctly land-locked SW1. But how good is it really? We went down to eat and find out.
Nestled a few doors down from the grand, looming Westminster Chapel, Quilon is understated and authentic in a way that’s satisfyingly unbothered with Instagram-friendly colour palettes. If you weren’t aware of its celebrated standing, you’d likely walk past without a second glance, while inside tasteful Indian touches (bowls of flowers; paintings in the bathrooms) break up the unfussy browns of the general decor.
After an introductory glass of bubbly and a handful of banana chips, we were taken through to a surprisingly quiet dining room. Admittedly it was 8.30pm by then; maybe our late-ish reservation had missed the rush. But even without the bustle, there’s a sense of ceremony to the eating experience here. In order to fully experience Quilon, they offer smaller portions for people dining in twos and threes; a sort of tailored, choose-your-own tasting menu that nods to a genuine desire for people to really understand the cuisine.
What’s the difference between your standard curry house poppadoms and their Michelin-starred cousins? As it turns out, the latter are exceedingly cute: tiny and completely non-greasy discs that sit in the palm of your hand and feel almost too dainty to eat. Alongside comes a quintet of flavour bombs, from a tangy lemon and garlic pickle, to an umami-rich ginger and tamarind, and a smooth, cooling coconut chutney. We drink a white Burgundy which, with its complex, lingering vanilla tones, is possibly the nicest wine I have ever tasted.
One of India’s most well-known coastal destinations, Kerala is a pescatarian’s paradise and Quilon’s ‘Fisherman’s Catch’ is a small boat of delicacies that any seafarer would be proud of. A perfectly-portioned rectangle of baked halibut is moist and meaty, with a delicate layer of spicing that lingers as you move onto a rich crab cake. The scallop comes grilled and topped with a gingery onion jam that kicks your palette into gear, while a pair of pepper shrimp are wrapped in a thin and crisp coating.
Next up is a trio of tasting bites from the mains portion of the menu. It begins with a centrepiece of tamarind-flecked black cod that all-but-melts in your mouth. Then, two sauced-based morsels are served alongside a flakey malabar paratha: a buttery, layered vessel for scooping and eating. If the lobster butter pepper is the flashier of the two, with large chunks of shellfish lounging around in a velvety pool, then the prawn masala is the zippy surprise winner, its tomato base elevated with mustard seeds and curry leaves into something quite blissful.
The star of the entire night, however, is their Gressingham duck roast: a south-west Indian riff on a Chinese duck pancakes that substitutes the latter for steamed, stretchy parathi and elevates the meat into heavenly chunks of the most tender, un-duck-like duck we’ve ever eaten. A coriander drizzle turns the whole operation into some kind of culinary witchcraft.
Already wondering how we might manage to fit any more in, a glass of steaming rasam acts as a palate cleanser. An everyday staple, it is to Kerala what a cup of tea is to England: comforting, soothing, necessary. Made with tamarind water and tomato, the clear drink tastes like it could cure any ills (including, we hope, a very full tummy). I have already been searching for a recipe, ready for any future winter sick days.
It perhaps says more about the sheer abundance of the meal than the quality of the rich braised lamb shank that, by the time we reach the final meat course, it’s to the crisp greens of a coconut-sprinkled asparagus, bean and edamame dish that we rush. That said, the chicken biryani is fragrant and light enough that I’d happily return to gorge again on another day.
Before we roll ourselves out of the door, there is time for a sliver of pistachio sponge so airy it threatens to levitate off the plate. It’s accompanied by a chocolate dome and a scoop of perfect pistachio ice cream. It is easy to see why Quilon are so eager for people to really experience their menu rather than skim the surface, and why they’ve found themselves right at the peak of their peers: from first to last bite, it’s hard to find a single fault.
These are the Best 20 Indian and South Asian Restaurants in London, according to Time Out.