Darjeeling Express

Let’s first address the elephant in the room - why 4/5. Well, it was a great experience and ambience, the quantity, quality and everything about Darjeeling Express was great and beyond! However, being a desi some of the dishes in the thali felt a bit too simple like ‘ghar ka khana’. But every item on the menu was delicious - we especially loved the Bengali items like the kosha mangsho, prawn malai curry, mishti doi, and the sweet chutney was out of this world! And the luchi - I will keep coming back here for the luchi alone! Also recommend ordering the chai - it tasted like a really well made chai and the taste instantly transported me back to India! Thank you Asma and the lovely team for feeding our tummy and our souls!

Loved every bit of the experience. The warmth and the hospitality of the staff was top class. The food was absolutely delicious. It took me to the time I visited Kolkata and had all those amazing dishes. There's so much attention to detail when it comes to flavors, selection of the dishes and even the portion size. God bless you guys for bringing joy to people through food.

We came for lunch and between the two of us, we shared the chicken momos (not bad but nothing special), tangra prawns (it was £12 for 6 small prawns and although it came with chilli and garlic, it didn't pack a punch in flavour), puchkas (good flavour), prawn malaikari (nice flavour but very little prawns for the price), kosha mangsho (a goat curry with great flavour) and both curries came with fragrant rice. The service was welcoming from the beginning and attentive throughout.

It's a great restaurant for anyone who loves Indian food. Friendly staff, buzzy surroundings, food has plenty of flavour. We went as a group of five people. My partner and I shared vegetarian and vegan dishes. It's difficult to book a table as very popular. We tried: Chilli Cheese Toastie, Veggie Darjeeling Special Momos, Badami Baingan (Aubergine in a Coconut, Almond, and Peanut Base with Tamarind), Tamarind Dal (slow-cooked Lentil dish) and Khoobani Ka Meetha (stewed Apricots with Pistachios and Cream). See my pictures below.

So, do the dramatized life stories of chefs on Netflix shows, really guarantee good food on the table when a non critic walks in? In this case, I can confirm - it does. Before you make the trip, to try out “curry” at this place - please know this restaurant serves predominantly food from eastern part of India - this means the usual curry favorites of Butter Chicken, Palak Paneer or Dal Makhni are not on the menu - instead you have Bengali favorites of kosha mangsho (braised and slow cooked goat in browned onion sauce), prawn malai curry (prawn in coconut sauce cooked in an onion and ginger paste), momo (dumplings commonly eaten in north Bengal and in all mountaineous regions in north India) etc. The food is good. Perhaps the most authentic Indian meal we have had in London. More importantly, you can tell the dishes are not the result of formulaic, codified culinary school education, instead it is the result of recipes passed from one generation to another, the result of years of cooking with your mother or your grand ma or cooking for your family and friends, It is a place where each cook has her own origin story of what brought them there and what Asma ji’s kitchen means to them. The food on the table has great flavour but even more importantly it has heart. And may be that is why you should head to this restaurant. Chicken momos will take you back to your summer vacations in Shimla or Darjeeling or Nainital. The chapli kebab will make you think of the traffic in Park Circus’ infamous traffic junction. The Parathas looked and tasted exactly the way maa made parathas for my school meals. And the bhapa doi (or mishti doi), will take you to the tram routes of old Kolkata. The food here will make you nostalgic if you are a bengali, a new fan of the cuisine if you are not. The service was great too - our server was always smiling and attentive. And the food was being dished out very quickly too. And then there was Asma ji. Her fame from Netflix notwithstanding, there she was talking to us the way my aunt or an elder sister would in a family gathering. We told her our groups’s Whatsapp group name is “London’s Best Kosha Mangsho” as everyone in the group cooks this dish well. She hurried away and came back to say, I have let the team know that we are competing against London’s best, and then confidently told her she will come back after we ate as she knows we will love it. She could not return but I can confirm this kosha mangsho was right up there. There are places with great food. There are places that give you an experience. Darjeeling Express gives you both. This is a must do in London. And one my wife and I would return to often. Asma ji - thank you for representing my (our) region and presenting it to the world with such honesty and flair. This is what great looks like. My only request is to add luchi to the menu when you are serving kosha mangsho :)

The Darjeeling Express in London is a culinary gem that takes you on a delightful journey through the vibrant flavors of Indian cuisine. From the moment you step into this charming restaurant, you are greeted with warm hospitality and an inviting ambiance. The menu boasts a wide array of authentic Indian dishes, each prepared with great care and attention to detail. The aromatic spices and fresh ingredients come together beautifully, creating a symphony of flavors that leave your taste buds wanting more. Whether you indulge in their mouthwatering biryanis, flavorful curries, or delectable street food, every bite is a true delight. The Darjeeling Express is a must-visit for anyone seeking an extraordinary Indian dining experience in London.

On the second floor of kingly court. Amazing food. We had a royal thali menu where you select first and second courses. All of the sides and appetizers are predetermined as is the dessert. Every last item was delicious. We tried the cocktail sampler as well and the lychee one ended up being our favorite— beautiful rose scent and lychee flavor. I had the prawns and chana. My partner had the chicken and goat. The halwa was a small portion (because it comes with two other desserts) and it was so rich and flavorful. Oh and the puri was amazing!

Asma Khan's Darjeeling Express has found a new home in Kingly Court, and the food lives up to the high expectations set by its previous incarnation. A restaurant fueled by a kitchen of relatively new-to-hospitality women, you feel like you're stepping into something that's part-buzzing restaurant and part-Khan's dining room. A feeling only reinforced when she is found milling around from table to table chatting to guests (and in our case, congratulating us on our anniversary and recommending the goat curry). We ate a volume of food that screamed "we can't decide, and we can't bear to miss out". Saag pakora, chilli cheese toasties, beef tamatar kofta, kosha mangsho (goat curry) and the beetroot raita we're exceptional. And of course all mopped up with paratha. It's a perfect date night or special occasion venue, and we'll definitely be back.

Visited on the hottest Saturday night of the year - air con, could have been better given it's a purpose built unit. Thali dinner option was taken. Food was beautifully presented and tasted delicious with fantastic layered flavours. Methi chicken & beef tamatar koftas stood out accompanied by excellent beetroot raiti with pomegranate. The dhal and pea & potato curry was also delicious. Mopped up with straight-from-the-pan puri and rice. My one gripe - two puri each are not enough, we were told we could order extra puri should we need, in a way that implied there would be no charge. So we did and ate them all up, but charged. It's not a huge amount when it's £65/head but that's the point - at £65/head I think there's room for one or two complimentary puris? Service was friendly and informative and we finished with a desert combination including braised apricot-like fuit with pistachio, cream, fudged carrot and a lovely, palette cleansing set-yoghurt type pudding. All in all delicious but not quite hitting value for money.