For anyone walking past the Swan and Pyramids on North Finchley's High Road, it would be easy to miss the delights inside. But behind the unassuming exterior is some of the best Indian food I have ever tasted.
From the front, the building looks just like a regular pub, but in a room behind the bar in the Safari Club Restaurant and Bar, serving Indian and East African-inspired food.
The Safari Club at the Swan and Pyramids is unlike traditional Indian restaurants and the decor is very simple, with no fancy tablecloths, hot towells ot fine china. The focus is on the food, which uses traditional spices and fresh ingredients to create some fantastic dishes.
When it came to the menu, we were happy to let our waiter guide us and his suggested starters were perfect. I had the spiced lamb chops which were brought sizzling to the table. I was told that the lamb had been marinated for at least 24 hours which made them literally melt in the mouth. My partner had a vegetarian starter of patra, which is a delicious combination of rolled-up leaved interlaced with spices and then deep fried. Both starters were served with a selection of sauces, nut our favourite was the tangy tamarind sauce, from the owners' family recipe.
For our main courses, I chose the methi chicken, a curry flavoured with spices and fenugreek. The flavours of the fresh spices infused the whole dish with aromatic flavours which were set off nicely by the fluffy pilau rice. It was nice to note that there were none of the artificial colourings that are often found in curries and I felt that I was really tasting an authentic dish. My partner went for the vegetarian options and chose the mutar paneer, a curry made with Indian cheese and peas.
The menu also had some East African-influenced dishes such as the intriguingly named safari goat tikka as well as lots of traditional Indian favourites. All the food is very reasonably priced and they offer a great set lunch for only £4.99. They also have a take-away service and can cater for parties and functions.
Safari Club at The Swan and Pyramids.
975 High Road
North Finchley
020 8492 7436
Comments: Our rules
We want our comments to be a lively and valuable part of our community - a place where readers can debate and engage with the most important local issues. The ability to comment on our stories is a privilege, not a right, however, and that privilege may be withdrawn if it is abused or misused.
Please report any comments that break our rules.
Read the rules hereComments are closed on this article