Kastoori

This has got to be one of the top Indian restaurants in London. We lived in the area for five years and sampled many curry houses, but this is the one we will now travel across London for. We hadn't been for a while, but went again last night, and the staff still remembered us and were as friendly and polite as ever. The food was still excellent; in particular, the dahi puri starter, bhatura bread and tomato curry.

Don't go there if you want a posh looking restaurant, but do go there if you want a quiet and relaxing meal eating delicious and different Indian food.
Comment on this reader review

Helen M
8 Overall rating
Food 9 | Service 9 | Atmosphere 6 | Value for money 8
Thursday, January 21, 2010

I am suprised at the last review , we were so impressed that we are eating again and travelling across London to do so. The food was the best indian food I have ever had despite the fact that I am a real carnivore I did not miss the lack of meat. The waiters were attentive and we had a really lovely evening.
Comment on this reader review

9 Overall rating
Food 10 | Service 9 | Atmosphere 8 | Value for money 10
Tuesday, November 17, 2009

We heard about its reputation, ordered biriyani and some veg curries. Food was all right but very ordinary. Really a bit boring, we found, the price was not that competitive, I don't think we'll go back.
Comment on this reader review

a Sri Lankan
5 Overall rating
Food 5 | Service 5 | Atmosphere 3 | Value for money 5
Tuesday, November 17, 2009

Every time I visit Kastoori the food always matches my high expectations and more. I have recommended Kastoori to my meat eating friends who now also are regulars at Kastoori. I have been to many Indian restaurants, but Kastoori is by far the best food I have had.

The service is good, the waiters are friendly and very knowledgeable. I am not sure why the previous review was not more positive - all I can say is the most restaurant claim to serve authentic Indian food, whereas Kastoori does this every day, without fail. One really must appreciate the great food that Kastoori serves, this is very different to balty dished served in other “authentic restaurants”.

In fact, I have booked a table to eat at Kastoori again next week with my family (who I might add also love the place) ... that reminds me I need to make another booking at Kastoori for an upcoming office party also.
Comment on this reader review

Stewart - View all reviews by this user
9 Overall rating
Food 10 | Service 9 | Atmosphere 8 | Value for money 10
Sunday, November 01, 2009

Any restaurant manger who greets you with 'Happy Diwali- Yeh' is throwing a greeting at you rather than welcoming you to his restaurant. His greetings and manner was so out of ordinary that 5 of us, who went there on Diwali, were rather taken back and did not know how to respond. I noticed all us buried our heads in our menus and muttered our thank you. There drinks were fine, especially the sweet Lassi, which was very pleasant. I am not sure how they can call Faluda drink authentic Indian, if it is topped with sprayed cream from a can which has spoon buried in it all the way to the tip, so you have to retrieve by dipping you fingers in the the cream. How can Faluda drink have no vermicelli in it? To substitute kulfi with cheap sprayed cream is height of ignorance for the server and treating the customer as stupid.

Most starters were fine except the 2 Chilli Panner we ordered. I've never come across Chilli Paneer which is buried in tomato gravy and which has green peppers which have been cooked to death to look sad greenish gray colour and loose their texture and flavour.

I could not believe the waiters ignorance when he started passing us the main course plated without first having cleared the dirty starters plates. Even when he did get around to clearing them, he could not help but leave one dirty plate in the middle of the table, which we had to move over to the end of the table to create place for our main course.

Their aubergines were bitter and almost everyone of us left it on the plate. Their main course dishes, apart from Matoki, had nothing special about them. Their cofta curry were swamped with overpowering taste of Aniseed.

When it came to the bill, they said they did not except Master card, without giving any reason as to why. Luckily, one of us had a Visa. When they put it through, that did not go through either. We noticed the manger disappeared to the back with the card and the machine without offering us any explanation or apology. Is it possible they had not paid their dues to Visa and MasterCard? Luckily, another one of us had a debit card, which was accepted quite readily. Not once were we offered any apology for the inconvinience.£87 for 5 of us without any alcoholic beverage and desert is also not particularly good value for a very very ordinary meal and pathetic service is also not good value for money.

All in all a ruined Diwali evening which should have been the highlight of our day
View/Add comments (1)

Kiran Sidhar - View all reviews by this user
3 Overall rating
Food 4 | Service 2 | Atmosphere 4 | Value for money 3
Sunday, October 18, 2009

Kastoori Restaurant IS THE BEST VEGETARIAN RESTUARANT !!

I do not know what Ricky is talking about below, but for the last 15 years what we have been going to Kastoori - both the food and service have been EXCELLENT and never short of their own high standards.

From the starters to the main course all tasted delicious. The reviews which I have read for Kastoori certainly did match and exceed my expectation.

I have taken many friends and work colleagues to Kastoori over the years, even they agree this is the best vegetarian restaurant that have eaten in and they also return time and time again.

The bottom line is that this is the vest vegetarian restaurant that I have ever eaten in.

Note to Ricky: Falooda IS an Indian drink. I would re-check your sources.
Comment on this reader review

Raj Patel
9 Overall rating
Food 10 | Service 9 | Atmosphere 8 | Value for money 9
Wednesday, March 11, 2009

As an Indian and have eaten in lot of Indian restaurants so far , I would say I was completely mislead by the positive comments been made on this side about Kastoori. For the start starters were great Pani puri, Dahi puri etc. but they didnt provide enough chutney to go with it and even after asking for it they refused ..(certainly didnt know the reason...and no one bothered to explain why )...

oh well lets come to the drinks.. Falooda.. i would say that they Sell with this name Falooda you will be surprised if you ever find anything like that with this name in India.. so not sure its Indian drink on not..The main course sagg (spinach) was good and it was quite delicious probably the best dish out of all meal. But as its more like south Indian restaurant i was compeltely let down by the Masala dosa.. it was very very average.. so wasnt impressed. Well the last thing and the most important thing. The Bill... they gave the overall figure written on just a plain paper without any thing on it.. ( no invoice it was completly plain paper..) and it was without any detail of price ..it just said what we have eaten no prices etc. .and just the total price.. I wasnt sure how they can get around this in this day and age.. surely its not a professional restaurant..
View/Add comments (2)

Ricky
4 Overall rating
Food 3 | Service 3 | Atmosphere 6 | Value for money 3
Saturday, February 28, 2009

I went there with some friends who happened to mention my wheat allergy. What service! I was supplied with a menu where they had taken the time to select and mark all the non-wheat-friendly items and they subsequently fussed over me the whole evening, making absolutely sure I didn't touch any of the 'dangerous items' on the table. They also said they cater for many other allergies.

Given that it's vegetarian, they have to work a lot harder to make the dishes different. The flavours were sublime, especially the main course curries (starters were very limited for me). I had the best baby aubergine curry I've EVER had - and that's saying something. Good butter bean and green pepper curries too. Would definitely go back and probably take our young children, as I'm sure they would be catered for ( the evening we went they were several families present.) Well done!
Comment on this reader review

Nic
10 Overall rating
Food 10 | Service 10 | Atmosphere 10 | Value for money 10
Friday, February 13, 2009