Haandi

This was an exceptional restaurant in its first couple of years, around 2000. It was then owned by three doctors/dentists from East Africa (where the original Haandi restaurant was founded, in Westlands, Nairobi. Don't know who owns it now but on resuming my visits to London after a few years' break I've found the quality of service abysmal and the quality of food mediocre. Such a shame as it was such a promising little restaurant.
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Overall rating
Food 4 | Service 1 | Atmosphere 2 | Value for money 3
Tuesday, January 15, 2008

I give 3 of 10 for food at haandi because the starters were exceptional. But not the other courses. I dont know how many reviews here are on basis of authentic Indian Food, But i am Indian and i know when i order Dum Aloo Kashmiri, what to expect. Dum Aloo Kashmiri is supposed to have a rich filling within potatoes like sultanas, almonds, cashews. And we expect them to be spicy yet with a mild sweet flavour due to yogurt marination. The chef had some different ideas there. His Dum Aloo Kashmiri ...was a cut piece of potato ... instead of a filling it with raisins and cashew etc he chose to grind all of it and put it around the potato before putting it on the gravy and SPRINKING Sugar on it .

The taste and feel of sugar used in cakes while eating something spicy put me off, and the sooner i finished eating the covering of dum aloo .. i found a big peice of naked bolied aloo with no character or stuffing inside.

The Onion Masala Pulav ended up having big raw peices of onion and the Mumbai Baingan barta seemed not having baingan in it at all. It tasted more like mixed vegetable paste with peas all over it.

Authentic Indian food is out of the window for me atleast on basis of these 3 dishes ... Short cut Indian food may be.

However it is better than most bangladeshi restaurants (callling themselves Indian) that are around in 95 % of UK.

I might still go there as i said Starters were good and passionfruit juice was excellent.
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Ani
Overall rating
Food 3 | Service 1 | Atmosphere 7 | Value for money 3
Thursday, December 13, 2007

Last sunday, after having enjoyed Haandi in Edgware on several occasions we decided to try this branch. We had told a friend lots of good things about Haandi and they looked forward to trying it.We arrived at 4pm and found the doors open, only to be told by a waiter to return at 5.30pm when they opened. We maintained our hunger whilst wandering around Harrods and returned at the appointed hour.

We entered at 5.30pm - the sign on the door had been changed to Open- to find a bar full of dirty glasses and no staff present. Eventually the manager came out and said we are not ready and could we come back in fifteen minutes. He didnt offer us to sit and wait these, I had to suggest it to him. Around 5.50pm he came to take our drinks order and gave us menus. Our drinks were served at 6pm albeit minus a jug of water we requested. At 6.20pm we asked the waitress to take our order and were told to wait, and again by the manager. At 6.30pm we had enough and asked for the bill for our drinks. This was brought to us without question by a waiter who said he had just commenced his shift. I found it quite remarkable that no member of staff found it out of the ordinary that we paid for our drinks without ordering food. A well run and professional establishment would have at the very least offered to give you the drinks on the house and apologired. As we exited, I saw the manager and mentioned to him that we had had enough and that the service had been wholly un acceptable. He smiled and offered nothing in the way of apology. I told him that he should be apologisiog to me and he half heartedly tried to say sorry. He clearly didnt care for our custom. It is apprasent that their attitude is that they are in a busy part of Knightsbridge and they will always get customers. I informed the manager that I will only go to the Edgware branch in future. As the reviews here agree the food at Haandi is superb.
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Mark
Overall rating
Food 8 | Service 1 | Atmosphere 6 | Value for money 7
Saturday, December 08, 2007

Before reviewing the restaurant itself, let me first state for future diners that they should keep a sharp eye out for the restaurant as it is very easy to miss.

the food in haandi's was very nice that cannot be disputed as is the atmosphere, however the service had a lot to be desired to be quite honest, the waiters attitude's suggested that they had a problem. i ordered a 800ml bottle of water and had barely poured half of it, when it got taken away and aside from that the food took a long time to come around 45 minutes or so.

Bad Attitudes aside, i always feel the food is the defining factor when judging a restaraunt, so i can't have too many complaints, additionally i like the fact you can see the chefs at work.
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Krish C
Overall rating
Food 8 | Service 4 | Atmosphere 8 | Value for money 7
Tuesday, October 30, 2007

Fantastic food, terrible service !

The service was terrible, had to wait over an hour for a main course when the restaurant was half empty, I had to have a word with the manager to finally get the main course served, within minutes !

They where clearly having problems with the staff (more the manager than the waiters).

I would recommend this restaurant just for the food, fantastic !

Just a pity it was let down by the service that was totally unacceptable.
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Overall rating
Food 10 | Service 0 | Atmosphere 7 | Value for money 7
Monday, October 01, 2007

We wnt to Haandi this summer after reading the reviews on this page. we were NOT dissapointed. The food and the service was really really good. Everything tasted like heaven and even the children like the food a lot.
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Overall rating
Food 10 | Service 10 | Atmosphere 10 | Value for money 10
Wednesday, September 19, 2007

the food at haandi is always awesome , THE MANAGER INFORMED US ABOUT A NEW CONCEPT CALLED HAANDIBITES , an innovative idea for lunch take-aways as it very reasonably priced and we can get fresh food accomapanied with a soft drink for as low as £ 6.49 /- (chicken tikka masala + dal + rice )

our office staff tried it the other day and were pleased to find a healthy solution for a fast lunch ..

try it and relish it ...

MARK ELWORTH
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MARK ELWORTH
Overall rating
Food 7 | Service 8 | Atmosphere 5 | Value for money 9
Saturday, February 24, 2007

I have been to this restaurant several times. I really love the food! Alu Chat for appetizer is my favorite. Paneer Tikka Masala is also very good. I had few office collegues with me for dinner and they loved several non-veg curries. I wish Service was little better. Once, I had to wait for a long time. I am in Washington DC metro area, but I visit London often as my employer has offices in London.
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Kishor Patel
Overall rating
Food 10 | Service 7 | Atmosphere 8 | Value for money 9
Saturday, February 17, 2007

One of the best Indian restaurants in London, indeed anywhere. Low key atmosphere filled with locals and informed visitors. Treat yourself to an evening of find Indian dinning.
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Carl Parker
Overall rating
Food 10 | Service 7 | Atmosphere 7 | Value for money 10
Friday, February 09, 2007

Lunch at HAANDI was very relaxed and not being rushed thru , great food, friendly staff. We were there on a friends reccommendation were very impressed with the value set-lunch being offered , would definately eat there again.
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james archibolt
Overall rating
Food 8 | Service 9 | Atmosphere 8 | Value for money 9
Sunday, January 21, 2007