Marhaba Kitchen

I was on the aimless wander again, today, before eventually alighting upon West Nicolson Street. What I discovered there was that both Dhaba Diner and Beetlejuice were no more, and that Marhaba Kitchen and Lettuce Eat had replaced them. After a moment of swithering, I decided to go with the Indian option, today.

I was warmly greeted by a familiar face as I crossed the threshold and was happy to renew acquaintances with the former manager of the Mosque Kitchen. Since leaving that fine establishment, he’s opened a halal butcher on nearby Nicolson Square. He was supplying the meat to Dhaba Diner and when it came to the end of its tenure, he took over the lease.

The place is small with seating for around twenty. It still feels a little in transition from the previous set-up, but is smart enough.

Continuing the winning formula from his Mosque Kitchen days, the menu is a simple selection of curries, rice and breads for extremely reasonable prices. Dishes are available to takeaway as well as to sit in.

I opted for rice with the saag aloo and lentils. This was swiftly delivered along with a glass of water. 

Once I’d got used to the novelty of this being in actual crockery rather than a paper plate, I tucked in. It was tasty stuff. The spinach and lentil dishes packed wonderful flavour from nicely judged spicing. The rice was suitably filling, making it an enjoyably satisfying dish.

So overall, it’s nice to add another option to the high value Indian places that have become such a favourite in this neighbourhood. Marhaba Kitchen sits alongside Kebab Mahal, 10 to 10 in Delhi and the Mosque Kitchen as a great option for a tasty and filling feed. Do give it a visit next time this sort of thing takes your fancy.

Scores
Blythe scores Marhaba Kitchen
3.5/5 for food
3/5 for presentation
4/5 for service
3/5 for setting
giving an overall 13.5/20

I ate: saag aloo, lentils, rice

I drank: water

I wore: brogues

Total bill: £4