Ravi Shankar - London
Drummond Street has been known for vegetarian Indian food and desserts for as long as I can remember.
If I found myself with an Underground Travelcard, it was nice to make the trek up here for a cheap meal, ideally a thali of several curries, rice, naan and dessert. Or a dosa. It was an Indian restaurant on Drummond where I had my first dosa.
Bringing together a group for a meal in a big city is always a challenge. Add in some vegetarians, some food adventurers and some poor students and the challenge gets more complicated. I suggested a spot on Drummond as the best compromise. Phil picked Ravi Shankar.
A number of us got the thali - a single platter with either small bowls, or small compartments in the platter to hold a number of separate curries. In the center of the platter is usually the rice and/or naan. We got the thali and a paneer and spinach dosa to share.
This thali contained four vegetable curries, a bowl of small pakoras, rice and a cardamom spiced custard as dessert. I love this custard, it’s very dense and a little goes a long way, especially when eaten in dainty bites with a small spoon. I wish I knew how to make this.
The dosa came folded over an ample amount of spinach and paneer, much like a stuffed quesadilla. On the side was a dipping sauce to scoop over. This is very filling and great to split with other diners.
Others at the table ordered a variety of dosa. Hannah’s dosa came with several dipping sauces and the crisp crepe-like dosa arrived at the table splayed up like an exotic fan. What was nice about this presentation was that the dosa stayed crisp while the ones that get wrapped go soggy quickly.
Another favorite of the night was Hannah’s aubergine curry ordered a la carte, and Mary’s crispy street food snacks she got as an appetizer.
Beverage-wise, many people ordered and enjoyed their beer and wine, while I am partial to the mango lassi.
Price-wise, this is good value for money. However, one important item to note is that this restaurant posts on the outside menu that gratuity is added to the bill. But who has that menu nearby when the bill comes?
So remember: you do not need to add a tip because it has already been done for you, unless you want to tip them twice.
Ravi Shankar (Euston)
133-135 Drummond Street
London NW1 2HL
Nearest tube: Euston and Warren St.