In my ongoing quest to find the best of the best curries, I’ve come across another worthy contender.
Hazraj has just opened in Kentish Town, and delivers delicious, cheap Indian street food rather than the overpriced, Anglicized curry-sludge that Londoners are subjected to in so many other curry houses round the city.
For £5.95 you can make your own curry tiffin. Apparently the choice of curries started at a 40-strong repertoire, but was skilfully whittled down to six winners (so that customers aren’t overwhelmed by the choice): chicken tikka masala, chicken malai korma, chicken mughal jalfrezi, lamb kashmiri rogan josh, crispy prawn bhuna and saag paneer.
I went for the lamb rogan josh. The meat was tender, and sauce was delicately spiced – the two most important aspects of a winning curry.
There’s then a choice of four different rices and three different nans – as well as a selection of sides (all £1.95) such as and Dhal Makhni (spiced lentils) and mixed vegetables. I also had a delicious chai latte, which I was told are “selling like hot cakes”.
Sadly the interior is a bit bleak, and it is quite out of the way (unless you live in Kentish Town in which case it must be brilliant) - apparently there are plans to open a chain in Belsize and Highgate though. If you find yourself in NW5 though, it’s definitely worth a visit (and if you don’t, then still contemplate a trip) – you won’t get a better meal in London for £5.95.
Turn right out of Kentish Town tube, and walk a couple of minutes until you reach the point where the roads fork into Highgate and Fortress roads - it’s on the corner at the Fortress side. Opening hours: 8am - 11pm (except Saturday when it opens at 9am and Sunday when it opens at noon.)
I live in Kentish Town and I’d be very pleasantly surprised to see it still here in a year’s time. Trying to compete with all the other new ‘street food’ restaurants with ex-city-types who know how to play the marketing game will be tough…
It’s a fair point…if you compare its meagre marketing to competitors like Dishoom, Hazraj is floundering - but if it’s based on curry alone and good value, it deserves to be here in August 2012. Fingers crossed for them!
I ate there 2 weeks ago and the food is to die for, I must say the service was excellent and the atmosphere was very calm and soothing. The interior is nice, not overwhelming but inviting.
I’ve eaten there twice so far and it’s evident there is so much and so many combinations to choose from, it’s going to take at least a year to get through it all. And on top of that, I’ve been reliably informed they intend to expand their menu to further entice the uneducated (typical curry eater) palate.
Food is very fresh and served with genuine warmth and interest. Much attention is paid to even small details - you can tell the staff really have a great passion for what they are attempting to achieve. No less a feat than re-engineering what we expect in curry houses and for that matter, cafes and coffee drinking culture in general.
Having tried their Chai Latte (3 times now!), I really do recommend it. The first time I had one, it felt like my mind was being rewired (so unaccustomed it was to this new Chai sensation). My higher faculties felt like they’d been lit up like a pinball machine with neurons firing off all over the place. Lovely stuff. And I thought only KIA Fruit Salad and Guinness could do that.
We went here last night.
The food was excellent. A really good vegetarian selection too.
The staff were really friendly. A great find and it is on the bus routes to Archway and Highgate for an easy journey home.
Definitely recommended