The Great London Indian Food Debacle

There are some major conflicts going on in the world right now, or at least from what I’ve been getting from CNN Europe.

The U.S. economy is going to hell, bombs are blowing up, war is waging.

Yet when I was in London a few weeks ago, I stumbled upon a conflict that I’m not sure how resolve. A controversy so heated it brought grown men to exchange insults and sharp words on the very topic.

This could be none other than the battle of the old school London Indian food vs. the nouveau London Indian fusion food.

Laugh as you may, but the debate began when Dave took me to his favorite Indian restaurant in Soho called The Red Fort. I will admit it was expensive and not completely traditional but it was delicious. We had delectable tandoori tempura prawns, savory curried monkfish, and creamy saag aloo. It was a cold and rainy night and the warm food was the perfect cure for the gloomy weather outside.

The next day, when my London friends and coworkers heard I ate at The Red Fort, I was immediately mocked.

“HA! You paid too much,” said one.

“Next time you go out, let me join you so you can taste REAL Indian food,” scorned another.

I felt ashamed. Everyone knows you go to London for incredible Indian food. I thought I had, but was I out of my league? I have always considered myself a bit of a foodie being from San Francisco. At home I know good Indian food from the mediocre. Was it jetlag or simply a poor palate?

That evening I had a chance to taste “real” Indian food at the urging of my friend Martin. I’ve known Martin for almost a decade from when I started in visual effects software world. He moved back to the UK from the Bay Area several years ago and we’ve stayed in touch. He was one of my most severe Red Fort mockers so I was ready to belly up to the table and taste what Londoners consider the best.

Martin led us to a restaurant down a narrow Soho alley called The Palms of Goa. Immediately, my stomach growled in delight. At home, one of my dear friends, Joana, is from the Goa region of India and her mom is one of the most incredible cooks I know. Nothing bad could come from this experience.

And in truth, nothing bad did come from it. The food was warm, spicy, and rich, definitely more traditional and closer to what I’ve had at home in the States.

Now that I’ve tasted both it is time to come clean. If I had to give only one recommendation to someone going to London…

(I’m about to break many hearts and take a severe verbal lashing from friends and coworkers...)

I’d go back to The Red Fort.