The UK Asian

With London increasingly agog with Bollywood, it’s unsurprising that one of Central London’s most popular Indian restaurants is in back in the news; the appropriately named ‘Sitaaray’, located in the heart of Covent Garden, combines India’s most popular exports – its incredibly varied cuisine and cinema – to great effect. At its’ launch, Bollywood legends Shabhana Azmi and Javed Akhtar were present and the restaurant continues to be patronized by the likes of Ben Kingsley and Aishwarya Rai.

And now ‘Sitaaray’ has taken a hackneyed and – literally – two-dimensional London staple, the Kebab, and added its’ own uniquely Indian twist to it. The restaurant has always been famed for its numbing array of Kebabs; diners can now enjoy an assorted range in just one sitting!

The Bollywood theme is very apparent as you walk into the site, located along busy Drury Lane. Each wall is festooned with pictures of Bollywood gods, goddesses, heroes and villains both old and new. Even the flat-screen TVs playing Bollywood pop have been pimped-up with their very own golden frames to blend in with the Mumbai magic. The seating is plentiful and the service excellent.

For £22.95 you can eat until you pop with a selection from the meat or vegetarian menus, or if you ask nicely you'll get a selection from both. Try the Dahi Batata Puri, Dal Makhni or Amritsari Fish just to get your juices flowing. Delhi-trained Chef Manish Sharma has a passion for Indian kebabs and it certainly shows in his menu. “Hailing from North India, I’ve always enjoyed a great love affair with Kebabs”, says the ebullient Sharma. “After joining Sitaaray, I’ve had the opportunity to quite literally live out a dream, concocting various types of this much-loved favourite.” Indeed from the ubiquitous Chicken Tikka Kebabs to the aforementioned aquatic variety and of course the ‘Vegetarian’ Kebab option, you are utterly spoilt for choice.

Chef Sharma insists on each dish being prepared with fresh ingredients everyday. “The Kebab, whilst being popular, has earned a bit of an unsavoury reputation in some quarters, and that’s primarily due to the ingredients – particularly the meat – used in its preparation. It’s essential that you source and prepare with the freshest ingredients possible; it’s a mantra that has been ingrained in us from the very beginning and something that we take great pride in”, Chef Sharma says.

You can accompany your food with a Bollywood inspired beverage such as a "Shree 420" (soft fruity flavours of apple, peach and ginger stirred with the smooth spiciness of Johnnie Walker Black Label) or a "Junoon" - Sitaaray's very own version of Sangria, using Red wine, Lillet Blanc, Jose Cuervo Tradicional and pomegranate juice garnished with traditional fruit.

Sitaaray portions are just enough to give you a good taste of each dish without filling you up. But, you will be more than satisfied by the time the last dish has arrived! The emphasis on fresh ingredients shines through, as does Chef Maniche's devotion to Indian cooking. At these prices you can have a Bollywood banquet in the West End every week! 

For bookings, visit www.sitaaray.com.

Restaurant Offers

Unlimited Kababs and Curries menu: £18
...normally at £22.95
Twelve different Kababs and Curries served with Indian Breads and Rice at your table. Offer includes complimentary parking at NCP Covent Garden for up to 2 hours. Includes Vat, excludes service. Offer includes FREE entry to Tamarai club on Friday and Saturday nights.

Available
Mon - Sat: 12:00pm - 3:00pm ;  5:30pm - 10:00pm
Max people: 24
Ends: : 1st November
Guests must inform the server about the offer booked.
Leftover food will not be packed.

 Tim McIntyre / Poonam Joshi