The UK Asian

Restaurant Review

Opening a new Indian restaurant in the midst of the most difficult market conditions in living memory, in an area of London with several well established curry houses AND with little or no experience in running a restaurant AND whilst holding down a full time job, is mild folly at best, a road to financial ruin – not to mention physical and mental breakdown – at worst. But try telling that to Sachin and Nikhil Munale two brothers from Mumbai who have done just the above with ‘Guglee’, the latest modern Indian in London’s tony Northwest quarter. 

Just as the likes of Warne and Kumble are known to ‘slip in the Googly’ amidst the run-of-the-mill leg-spinners, ‘Guglee’ the restaurant is already being touted as a refreshing ‘spin’ on the rather dull uniformity of Indian restaurants in the capital. The fact the brothers are from Nasik certainly helps – quite apart from the fact that it is refreshing to see an INDIAN restaurant owned and operated by INDIANS. Located yards away from Swiss Cottage Tube Station, Guglee stands out from the other eateries on the eternally busy Finchley Road – as well as from several recent openings in and around London – in its’ embrace of the ‘i’ culture, doing away with highly-wrought opulence and keeping things simple and unpretentious – whether it’s the design of its’ name, the colourfully simple montage of paintings of India that runs through the length of the restaurant, locally sourced ingredients and energy efficient lighting or the wifi access! 

Whilst it’s easy to argue that the decor and the wifi aren’t on the menu, it all adds up to the experience of eating out. There’s absolutely nothing pretentious about the setting; no elaborately carved furniture, mood lighting, intricate lamp shades or convoluted cutlery. It’s an easy-going, relaxed and funky place to have a meal on the town; a lot like Mumbai. 

Whilst the food is largely North-Indian, Guglee’s Maharashtran influence comes across in one very important aspect; the Chaat menu. Originally from Eastern India, these savoury snacks have become a Mumbai speciality and come in a mind-numbing variety of dishes with fried dough as the core ingredient. It’s rare indeed for Chaats to be served up at a regular Indian eatery in London or anywhere else for that matter and makes for a fantastic alternative to regular appetizers. 

The Palak Papri Chaat – fried spinach leaves lovingly bathed in ginger and tamarind sauce topped off with tangy yoghurt is a revelation; the combination of the sweet, naturally caramelized spinach leaves with the tangy tamarind and yoghurt is absolutely indulgent. The chaats were washed down with the an earthy and full-bodied Lassi served in the most unusual of glasses – a small detail but ones which Guglee gets spot on. 

My guest and I also opted for some regular starters, including lamb chops and a variety of slowly cooked chicken. The lamb chops were heavenly, just about beautifully done and seems to have lived in the marinade forever and the Haryana Chicken was resplendent in Coriander green and melted in the mouth. 

The mains featured Nehari Lamb, Guglee Chicken Handi, Aloo Gobi (Potatoes and Cauliflower) accompanied by Garlic Naan and fluffy plain rice. Once again, there were no complex fusions or conceits; just well-known dishes very well prepared. The Nehari Lamb was undoubtedly the star of the main courses; one of the most difficult dishes to get right but absolutely nailed by the head chef Bhola Prasad. The meat was soft and crumbly and the Nehari sauce only lacked the requisite shavings of ginger and hot green chillies, left out by the popular demands of the more temperate tastes of the area. One of the things that Guglee and its’ owners have done well is to cater to the curry-loving public by taking off some of the extra spicy bite – in particular from the Chaats – whilst retaining enough of the spicy vibrancy for those of us pining for absolute authenticity. 

The delicious main courses were washed down with pints of Kingfisher – one of the less successful international brands of Vijay Mallya Esquire. And in a further nod to Mumbai and India, the menu features two immensely popular Indian soft drink brands – ‘Limca’, a 7-up alternative but with a lot more Vitamin C and the strangely named ‘Thums Up’, India’s answer to the might of Coca Cola. 

And for those indulging themselves not only in the earthy cuisine but the consequences of all those spices and carbs, the dessert menu features an absolutely peach perfect finale to a fine dining experience in the form of a Rose and Honey Kulfi. Whilst most of us are accustomed to Mango or Pistachio Kulfi, this is yet another ‘spin’ on a popular desert, mixing traditional Indian Ice Cream with finely chopped rose petals and mixed with honey. It is an utterly simple yet hugely enjoyable delight and is highly recommended. 

Guglee has only been open just under a year and remains a work in progress. Its’ Chaat menu is available via a mobile kiosk at the popular O2 Centre on Finchley Road on weekends where you can get a little taste of Mumbai’s Chowpatty Beach. The service is exemplary – especially given the fact the brothers run the restaurant whilst also holding down full time jobs elsewhere in the hospitality industry. The place has become popular with locals and the cuisine was even featured at the recent Bombay Funkadelic club night at the Holiday Inn Kensington. Large groups do tend to throw off the service levels ever so slightly but all in, it is a fantastic eating out experience.

 Guglee

7 New College Parade

Finchley Road

London NW3 5EP

Price Range: £15.00 - £25.00

For more information and bookings, visit www.guglee.co.uk