Namaaste Kitchen: Award-winning indian food in North London
Going above and beyond any ordinary curry house offerings, Namaaste Kitchen delivers sophisticated, modern Indian food in a stylish, chilled-out atmosphere.
Just a few steps from Camden Town tube, Namaaste Kitchen is a chic respite from the bustling and often crowded markets of the popular North London borough.
Master-minded by the award-winning ‘Chef-Patron’ Sabbir Karim, the culinary creative force behind Bloomsbury’s Salaam Namaste, Namaaste Kitchen is a destination bar and restaurant that prides itself on serving authentic dishes from all across India that cannot be found elsewhere in the UK.
The dining room, with its white leather banquettes and seating, dark polished tables and colourful, spacey light fittings, feels sleek and smart
without pretension and was a great place to linger over our delicious South Asian feast. Adding to the ambience of the restaurant is the spectacular open kitchen and grill, where diners can watch their meals being prepared by Namaaste Kitchen’s two expert chefs.
Service throughout the evening was impeccable. Staff were on hand to answer any questions and were happy to assist and accommodate us in any way possible, including offering to help us crack the claws on the Lobster in Malabar Spice and even taking the time to mix an off the menu Cosmopolitan for our Editor in Chief.
The cuisine at Namaaste Kitchen was stellar across the board, and there were standouts throughout our meal with every dish we sampled bursting with spice and flavour. The fresh chutney trio with both plain and spiced poppadoms were fresh, updated takes on familiar favourites. The tomato chutney was my personal favourite and its rich, natural sweetness complemented the savoury poppadom crackers nicely.
Our starters were innovative, unique and beautifully presented. The lime coriander chicken was fragrant with a pleasant level of heat, and unlike anything we’ve ever sampled before. Impressively, the chicken breast pieces were tender and juicy despite being served as a “dry” or un-sauced dish. The Tandoori Aatish-e-Jingha was a gorgeous small plate of jumbo king prawns and aubergine compote. Fresh, citrusy and spicy, this dish was as every bit as zesty and flavourful as it looked.
The real stars of the evening however, were the main dishes. The Lamb Xacuti, a regional speciality from Goa, came in a thick, rich sauce of complex spices and was so tender it fell apart when mixed with the accompanying coconut rice. Fluffy and wonderfully seasoned with just the right amount of sweetness, the rice was a perfect complement to this warming lamb dish with a real spice kick. Delighted, though a little surprised see lobster on the menu, we simply couldn’t resist ordering the Lobster in Malabar Spice. Our curiosity was richly rewarded when we tasted the tender and sweet white flesh, flavoured with coconut, ginger and other seasonings from the coastal Kerala region.
For dessert we had coconut ice cream. Served on slick, modern slates and so full of flavour that we noticed the sweet fragrance of coconut as soon 
as our dishes arrived, the ice cream did not disappoint. We were further delighted to find a generous amount of flaked coconut topping this simple, but scrumptious dessert.
Having earned the title of both “Best New Comer” and “Best Asian & Oriental Chef” of the year for 2012, Namaaste Kitchen will no doubt be claiming more accolades in the coming years. Definitely worth the short jaunt north to Camden Town, this chic and unique restaurant is sure to become a favourite with those who want to taste the unexpected and seek a culinary adventure across authentic Indian and Pakistani grills.
Namaaste Kitchen is currently taking reservations for Christmas Lunch and Dinner, with fabulous three course menus to suit everyone and some festive extras, like a free round of drinks, offered to those who make group bookings.
To make a reservation at Namaaste Kitchen please call : +44 (0) 0207 485 5977 or book via TopTable.
