Zumbura

Name - Zumbura

Location - 36a Old Town, Clapham, London SW4 0LB

Cost - Modest range of sharing platters that range between £4.00 - £8.50 and signature cocktails that go between £7.00 - 9.00. There are of course other drinks available, including mocktails (alcohol free) for £4.00.

Star Main Course - machli ka salan

My Rating – 4/5

Zumbura is an Indian restaurant that features some of the most popular dishes from the Purab region of North India. If looks were everything, Zumbura would be one of my all-time favourite Indian restaurants in London. You can instantly tell that it is run by the co-founders of award-winning furniture retailer "Dwell", because as soon as you walk in you are faced with beautiful wall patterns, designer furniture, industrial surfaces and a contemporary twist. Website here - http://www.zumbura.com/. I usually find that the best Indians in London don't dress up to this extent, which makes them more of a takeaway option than a cosy sit in dinner, but this was not the case with Zumbura. However, what one has to remember is that beauty isn’t everything, and that both food and service have a massive impact on any restaurant experience.

Zumbura puts quite a lot of emphasis on their drinks, and half their restaurant is actually covered by the bar area, so if you are on the lookout for some “sauce” with your meal, this is the place to go. Their cocktails are made with some of the best labels such as Hendricks Gin and they have a decent selection of great wines, including Malbec. Drinks menu here http://www.zumbura.com/drinksmenu.php. Here are the two cocktails that we had with our meal:

Porn Star Martini – This cocktail is made using Stoli Vanilla, passion fruit and a shot of Prosecco and is a great little speciality that really delivers a twang of flavour, without being too strong for the meal itself.

Cucumori Chilli – Made using Hendricks Gin, St Germaine, cucumber, chilli and coriander, this little number makes for a very natural, spicy and complimentary meal cocktail.

One thing that did strike me about the menu was that it didn’t really elaborate on the level of spice that each dish contained, and it was only until I started eating that I realised how mild the food was. I really didn’t mind this, because I am quite sensitive to spice, but I can imagine that people who are looking for some hot action (such as my spice crazy girlfriend) could be quite disappointed. It could well be that the Purab region is not known for its spices, but it might be a good idea to point this out on their website. Anyway, I digress, here are the platters that we decided to go for:

hari murghi – The chicken was actually really well cooked, and wasn’t at all dry. The herbs complimented the dish really well and created a very fresh feeling. Chicken is one of those standard things that every shared experience ends up having, but I was more than pleased with this option.

sikkiwe chops – Lamb chops, what more needs to be said? The meat fell off the bone beautifully and the marinade fused in with the overall taste extremely well.

machli ka salan – This was by far my favourite dish, and I would recommend this banger to anyone who is thinking of visiting Zumbura. The Pollock was cooked to perfection, and fell apart in the mouth in an instant. Theis juicy number is a true example of how fish should be prepared.

shami kebab – I wasn’t a huge fan of these, because the softness and the flatness isn’t really something I look for in a kebab, but I guess some people may like that.

pakora - This was definitely one of the favourites. The spinach, fused with the fritters, was absolutely delicious, and it was perfectly crunchy without being dry.

The unfortunate part about this experience was that all the dishes arrived in somewhat of a sporadic order, and everything sort of ended up piling up to the point where we were sat re-organizing the table for a while. The emptied plates then sat there for quite some time before being taken away. Other than that though the food itself was prepared and presented to a high standard, and I couldn’t really fault the way it had been cooked. Having said that, I would have ordered a completely different set of dishes if I had understood the menu and style of the food a little better when I first sat down. I also felt that considering most dinners end up being between 2 or 4 people it was a bit strange that all the dishes came in threes, but that is just me being a bit picky.

A true test for any Indian, to me, is always to try their sauce-based dishes. I absolutely love dipping warm bread into a bowl of flavourful curry. What could be better during the upcoming months of cold winter than a hot bowl of kofte and a selection of breads? I also have to point out that their bread was incredible.

Kofte – This saucy number was an absolute charmer, with a warm, soft texture and a slight hint of spice. I don’t mind the subtlety of the spice, as I can’t really take anything stronger than a slice of red chilli. The meatballs were cooked perfectly and the sauce work great with our selection of breads.

Daal – This is one of those dishes that really sets the tone for any Indian, because you can find it everywhere. Something that is this popular needs to be as good as it can get. This dish was delightfully creamy, flavourful and was actually one of the better Daals that I have tasted in London.

What could be better after a long dinner than some dessert drinks? Again, their drinks were really good, and I would highly recommend their “Scorched Nuts”, which contained Amaretto, Frangelico, lemon and cinnamon. This is the perfect christmas drink, and it will keep you warm in the colder months.

All in all I had a great time at Zumbura. They are completely different to most Indians that I have visited in London, and they have some extremely good dishes that are definitely worth going to Clapham for. Their x-factor is definitely their wide selection of dinner cocktails and their absolutely mind blowing selection of breads that are unlike anything you eat on a regular basis. They also have a great eye-catching interior that won’t leave you bored.

Zumbura Checklist:

• Parking - Relatively easy.

• Host greeting - Very friendly, and extremelly accommodating.

• Decor - Contemporary rustic industrial and quirky.

• Server - Made good recommendations and was lovely to speak to.

• Menu - Quite modest, but relatively unique.

• Taste - Great standard and high quality ingredients.

So, what do you say? Would you visit this Indian gem? Have you already visited this establishment? Leave your comments below.

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