Café Zia
Above: Cafe Zia in Battersea
Owner of
Café Zia Manju Choudhury knows a thing or two about running restaurants – he’s been at the helm of over 20 in and around south London, before taking a sabbatical and bursting back onto the scene two years ago with Zia, a contemporary and informal take on your traditional curry house, serving some wonderful and inventive dishes alongside a host of reassuringly familiar favourites.
We enjoyed a lunchtime date with Choudhury’s vast menu and, as ever, early enthusiasm meant popdums and chutneys (including an unusual and delightfully jammy tamarind concoction) were devoured within moments of arriving, rendering us nearly too full to do justice to the feast ahead of us. Readers beware: do not make the same mistake. Be restrained with your pre-meal tit-bits and you will be rewarded with a feast fit for a queen.
Food standards (in both taste and presentation) are high – the satisfying crunch of takeaway staple onion bhajis was not compromised by any oily residue, so often found with this much-loved starter, whilst scallops ajwani were a divinely subtle treat – the sweet and tender flesh of the shellfish had taken on the smoky flavour of the tandoor, resulting in an enticing and succulent intro to Zia’s cuisine. Lamb pasanda delivered incredibly generous fillets swathed in a wickedly rich and almondy sauce, whilst the aloo palak featured wonderfully fresh spinach and potatoes which were enhanced, rather than overpowered by, delicate spices. Gulab jamun, a traditional Indian dumpling desert, was a sweet and syrupy treat to finish.
It’s obvious you can eat well here, and luckily surroundings are pleasant too – it’s a vast space, but manages to retain a cosy air with a pleasing smattering of foliage and warm colours. With friendly service and reasonable prices to boot, we left thinking only one thing – welcome back Manju, we’re glad you returned!
Dinner for two £35.
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