I have been living in the Islington area for the last eight years and discovered the Bhelpoori vegetarian restaurant in Chapel Market when I was a student. When I first started going there, the price of the “All you can eat” vegetarian buffet was £2.75. It has gradually increased ... Read review
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Advantages: Great vegetarian food. Disadvantages: Smokers.
...eight years and discovered the Bhelpoori vegetarian restaurant in Chapel Market when I was a student. When I first started going there, the price of the “All you can eat” vegetarian buffet was £2.75. It has gradually increased to £3.50 on my last visit. This price is still extraordinarily cheap for what is a huge variety of foods. There is always a vast choice of hot dishes… brown or white rice, dhals, bhargees, and four or five ... ...offer, as well as various toppings such as grated coconut and savoury snacks. One or two of the curries or salads may contain milk or yoghurt, but the vast majority of the food on offer is non-dairy. If you want to be sure just ask the very helpful proprietor. There are also set meals on offer, the price for these goes up to £4.50. To go with your meal the drinks’ menu features wines, soft drinks, beers, teas and coffees, and various kinds ... more
I have been living in the Islington area for the last eight years and discovered the Bhelpoori vegetarian restaurant in Chapel Market when I was a student. When I first started going there, the price of the “All you can eat” vegetarian buffet was £2.75. It has gradually increased to £3.50 on my last visit. This price is still extraordinarily cheap for what is a huge variety of foods. There is always a vast choice of hot dishes… brown or white rice, dhals, bhargees, and four or five curries. In addition there are salads and fruit on offer, as well as various toppings such as grated coconut and savoury snacks. One or two of the curries or salads may contain milk or yoghurt, but the vast majority of the food on offer is non-dairy. If you want to be sure just ask the very helpful proprietor. There are also set meals on offer, the price for these goes up to £4.50. To go with your meal the drinks’ menu features wines, soft drinks, beers, teas and coffees, and various kinds of lassis both dairy and non-dairy.
I have been there both with friends and alone. I have always felt utterly comfortable in there by myself. A man harassed me once when eating there alone, and the proprietor told him off! Sometimes I go there for Sunday lunch if I cannot be bothered to cook, I don’t have trouble getting a table then, but if you go in the evening, then you may have to wait. I have never been shooed out when the place is busy, but I tend to leave anyway because I feel sorry for all the people that are queuing for food.
All sorts of people go to eat there, as can be seen from the photos around the restaurant and from the clientele themselves. Quite a few of the market traders, people working locally and students come in. On one visit I even saw quite a well known TV actor eating there. Children seem to be made very welcome, but the tables are close together so buggy (or wheelchair) access might be difficult at busy times. The loos are down a steep, narrow chaircase.
When I visited this week there were ashtrays on every table, which I find surprising in a restaurant which has posters promoting healthy eating and lifestyle. There does not appear to be a non-smoking section and this place is quite small. This may put some people off if cigarette smoke offends.
This place is not posh or pretentious. What matters is it is clean and the staff are very helpful and friendly. Most important of all is the wonderful, cheap, healthy and delicious food that is served there. There are many Indian restaurants that try to copy, including one just along the street, so make sure you go to the right one. No one does it better!
Advantages: Fabulous flavourful food Disadvantages: Desserts not as exciting as starters and mains
began his London cooking career in a bhelpoorirestaurant and there are dishes common to both).
So far all I've said is what it isn't like, and perhaps the only way to really understand is to eat the food. However, I will at least try to describe it.
The menu is structured into starters, mains and sweets, which is convenient for British restaurants and not completely unrepresentative of Keralan practice.
Delicate crunchy achappams, solid tasty vadais, and a number of variations with cashew nuts and with green banana make fabulous starters accompanied by coconut, coriander and other wonderful pickles and chutneys.
The primary staple for main meals is rice, either plain or flavoured with tamarind, coconut, lemon or tomato. They also have appams, lacy rice pancakes which would more often be chosen by Keralans for more liquid curry ...
