Masala, Bayswayer – Review

Masala Zone Group has just opened another venue in Bayswater. Its part of a respected restaurant chain who`s USP has always been to deliver high quality food at reasonable prices – its lucky enough to even boast a Tatler Restaurateur of the Year Award. At the opening of the Bayswater branch the chairman Ranjit Mahrani announced:

Serving real Indian food of quality at under £15 a head is a challenge – We (aim to ) bring delicious food from the homes and street stalls of India, which we combine with an environment that is totally a part of London

With this objective in mind I was keen to trial a Masala dining experience. The restaurant inhabits a former bank and has inherited its pale stone exterior, high ceilings and large street windows – which assists in establishing a contemporary and stylish interior. Our head waiter described how each venue uses art and craft to create its own personality. Bayswater has invested in Indian pop art from India`s famous fireworks town – Sivakasi. A kaleidoscopic range of colourful, kitsch posters and calendar art line the walls and brighten up a warmly lit buzzing room.

The tables were full and the crowd a mix of locals, office workers, couples and groups of friends- largely because the menu offers a wide range of Indian cuisine from tandoori grills to biryanis, curries and traditional style thali meals. – Its fairly easy to find something for everyone. It a warm and friendly atmosphere with attentive staff who welcomed us with a mango bellini and a big smile.

After studying the various options my dining companion and I plumped for the platter for two which consisted of : bhel, sev puri and dahi puri. The selection of vegetarian bites an ideal introduction into the Masala experience – beautifully presented with fresh and mild ingredients and just perfect for wetting the appetite.

My friend chose the grand chicken thali as his main. This is served on a stainless steel platter with the curry as the centre piece and different dishes surrounding it- the idea being to balance different protein with grains, raw and cooked food , green & root veg and yogurt. The chef also varies them each day so that regular vistitor needn`t worry about getting bored of the same old menu. They`re very generous with their portions so if you have the appetite and want to try lots of different flavours this is the perfect option for you. I chose a lighter tandoori prawn grill which had been seasoned with cardamon, garlic, ginger, green chillies and lime. Absolutely delicious there was no a scrap left on the palte and as it comes served with naan and salad so there is no need to ask for any extras.

Finally we rounded off the evening with a shared kulfi the traditional Indian ice cream. Perfect for cleansing the palatte!

Masala Zone`s new Bayswater restaurant is now open to the public and is located at 75, Bishops Bridge Road, Bayswater, London W2 6BG