Kensal Rise may not be the most salubrious of areas, but it is well served by Indian restaurants — there are about five clustered close together. Based on first appearances, Bawarchi is the most upmarket of the bunch.

The main dining room is brightly lit and modern, with colourful (mainly orange) pictures on white walls. And encouragingly — for a Monday evening — the place
was almost full.

Apparently the chef previously worked for the House of Commons, so the menu boasts such unusual claims as a certain dish being cooked “for John Major’s 50th birthday party.” I myself started with Murgh Momo, which was a sort of chicken wrap; it was very tasty and a bit unusual. Others in our party went for the Bawarchi Mixed Starter, which was also very good.

My main course of Murgh Hariali had that pleasant freshly-cooked taste, and the portion was generous. But I wouldn’t describe it as “fiery hot” as the menu did; in fact it was very mild.

And this is my only criticism — that all the food (and there were eight of us there all having different dishes) never rises above mild on the curry Richter scale. Otherwise — in terms of service, value and the standard of cooking — Bawarchi is something of a find.