Patri Ramadan menu 2022 lives up to high expectations

The last time we reviewed Patri in west London was back in 2019 when they weren’t just rated an impressive 4.5/5, but also came away at the year’s end with both #FtLionAwards ‘Best Curry House’ and ‘Best Kebab’.

This year, we had the pleasure of being the first to try dishes not just from their Ramadan menu this month, but ones that will eventually make up their summer menu.

Northfields site is one of Deliveroo’s most popular

Those who follow this impressive Indian restaurant will know that co-owner, Puneet Wadhwani, is one of London’s few restaurateurs who, in contrast to the majority that lazily recycle dishes on a given menu, actually invests time and effort into developing and introducing new dishes to his annual Ramadan set menu.

On this occasion, Puneet has utilised the efforts of two outstanding chefs, with one that’s plied his trade at a Michelin-starred establishment that’s a leading South Indian restaurant in London (for the sake of anonymity, we’ve been asked not to name names).

The result is a journey across Tamil Nadu and towards the island of Sri Lanka, with a menu that’s just exciting as any they’ve previously put up (recall that last year Patri offered a truly unique Kashmiri-inspired one).

It should be noted that while this Ramadan menu is currently only being served at the Northfields branch in Ealing, these dishes will soon be available at their Hammersmith restaurant.

Madras Moong Chaat – Fresh sprouted mung, lime squeeze and mong crackling, £7.95

You’d be hard-pressed to put up a plate of food that’s as colourfully attractive, healthy, and revitalising for a post-iftar meal than this neatly presented Madras Moong Chaat.

A large, hollowed-out tomato that’s filled to the brim with crispy-soft sprouted mung, and encircled with a scattering of crunchy mung beans, and splodges of greek yoghurt, fresh mint, and mango, all of which is brought together by a good squeeze of the lime.

Chicken 65 – Spicy marinated chicken thigh marinated in grounded red chillies & tossed for 65 seconds, £8.95

There’s nothing quite like the classic Indian street food dish of Chicken 65 (of course, this was not tossed and cooked in 65 seconds).

In this case, the tender chunks of chicken were marinated in a delicately light and crispy batter (a smidgen away from being perfectly seasoned), and whose spicious heat was nicely balanced by the zestiness of the lime.

Beef Pepper Fry, £8.95

This Beef Pepper Fry (and the dish immediately below) has made a bit of history at Patri by becoming the very first beef dish to be introduced to their menu.

Expertly tossed in a hot wok, this curry dish’s semi-dry marination maintained its peppery strength, and married well against the smoky-sweetness of the caramelised red onions therein.

Railway Roast Beef Cutlet Kurumulakittathu – Roast beef spiced cutlet, 2pcs £7.50; 3pcs £10.50

The Railway Roast Beef Cutlet Kurumulakittathu was a first for us, with the tender beef encased in a batter that had been beautifully fried to a crisp; but which evidently required more than just two dollops of mildly spiced sauce to compensate for its relative dryness.

Seasonal Vegetable Thoran – Cabbage, carrots, mustard seeds, seasonal veg, £8.50

Given its soft-cum-crunchy textural contrast, this aromatic Seasonal Vegetable Thoran made for an enjoyable accompaniment with the following mains, with the mustard seeds underscoring a satisfying munch.

Chicken Chettinad – Chicken drumsticks on roasted chef’s special masala, £14.95

All the hallmarks that defined Patri’s curries back in 2019, and which helped them secure #FtLionAwards ‘Best Curry House’, was present in this Chicken Chettinad.

There was a depth of flavour to the creamily-textured curry that coated these tender drumsticks, which culminated in an addictively soothing bowl of curry.

Gramthu Meen Kulambu – Fish Curry from Tamil Nadu, £14.95

But it was this extraordinary Gramthu Meen Kulambu which stole the show really. Tender flakes of fish were left swimminig in a lightly spiced, buttery sauce, which boasted a piquant edge. We couldn’t get enough of this delicious dish.

Kerelan Lamb Ishtu – Slow cooked lamb in a light coconut sauce with potatoes, £18.95

And here was yet another curry with a base unique enough for it to stand distinct from all the others we were served.

The Kerelan Lamb Ishtu was characterised by a mellow coconut sauce that was enriched by the slow cooking of the meat, with the addition of tasty chunks of carrots and potatoes.

Jaffna Meat Curry – Spicy meat (mutton or lamb) stew with Sri Lankan spices, £16.95

A strongly flavoured Jaffna Meat Curry, with plenty of spices underscoring a rich curry base and chewy pieces of meat, which not once came close to overpowering the palate. Exquisitely good.

Chocolate and Cashewnut Raj Kachori, £8.50

This traditional Chocolate and Cashewnut Raj Kachori was also a first for us and one that grew with every given bite.

Unless by design, we did find the hollow, wafer-like pastry ball a tad on the thicker side, and therefore more chewy than it should have been. Nevertheless, the combination of the ice cream on top, plenty of viscous chocolate treacle, and a generous sprinkling of crushed cashewnuts, made for an intriguing finale.

Baby Dosa and Varutharacha Sambhar, £5.50

As part of their kids menu, Patri have put up two contrasting dishes which includes this tasty Baby Dosa and Varutharacha Sambhar.

With a lightly spiced, vegetable based, watery broth, this wafer-thin and crispy dosa, which contained an aromatic potato filling, came with two accompaniments including a zingy tomato chutney.

Idli and Medu Vada Tomato Chutney, £5.50

This Idli and Medu Vada Tomato Chutney will be received by even the fussiest of youngsters.

The gently spiced Medu Vada fritter turned out soft on the inside and crispy on the out, while the pair of idli cakes were a tad denser than they should have been. Of the two, we’d opt for the Baby Dosa.

Kokum Lemon Rice, £3.95

Fragrant Kokum Lemon Rice that’s got plenty going on including mustard seeds, nuts, and red chillis.

Malabar Paratha, £2.50

With layers-galore, this pair of crispy-cum-chewy Malabar Paratha go well with any of the aforementioned curries.