Coriander

Amazing place ,great food and service ,fulfilled all my needs. In London for my holidays , the staff was very friendly generous and courteous. We were provided with excellent service. We ate paneer and chicken. Amazing food and great chef. The bartender also brewed us amazing drinks. Liquor for me and my husband and electric lemonade for my son. The music was also soothing. Everything for an amazing experience.#foodieforlife #lovecoriander #lovelondon #bestholiday

On a sunny Thursday evening I took a little voyage of discovery on the orange overground line to Coriander restaurant (and Hatch End) which culminated in a most delicious Indian fine dining experience. Coriander is a lovely welcoming restaurant and it is clear a lot of thought, passion and dedication has gone into making Coriander a success. Coriander's founders have over five decades of experience evidenced by the traditional menu of classics with an added contemporary twist. Expectation was running high as Coriander has won Restaurant of the Year previously at the Asian Curry Awards and they did not disappoint.

First things first, I always like to test out the crunch of the poppadoms; these ones were fresh, warm and most importantly crunchy. Served with the usual mix of chutneys, I was already happy. Coriander, however, take it that one step further and also serve homemade tamarind and chili sauce as an accompaniment. Both of these sauces are frankly outstanding and it is a shame that they are not for sale individually after your meal. The tamarind sauce is fresh, smooth and inviting. In terms of the chili sauce, there is a plethora of words to describe it including smooth, deep, velvety, smoky, aromatic. Do note the delayed 'after-kick' which although not for the faint hearted when it comes to spiciness levels I found delicious.

It is the impressive presentation as well as the quality of the food which elevates Coriander. Our starters were served on black slate which added drama and intrigue to the dishes. We ordered tandoori lamb chops, onion bhajee, shingara (pastry filled with spicy veg), scallops and fish tikka. Standouts were the fish tikka; light perfectly cooked fish which flaked when touched. Delicate with crispy skin; the spices were not in the least overpowering to the fish but an excellent compliment. Similarly, the scallops were also delicate having been powdered with spice before then being cooked with other herbs. Both of these dishes with the inclusion of the tandoori lamb chops I would order again without hesitation.

We almost committed too early to the delights of the extremely appetising starters and not left enough space for the main course. However, space was duly made after strong recommendations from the Coriander team. Reshmi Lamb - slightly chargrilled lamb robustly spiced and fairly hot, Shasi Chicken - cooked with tamarind sauce, Khulna King Prawns - king prawns delicately spiced with herbs and an accompanying thick sauce. Garlic and Peshwari naan and Sag Paneer were ordered and completed our second course. Dishes sizzled to the table and we attempted to clear our warm plates but the richness and generous portions sizes meant we were somewhat defeated. The lamb was tender, the chicken succulent and the prawns juicy. The naans were light and fluffy, the garlic naan had added chili laced through to add even more taste. We thoroughly enjoyed our meal and although eventually defeated it was so delicious we asked for takeaway containers. Although I live half way across London from Coriander and Hatch End, I was more than happy to carry the delights of Coriander with me all the way home to be sampled again in the comfort of my own home!

It’s rare for me to venture North, out of zone 2.  But, an invitation to review Coriander in Hatch End was timely as my good friend The-Hedonist has a London base up that way.  And, I like Indian food, especially at this time of year when I seem to get a craving for well-spiced food.

Food - 4/5 - Even though a few dishes were different than our expectations (also chat Puri is not a chat here. It's aloo wrapped in a puri), the food quality was good and tasted delicious.

Ambiance -3.5/5 - Better than expectations with respect to cost. Not too fancy, not too simple.

Service - 3.5/5 - Quick, but nothing out of the ordinary.

Money worth - 4/5 - It was 45 for the three of us for a 2 course meal with soft drinks.

One of the best Indian food restaurant. I am local at hatch end so going to coriander is convenient as well. Their food is delicious and well presented. Customer service is on point. Very respectful staff. Definitely recommend this place.

These days great service AND great food can be hard to come by, but the service and good is ALWAYS impeccable from Coriander! Staff are always so polite and attentive and make sure you are well fed and happy by the time you leave! Came here for the first time after a few years and so pleased that this is still the case. Thank you for being so accommodating and making a night out for my Mum's birthday a lovely one!

My partner and I ate here earlier this month and we really enjoyed it. We had chicken passanda, lamb bhuna, Bombay aloo, onion bhajis, and special fried rice. We also had cocktails. Everything was good quality, very tasty, and the portions were decent. I didn't particularly enjoy the dessert which was doughnut balls in syrup but it was OK. Next time, I'll try a different one. Service was very good, too; they were friendly, attentive, and responsive without being overbearing. I only gave the atmosphere 4/5 because we had an annoyingly loud group sitting near us but that isn't the restaurant's fault. This place will become one of our regulars.

I'm not a big fan of eating Indian outside as I have it at home everyday however, this restaurant is actually really nice. It's slightly congested and it can get extremely loud if its busy but it wouldn't stop you from having a good time. The food was good and delicious. The service was alright, considering with the amount of service charge they added into my bill, I expected better and much more service. It's definitely a cosy place to dine in. Worth a try.

The tandoori lamp chops. The duck breasts (Hashi Rani). Perfection every time. Plenty of fish and veggie dishes too.