Colonel Saab Trafalgar Square — Restaurant in London

Avoid - Painful, disappointing experience. Felt more like a no frills experience rather than fine dining.

review below

We booked through TheFork for the 50% off all food deal - as soon as we reached the restaurant we were informed that there was a policy of ordering a minimum of 2 dishes in order to avail the discount - which seems quite odd for a fine dining establishment but we were not affected by it.

I ordered the Chana Kulcha - and it was way too spicy to eat (I am Indian and am very accustomed to spice), I ordered a raita (yogurt dish) to try and neutralise the spice but it was still too spicy and I raised this with the restaurant staff and ended up sending the dish back. At this point the few bites of the dish I had eaten was causing me quite a bit of discomfort.

Having worked in hospitality previously myself, I expected the restaurant staff to be accommodating and apologetic given that the spice in the dish was unbearable.

However rather cheekily, the waiter came over to us and informed us that as a result of them comping the Chana Kulcha (which was pretty much uneaten) we would be required to order another dish / dessert. At this point we informed the waiter that we did not want to order another dessert as we had initially ordered 2 courses each (party of 3 so 6 dishes + additional side dishes + drinks were ordered), and as a result of the food being painfully spicy my appetite had waned.

However the restaurant staff insisted that we order another dish, at which point we gave in and ordered the dish - this felt like a budget restaurant rather than a fine dining establishment. Being forced to order additional food.

When the bill came around, the restaurant had the cheek to add service charge after essentially forcing us to order another dish (which we paid) and I was also charged for the Raita (yogurt dish). I was too frustrated to argue with the waiter who we had been dealing with all night.

At the end of the meal, I spoke to the manager of the restaurant and informed him of what had happened - only at this point he offered to refund us for the dessert that they had forced us to order and the Raita. We did not take the refund as we were just wanted to leave the restaurant at that point.

To add insult to injury, they have a further £60 pound of mine (deposit for the table) which I have been informed will be returned to me tomorrow. I find this quite a cheap tactic for a restaurant to employ, considering that it had low occupancy.

Overall, this has probably been the worst experience having Indian food in London having lived here for 7 years.

Indian restaurants are known for their hospitality and the dining experience, however the only thing I’ve left this restaurant with is an upset stomach.

Attaching my bill as I do not want the restaurant claiming that this is a fake review/ that we were unpleasant guests as I have seen in...

I was tempted by The Fork 50% off offer for Colonel Saab in Trafalgar Square, their second branch in London following on from their first outlet in High Holborn. They make a lot out of their backstory, which is explained in full on their very visually-appealing website, about their decor. It's a good story and the provenance of some of the myriad items on the wall seems genuine though it's hard to believe that all of it emanates from that backstory. Anyway, I wouldn't get too tied up by that. Some of the decor is nice, some of it is a bit kitschy. I have to say I still prefer Dishoom's decor, which has tremendous personality and evokes a different kind of nostalgia. More importantly, the food at Colonel Saab is pretty damn good! The 'Special Butter Chicken' was indeed pretty special - and certainly the pick of the mains. The Old Delhi Lamb Curry on the other hand was a little underwhelming, lacking flavour somewhat. The two starters that we ordered - the Ajwani Fish Tikka (stone bass) and the Rajasthani style aloo were excellent too. It was, however, disappointing that the garlic naan, plain naan and tandoori roti came to us cold. They gladly replaced them but by now we'd already been served our mains so the breads and mains were now out of synch. Regrettably, I had to deduct a mark off Colonel Saab for that. In fact service was a problem because there were two waiters upstairs one of whom seemed to be entirely tied up with a 10-member party from India. That left us with the other waiter who was either very green or very incompetent or both. When I got our bill he forgot to apply the 50% Fork discount and when he returned with a recalculated bill he'd still got it wrong. Another service staff was badly needed upstairs yet when we went downstairs there was only one table that was occupied but there were three service staff who were standing around idle. So where was the captain to marshal the resources more efficiently? I also deducted a mark for the desserts. We had a dark chocolate silk cake, which comprised an ever so small slice of chocolate cake (a nice taste) with a small scoop of candy floss (why?) and a small scoop of forgettable ice cream. How did that find it's way onto the menu of an Indian restaurant. The other dessert was a pineapple jelebi. It sounded intriguing but the bubble burst after just one bite - in fact even earlier as it looked just as underwhelming as it tasted. They certainly need to rethink their dessert menu - especially if they're going to pay homage to colonial India in the same way that their decor does and also if they have the gall to charge almost as much for their desserts as two-Michelin star...

Colonel Saab boasts a striking interior — a blend of rustic Raj-era charm and opulence, featuring an enormous chandelier, vintage clocks, and Indian antiques. The space immediately welcomes you with a strong aroma of curry and a bar at the entrance. Music from a loud sitar sets a lively, albeit slightly overpowering, atmosphere.

Natural light filters through the windows, while to the left, the kitchen is partially visible behind yellow-glass panels. As you move deeper into the restaurant, the lighting dims and the walls become almost overly adorned. A short staircase leads to an upper-level dining area and a first-floor section.

Ambience: Visually impressive but verging on cluttered in some areas. The sound level may not be for everyone.

Tableware: Beautiful, bespoke starter plates that add a touch of elegance to the dining experience.

Food:

Starter Sarsoi Ajwaini Fish Tikka A well-executed dish. The mustard and carom-flavoured fish was perfectly cooked and paired nicely with an unripe mango salsa. The accompanying sauce was flavorful and balanced.

Mains Nadan Meen Curry – The fish was again well cooked, served in a rich, thick curry. Prawn Moilee – A sweet, creamy, coconut-based yellow curry. Pleasant, though slightly mild in flavour. Dhal – Light and watery but still enjoyable. Malabar Paratha – Served warm but lost its crispness from being wrapped in cloth. Only two pieces, and not particularly memorable. Bread – Just one piece, split in two — a bit underwhelming in portion.

Dessert Chakka Varattiyathu Tart Unfortunately, this was a major letdown. The tart had an unusual mix of jackfruit and what seemed to be curry spices, resulting in a confusing and unpleasant flavour. The crumble topping also carried curry-like notes. Paired with Alphonso mango sorbet and popping pearls, the dish felt incoherent. I would not recommend it.

Service: Started off attentive but declined over the course of the evening. I asked for the bill before heading to the restroom, only to return and find it hadn’t arrived. Dessert service was particularly disorganised — we were encouraged to order it with our mains, but it was then forgotten altogether until we reminded them, at which point the server claimed we had already ordered.

Overall: A visually captivating setting and some solid starters and mains, but let down by dessert and inconsistent service. Worth visiting for the ambiance and select dishes, but manage your...