Pooja’s Street Side — Restaurant in London

Such potential, but badly let down but incredibly poor execution. Had read the mixed reviews but decided to give it the benefit of the doubt. We were a party of 7 including kids who came in early at 6ish on a Saturday. The restaurant was pretty empty aside from our party. We ordered a few simple things of the menu for the kids including dosas which came fairly quickly. We followed up by ordering a few dishes for the adults around 15 minutes lates. These took between 45-60 minutes to come to our table only after repeated requests as to where our food was. And it was one disappointment after the other. The mixed grill came with Mogo that was clearly off. 3 members of our group spat it out at the same time. On raising this with the restaurant they took it back to the kitchen but came back saying the chef had tasted it and said there was nothing wrong. But they did say they would not charge us so we moved to the other menu items. The undhiyu was something we were really looking forward to. However it tasted like it had been stored in a deep freezer and then heated up. Very off-putting. What a shame. We had also ordered the bhindi and that was actually pretty tasty. And then the 12.5% service charge. I mean if the waiting staff had been attentive, looked like they actually cared about our reaction to the food then yes I would have considered it (note most central London restaurants don't even charge such a high charge!). But we were forced to go to other tables to get our own napkins. The lady at the front was on conversation on her mobile phone whilst we tried desperately to get her attention, but clearly a new empty restaurant doesn't need to focus on the one party left in its restaurant! We didn't pay the service charge as a result. In summary you really want this place to succeed because the menu inspires memories of home. But what is clear is that they have not taken on board any of the comments posted in the numerous reviews. Do yourself a favour and skip this place. Head on to Masala Coal...

Went there for the first time today with my family after eagerly waiting for it to open and first impressions of the place were very good. Appearance: Clean, welcoming with a nice ambience. Staff: The two staff we encountered were very friendly and welcoming. We went during a quiet period so she took the time to speak to us and engage and accommodate our young child too whilst the waiter was also very good efficient and professional. Menu: In my opinion, a very good variety of food. Extensive menu with plenty of options I found myself wanting to try everything. Food: I thought the Bhajias were amazing. Crispy, tasty and served with a delicious tangy chutney. The portion was a good size for 2 people. My Dosa was slightly bland and the serving of sambar was a bit small. Was unsure whether they top it up but didn't ask. If they don't they should do. The aloo paratha and kichedi was delicious and even though I didn't try it I know so because my 2 year old sat and ate it with no issues whatsoever!!! Value: Overall, I felt for what we had it was slightly pricey. Looking at the bill though, the food is very well priced but I personally felt that £2 for a can, £3.50 for Juice and £1.50 for a little bit of yogurt of which my kid had only a spoonful is obviously where the money is made up. Not to mention the 12.5% service charge they automatically add. Conclusion: Would I come back? Definitely. Such a good variety and great service that its certainly worth another visit. Staff were outstanding and would also recommend to others. Room for improvement but looking forward to going back! Exactly the type of restaurant...

I ordered takeaway and had high hopes from this restaurant as it was a local, but upon ordering the food the sev puri portion was super tiny. The Oro (Baigan Bharta) had too much salt, to the extent that I could only taste salt, the only vegetable in the dish was aubergine no other vegetables. The chilli panner was nothing special. The rita was 2 tablespoons with 1 corriander leaf in it. We ordered the veg biryani and the menu says the following: Layers of authentic basmati rice and fresh mix vegetable cottage cheese cubes prepared with special pooja’s biryani masala, saffron cardamom each layer of rice is topped with melted butter and fresh coriander. This Biryani is then cooked in a clay pot to allow all the flavors to blend to perfection. Served with Raita Simply Must have it – Very delicious. The only ingredients was got with the veg biryani was rice, spices and carrots, not what the menu says. If I could I would give this place 0 stars and the food was way overpriced for what we got. This is the first and last time I visit this restaurant. If you can, avoid this restaurant. 0...