Quilon — Restaurant in London

Quilon, named after an old seaport and city near Kerala, offers south west coastal Indian cuisine and is one of the few Michelin star restaurants in London. Given the coastal nature of the ingredients, seafood is central to the menu. However, with a good variety of meat and vegetarian options, the menu is varied and accommodates for all dietary requirements, Dishes are designed to be shared and the chef is happy to suggest a tasting menu tailored to your requirements.

Quilon is one of the few lucky Michelin star restaurants in London, awarded its first star in 2008. Being the sister restaurant to the infamous Bombay Brassiere , it is no surprise that a michelin star was on the cards.

The interior is smart with a small bits of colour dotted around in the form of murials. With lovely semi circle booths it was a fairly relaxed atmosphere. Slightly too dusky for my liking but I visited at lunch so can see that ambiance working more at dinner.

With an extensive wine and cocktail menu, you will find (or be recommended) drinks to accompany your meal. To start with we had a Botanical Garden Cocktail: Gin, Grapefruit, sweet basil, pink pepper corns, cucumber, coriander. This was light and refreshing and really nicely presented with a grapefruit segment in the drink. I was also very excited by the Frozen Mango Margarita: Jose Cuervo tradition, Cointreau and mango. Very strong and punchy but I do love a frozen cocktail.

I can’t pretend I am used to dining in Michelin star restaurants in London so didn’t know what to expect. Having visited Goa, I knew the food would be less spicy and lighter than other areas in India.

We started off with a Mini masala dosa: rice and lentil pancake filled with tempered potatoes and vegetables, served with samblar. I do love a dosa and this certainly did not disappoint with a good amount of filling and a touch of spice.

We also had the Cauliflower chilli fry (gobi kempu bezule) crispy fried cauliflower tossed with yogurt, green chilli and curry leaves. There was a good crunchy consistency but felt it could do with a little more spicy. The Crab cakes claw meat with curry leaves, ginger, green chillies and cooked on a skillet were a highlight and the mustard dressing accompaniment was amazing.

As suggested, we had a number of main dishes to share. The Quilon fish curry cubes of halibut simmered in coconut, chilli, and raw mango sauce was stunning. The fish was so fresh and just melted in your mouth. The sauce was creamy but not too heavy – a fantastic dish.

The Venison chilli fry: strips of venison fillet tossed with onion, chilli and curry leaves was another firm favourite. Good level of spice with tender meat. Unfortunately the the Pan-fried English Duck breast kasundi coconut cream sauce was a little on the dry side for me.

We loved the sides of Lemon rice basmati rice and Malaar Paratha. The latter was a soft refined flour dough beaten to thin sheet and folded to form layered bread, cooked on a skillet with pure ghee It was so light and tasty and so much better than a usual naan bread!

To finish off our meal we just about had enough room for the Fresh mango (seasonal) with rose ice cream. It was so juicy and fresh and the perfect amount to not leave us absolutely stuffed.

With lovely staff and an inventive menu, Quilion is definitely a michelin star restaurant in London to check out. All the better if you can make it a little cheaper with a set lunch menu. However, if you want to float the boat out then opt for one of their tasting menus (meat, veggie or fish) which can be paired with beer or wine!

There is a no tipping policy which I found slightly odd but had to respect it. On the plus side at least there is no onus to add 12.5%...

A Taste of South-west Coastal Indian Cuisine at Quilon

As a food enthusiast, I recently had the pleasure of visiting the Michelin-starred Quilon, a restaurant that offers a tantalizing glimpse into the diverse and flavorful cuisines of Goa and Kerala. The Weekday Set Menu I had the privilege of experiencing was a true culinary adventure, showcasing the rich and nuanced flavours of Southwest coastal Indian cuisine.

The meal began with two exquisite starters. The Broccoli and Spinach Galette in Plum Sauce was a delightful combination of textures, with the crisp, golden-brown pastry encasing a creamy and flavourful filling. The Baked Halibut coated with Malabar Spices served with curry leaves and kokum, was a delightful display of the restaurant's mastery of seafood preparations. The fish was cooked to perfection, with the spices adding a depth of flavour that complemented the natural sweetness of the halibut.

Moving on to the mains, the Manglorean Chicken (Kori Gassi) Curry was an absolute standout. The succulent pieces of chicken were cooked in a finely ground fresh coconut-based sauce, infused with a medley of aromatic spices. The result was a dish that was both comforting and bursting with flavour.

Next, the Kothu Lamb, with its marinated lamb pieces sautéed with onion, chilli, ginger, and tomatoes on a scorching hot griddle, was a true testament to the chef's culinary prowess. The blend of textures and the intense flavours left a lasting impression.

The accompanying side dishes were equally impressive. The Asparagus Beans and Edamame, sautéed with mustard seeds, curry leaves, and green chilis, were a delightful play on textures and temperatures.

The Mango Curry, featuring fresh mango cooked with yoghurt, and green chillis, and tempered with mustard seeds and curry leaves, was a delicate and refreshing palate cleanser. And the Malabar Paratha, a soft, layered bread cooked to perfection with pure ghee, was the perfect accompaniment to soak up the rich curries.

To conclude the meal, the Bibinca, a Goan speciality served warm with ice cream, was a fitting end to this culinary journey. The warm, custard-like texture of the Bibinca paired beautifully with the cool, creamy ice cream, leaving a lasting impression on my taste buds.

I forgot to mention the Mango lassi was simply divine and the mocktails were refreshing.

Throughout the entire dining experience, the service at Quilon was impeccable. The team was attentive, and knowledgeable, and ensured that every aspect of the meal was perfectly executed. I would highly recommend Quilon to anyone seeking an authentic and delightful exploration of southwest coastal Indian cuisine, whether it's for a casual catch-up with a friend, a business lunch, or a...

Me and my partner came to this restaurant for her birthday on NYE; we were booked for the taster menu - what an experience! There was a veggie menu and every single dish on the menu was out of this world!

Wherever you go when visiting a restaurant the veggie options can sometimes be limited or some fine dining restaurants may believe, that when fine dining you should eat the food as it is even if it means eating meat so that you get the full experience. I feel that if any restaurant really have a good chef/ kitchen team and are really that experienced at what they do then they should be able to push the boundaries with creating multiple menus and tailoring for all. Especially if they are boasting a Michelin star! This place does just that! The dishes are really creative and beautiful here, I am open to trying any type of new food so have eaten and wide variety over the years and many various things in the past but Quilon was able to further that experience with having using many weird and wonderful ingredients that I have never eaten before.

I read some negative reviews on TripAdvisor etc, saying that this place doesn't really seem like fine dining. To me this is just perfect; it comes across very classy inside and I felt very welcomed, they have high standards but are not ponsey with it. All of the staff waiting team are very efficient, welcoming and we're there to ensure that we had a great experience. I love the fact that the manager was also around to ensure that we had a great experience and that we were given everything we wanted and more.

I must say that my view on fine dining places is that most of the time your dishes look great but are so small you are left feeling like you need to eat again after. Quilon is not like that, the sizes of the dishes are very reasonable. They give you enough of everything to the amount that you have just enough room to try all and leave feeling content.

Yes the cost of the food may be expensive for some but it is worth every penny especially for a special occasion. I hope you enjoy!...