My wife and I stumbled upon this restaurant on a Saturday outing, and let me tell you—it was a life-changing experience. I ordered the fish and seafood thali, and I’m not saying it was divine intervention, but I did briefly hear angels singing. The food was so good, I considered writing my will on the spot just to ensure this thali would be mentioned in it. I’ve eaten at more Indian restaurants than I care to admit (my stomach has its own frequent flyer miles to India), but this thali? It’s the Beyoncé of thalis—iconic, flawless, and life-altering.
The decor? Where do I even begin? It’s like stepping into an old Indian village, but instead of cows wandering the streets, there’s a Royal Enfield motorcycle chilling inside like it’s the guest of honor. At first, I thought someone had misread the GPS and parked indoors by accident. But honestly, it fit so well that by the end of the meal, I was tempted to ask if I could take it for a spin. The warm lighting, rustic walls, and wooden accents all came together like some kind of interior design Bollywood blockbuster.
The vibe was so cozy, I half-expected someone to hand me a cup of chai and read me bedtime stories. The background music was soft and relaxing, but not so relaxing that I’d fall asleep mid-thali (though I was dangerously close after the food coma hit). It was the perfect balance—like eating in your favorite grandma’s house, except your grandma has exquisite taste in decor and doesn’t judge how much you’re eating.
And the staff? Let me just say, if there’s ever a world championship for “nicest humans alive,” they’d win gold every time. They were so friendly and attentive that I’m now seriously considering adding them to my Christmas card list. They made sure everything was perfect, and by the end of the night, I felt like they knew me better than my own therapist.
In conclusion, this place is a total gem. The food is unforgettable, the decor is Instagram gold, and the Royal Enfield inside is a weirdly perfect cherry on top. If you’re not already halfway out the door to try it, I don’t know what you’re doing with your life. Just be warned: after eating here, no other Indian food will ever hit the same. You’ve been...
Read moreThis is a great Southern Indian style restaurant. We've been to their sister restaurant in Nottingham and always enjoyed it, but maybe because of the layout, it's not as good an atmosphere as the Leamington one. We had the beef that "Dad eats with his drinks," which was absolutely superb, and I would order that again, no problem. The blonde (on food critic reference for those that remember!) ordered the special prawn starter. A dry, but full of flavour starter. Perfect to get going. We then had a fish curry (tilapia, a white fish) which was tasty and a prawn curry which had a coconut flavour which was pur favourite. But, both were good. We wouldn't normally order fish in a standard Indian restaurant as it's often frozen and just not enough fish orders to be confident in the freshness and quality. Not at Kayal, where fish is a large part of the menu and well worth trying. Our only issue is we didn't have space to order 'from the garden' or some other meat dishes that all sounded great. Next time. Because there will be another visit soon. Service was great with a very friendly waitress who knew her stuff, was quick on the order, and helpful. And engaging with a smile. If only more could be like that! Even the manager came over to see how we were and gave us a bit of a background on the restaurant. We sat downstairs in the corner and the table was fine and the room downstairs a more relaxed atmosphere, which actually suited us. Perhaps being tucked away meant it was a little harder to ask for something from the staff, but it was no bother to stand up and walk 5 metres around the corner and ask for something. The only MINOR gripe was that the downstairs area is also where the delivery drivers wait, so behind our table was two drivers in riding gear and bags, just hanging around. Didn't do too much for the atmosphere when one left their motorbike running outside the door (which was open because it was warm). As I say, a minor gripe that didn't detract from what was a great meal. I get that delivery is an important income, so perhaps just worth thinking about options for...
Read moreI visited Kayal recently with family. The location of this hotel on the busy road. Was not expecting we would be getting the table might have to wait for long time. To my surprise we got the table immediately , i guess we were lucky. First impression was this would be another restaurant which was Indian for the name sake serving only Idly/dosa since it was South Indian. However this hotel is serving Kerala specific dishes so you have opportunity to feast on them . The staff was courteous and polite. The restaurant is very clean.
The ambience was very nice, it had vibes of indianess. Ambassador and Enfield chassis were kept to give that vibe. However the space is little crumbled on the downstairs, they do have space on the first floor where you can have table facing the famous Regent Street which is awesome. Coming to food. Spicy buttermilk was served as welcome dish which was quiet refreshing. Food was mainly focused on culinary from Kerala. There was good umpteen number of dishes for veg and non-veg categories which is quiet good. I ordered Thali and apam with veg stew. Thali consisted almost six delicacies including Dal and Sambhar along with 4 different type of curries with a Rice and Uthapam . At first it looks the quantity is less but believe me once you start you would not able to finish it :) .The taste was authentic so i was very much satisfied. Every thing was well cooked and the presentation was very good. Although i was surprised there was no dessert and apadam served which is quiet common in Indian based thali. Apart from that every thing was superb.
Over all i was very satisfied and i would recommend this restaurant. Thumbs up...
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