1416 London Road,
Norbury SW16 4BZ
020 8679 1828

What you see is what you get with Mirch Masala. Placing no emphasis on interior decoration the award- winning Norbury Pakistani restaurant is not dissimilar in appearance to a canteen. Instead its focus is firmly on the food and what magnificent food it is.

The no frills approach works. There is an honesty about what they do, helped by the fact that you can see the kitchens. I've never seen a place so busy on a Monday night. It was very nearly full and it gets more hectic as the week goes on with people queuing outside on Friday and Saturday nights so you might be advised to book ahead.

Their aim is to provide food for the Asian community the way it would be done at home and the result is you get the genuine article in an informal atmosphere. This approach draws in a multi-racial crowd from as far away as Maidstone and Ilford in search of top quality food.

A hallmark of a good restaurant is everything should be prepared on site and this is true of Mirch Masala all their spices are ground and even fruit juices are squeezed in the restaurant.

Fresh spices mean when you order something medium it is spicy but does not overwhelm you by the end of the meal and when you order something mild it actually is mild.

We began our meal with the mixed grill starter which is one of the best I've ever had. I followed this with a karahai methi keema and a range of side dishes including saag paneer and brinjal bhaji which were simply sumptuous. Their naans are heavenly, not too doughy to fill you up and firm enough to be ideal for scooping out the last remnants of those delicious sauces.

The service is swift and you won't have to wait around for you order but they are unlicenced so you will have to bring your own choice of alcohol.

Mirch Masala is open from noon until midnight seven days a week at three venues across London. While we tried the Norbury restaurant you can expect the same superlative cuisine in Tooting and Southall.

It might not be the ideal place for a romantic night out but it is a perfect expression of quality Pakistani food. I will be going again. Soon.