Angels & Demons
This month the OCC opted for a different style of ‘London’ curry house, forgoing the popular areas such as Soho and Brick lane, to visit a modest little establishment quite simply called “The Angel Curry Centre”
Situated in the heart of Islington, they vow to bring enjoyment by the virtue of a delicious meal in their fully air conditioned restaurant. Their chefs have specialised in preparing Indian food for many years and they aim to give customers the best service and provide them with freshly, prepared, authentic, wholesome Indian dishes. Who wouldn’t want to visit with all those adjectives!
As the eleven of us elegantly clambered around a table made for ten in this very cosy (if not constricted) restaurant, it was clear that this restaurant was not suitable for such large groups. That being said it does have some cracking reviews on Trip Advisor, averaging 4.5 and comfortably in the top 25% of restaurants in London. It is also BYOB for those of you drinkers looking to keep costs down.
So, to the scores:
• Quality – 6.05
• Service – 5.77
• Value – 7.41
• Customer care – 5.09
• Atmosphere – 6.05
Total - 6.07/10
Personally I feel the low score is a little undeserved, but the beauty of the review is that it reflects the experience of all members of the OCC. I’ve already mentioned the size of the room, and though unavoidable, it probably contributed to an atmosphere that was intrusive to the meal, rather than complimentary. Also, service & customer care were severely hampered by two unacceptable events. Firstly, the whole restaurant was smoked out by a sizzling platter that was taken from the kitchen through to a table at the front, but was so smokey that literally everyone in the restaurant started coughing, so much so that they had to open the main door and let the cold come in. Secondly, after a mix-up with some of the mains, a waiter claiming “I don’t know the difference as I’m new here” simply doesn’t cut it with us.
The food quality itself had very mixed reviews, with some quoting “Brilliant starter” when referring to the generous mixed kebabs, whilst others commented that “It says a lot when you think the rice was worth commenting on”.
It was also nice being able to see into the kitchen to see the chefs hard at work, yet happy to exchange some banter. There were a couple of claims that there wasn’t enough spice, but all in all it’s very rare to get a meal for such a low price, and this should be seen as the key driver behind any decisions to visit the Angel Curry Centre. A cheap and cheerful alternative to the expensive fare found around the capital.