LDNReview
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People just strolling in isn’t something that happens at this Indian restaurant on Fulham High Street. The plain brown exterior with ‘Pure Indian Cooking’—a name that feels like it was conjured up on a stressful episode of The Apprentice—plastered on the front doesn’t demand attention. Yet if you look inside the dark tinted glass windows on a Friday evening, you’ll see goats’ cheese samosas being passed across tables, garlic naan dunked into a fragrant fish curry, and people glancing quickly at the menu before ordering from memory. This is a place people seek out and settle into for the whole evening because this low-key restaurant is serving the best Indian food in Fulham.
In keeping with the humble exterior, the dining room is simple, comfortable, and not particularly memorable. Green and gold wallpapered feature walls and wooden tables decorated only by a single tealight won’t make you return for interior design inspo. What will bring you back is the laid-back atmosphere. A meal here is a slow one. So if you’re looking for somewhere to pop in for a pit stop before a movie, you’re safer heading somewhere else. But if you’ve got a clear evening with a couple of friends who have nothing but chicken biryani on their minds, or a date that you’re hoping will last all night, it’s the perfect spot.
photo credit: Aleksandra Boruch
The other huge draw is that, like most reliable neighbourhood restaurants, there isn’t just one star of the show when it comes to the food. The whole menu is filled with familiar classics done well, from the tandoor-grilled malai chicken that’s buttery and tender, to the Telangana prawn masala that’s packed with heat and pairs perfectly with the refreshing raita. This is a spot where you can order with confidence, whether it’s from the biryani section or the eight-course tasting menu that begins with citrusy pani puri shots and eases into some of the best dal makhani you'll find in a London restaurant.
The rich curries, perfectly charred, tandoor-grilled meats, and relaxed atmosphere make this a spot we’d regularly spend a casual weeknight in. And if we were loaded enough to have an SW6 postcode, then a meal at Pure Indian Cooking would be our Fulham equivalent of a cheeky Nando’s. Because a ‘cheeky Pure Indian Cooking’ rolls right off the tongue, doesn’t it?
Food Rundown
photo credit: Aleksandra Boruch
Patra Chaat
photo credit: Aleksandra Boruch
Methi Malai Chicken Tikka
Manglorean Chicken Curry
Dal Makhani
photo credit: Aleksandra Boruch
Halibut Fish Curry