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Moti Mahal

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45 Great Queen Street, WC2B 5AA Full details & map

Restaurant: Modern Indian

Time Out says 5 Users say 5/5 Rate it

By Time Out Editors Posted: Oct 20 2011

Since 2005, chef Anirudh Arora's elegant restaurant has flown the Tiranga for top-class Indian food. Initial impressions are of innocuous, classic fine dining - cream banquettes, heavy napery, a legion of slick staff - but the dining room isn't so formal as to deter tourists roaming Covent Garden with backpacks and comfy shoes.

The staff's tendency to upsell a bit too enthusiastically is our only criticism, along with the fact that it's easy to part with a load of cash here. Appealing lunch and dinner deals represent value for money - although the heavily marked-up wine list should be approached with caution.

However the most important aspect, the food, is almost beyond reproach: sophisticated and complex, with a respect for the immense variations of cuisines that come under the heading 'Indian'. Familiar curries such as rogan josh and murgh makhani are reimagined with new subtleties; the 'Grand Trunk Road' à la carte offers imaginative versions of regional dishes such as katli (stuffed aubergine with pear chutney, from the Punjab), or Lucknow keema kaleji (chicken liver and lamb with black cardamom and ginger). A meal here, from beginning to end, is hard to fault.

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Tags: Asian, Indian, Modern Indian, Creative cooking, Something different, Central, Covent Garden, Expensive, Restaurant

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Special offers

3 courses £19

from a set menu. ...from a set menu. Includes Vat, excludes service. From 16th April.
Offer valid until Jun 29 2012

Please book this offer through the booking panel below.

Tiffin Lunch and a bottle of King Fisher: £15

from a set menu ...from a set menu (choice of 5 dishes). Includes Vat, excludes service. Offer
Offer valid until Jun 29 2012

Please book this offer through the booking panel below.

Group offer: Complimentary glass of sparkling wine

for groups ...for groups. Includes VAT, excludes service.
Offer valid until Jun 29 2012

Please book this offer through the booking panel below.

Complimentary wine with your meal

from the Grand Trunk Road menu ...when ordering a minimum of 2 dishes from the Grand Trunk Road menu per person
Offer valid until Jun 29 2012

Please book this offer through the booking panel below.

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Moti Mahal details

Address

Moti Mahal

45 Great Queen Street WC2B 5AA

Transport Covent Garden or Holborn tube

Telephone

020 7240 9329

Moti Mahal website

Lunch served noon-3pm Mon-Fri. Dinner served 5.30-11pm Mon-Sat

Main courses £9-£28. Set lunch £15 2 courses. Set dinner £19 3 courses

Credit cards AmEx, MC, V

Facilities

Tables outdoors ( 5, pavement ), Babies and children welcome ( high chairs ), Booking advisable ( dinner ), Separate room for parties ( seats 35 ), Available for hire, Takeaway service, Vegetarian menu

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Comments & ratings 5/5 (Average of 5 ratings)

By Lauren M-C - Apr 14 2012

5/5

Eaten here several times - mostly on special occasions or when someone else was paying. Fabulous place to go as a group with adventurous eaters. The chop your-own-salad complete with an array of spices will throw off anyone unwilling to get their hands a bit dirty. Dig in, roll up your sleeves and sample as many items as your palate can muster

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By Nicolas B - Mar 26 2012

5/5

Dined here a couple of weeks ago. It clearly wants to establish itself as "up-market": impeccably dressed waitresses who unfold your napkin for you. The two of us opted for their "taster menu", which is a selection of six or seven dishes in a row. This isn't cheap - £49 per person, not including drinks or tip - but it was quite possibly the best Indian meal I've ever tasted, and with pleasantly generous portions - someone with a normal appetite would likely be unable to finish (but luckily I can eat for two!). It's not the quietest restaurant you'll find - certainly not a place for a romantic, candle-lit dinner - but the service was fine and the food really can't be recommended highly enough: just fabulous!

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By Dan B - Oct 22 2010

Ate here last night and had the jaipur menu which was really tasty and extremely good value with 50% off (bill was £70 for two with drinks). Add that to a lovely restaurant and excellent service and it's a winner!

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By Rhona Welsh - Aug 26 2010

We ate there last weekend,it was beyond doubt the best Indian food we've ever eaten (and i work in Bradford!). The prune stuffed dough balls in a spiced cream sauce was superb. The staff were lovely, just on the right side of attentive, making the atmosphere very friendly for their customers. The wine wasn't cheap but the iced water was constantly topped up. They even agreed to have us back, despite not understanding our accent!

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By stuart ross - Aug 4 2010

Completely disagree with Adam. One of the best Indian meals I have ever eaten, compared with all the Michelin starred Indian eateries, Moti Mahal is streets ahead in terms of quality of food and balance of flavours. Highly recommended.