Salloos

Salloos is discreet inside and out - so neatly tucked away on the corner of a Knightsbridge sidestreet that it's easy to miss; and so quietly elegant inside that it's instantly soothing. The first-floor space is light and bright, despite the windows being prettily obscured by latticework. Vibrant artwork lends a note of liveliness to the decor, and some pretty vibrant spicing does the same for the cuisine. Salloos has been serving Pakistani food to Londoners for more than three decades, reproducing the forthright flavours of the country faithfully. The much-lauded signature lamb chops lived up to their reputation. Tiny and tender, they were a perfect, if extremely pricey, prelude to the more intensely flavoured mains. A traditional frontier dish of chicken karahi, and a gurda (kidney) masala, were both assertive affairs. The chicken held its own personality in a sauce of fresh tomatoes deepened with ginger and a good scattering of coriander, but the finely diced kidneys were slightly smothered by the sweetness of the onions with which they were stir-fried. Still, the smoky popadoms, nans, rice and service were all absolutely correct.