Want to dine at glitzy celeb magnet Gymkhana? Of course you do. Everyone does! The bougie butter-chicken spot and Charli XCX’s favourite Indian restaurant has two Michelin stars to its name, as well as wild venison biryani, and a recently opened outpost on the sparkliest stretch of the Las Vegas strip. So it’s not a shock to discover that London’s hottest table is also one of the city’s most expensive. What are less-than-loaded, unfamous folk with an uncontrollable urge for lamb shank nihari to do? Well, a trip to Kokum in Dulwich is a brilliant place to start.
Both dishes are less than a tenner. Both are demolished in minutes
Co-founder Sanjay Gour was once Gymkhana’s head chef, and his Zone 2 menu pulls all the same indulgent tricks, but in far more casual, wallet-friendly surroundings. The ample ex-pub space is low-key; walls are white-washed or wood panelled, there’s a bevvy of healthy pot plants and a touch of rafia. It’s relaxed, the kind of place where 20-somethings from nearby Peckham might introduce a new partner to their up-from-Surrey-for-the-evening parents for the first time.
In the massive main dining room, a bell dings regularly for delivery orders, and heavy bags are shuttled to the door for home-feasting purposes. Order Kokum from your sofa by all means, but for the full experience a table here is definitely the move. A splash-proof A3 menu is your starting point, best perused while nibbling on crisp papad, accessorised with creamy, confident tempered yogurt and a gloriously sticky mango chutney.
Our feast begins in earnest with golden, deep-fried nuggets of Amritsari fish, served with a creamy garlic and coriander dip. They are pub-snack perfection, light but hearty, and a crispy, sturdy foil to the magnificent bowl of sweet chat, that’s served with a samosa in the middle, standing proud like a mountain snow-capped with yogurt and tart tamarind. Both dishes are less than a tenner. Both are demolished in minutes.
A lone, kashmiri-chilli marinated lamb cutlet comes with a perfect pink middle, tender and not overly gamey tasting. Elegant enough to parade the catwalk at London Fashion Week, it’s served with a bowl of tiny pink pickled onions, a deft, couture-worthy touch. Somehow, the giant lamb shank nirhari - served with bone-in-bowl – is just as dainty, despite its humungous size. The slow-cooked stew is gloopy with collagen and deeply fragrant. Basic bitch that I am, it works well alongside a bowl of creamy, almost fruity, butter chicken. A side dish of baingan bharta has us defeated, but the small forkful of aubergine mash I taste gives me the super savoury veggie kick I needed after such an intense meat mission.
Gymkhana? I don’t know her.
The vibe A neighbourhood favourite that’s a real Swiss Army knife of restaurants, with a terrace out front for pints and desi pub snacks, and roasts on a Sunday.
The food High-end Indian cuisine, which spans Pakistani and Punjabi classics.
The drink Super, spiced cocktails (try the clarified mirchi margarita) as well as Kingfisher lager and a decent wine selection.
Time Out tip Want to make Kokum-worthy meals at home? Check out their regular curry masterclasses.