Delicious South Indian Cuisine

I had the absolute hardest time getting up this morning. It is a sign that I really need to start getting to bed earlier, and stop stalking/pestering my family and friends in America when it's too late for me. Quick post today... a little about my dinner. FINALLY I ate something worthy of being called delicious!

Leicester is central of Indian and South Asian food and culture. My peer buddy at work took me out to a really nice place that is known to specialize in South Indian cuisine called Kayal. We went at a little past 6 pm, and there was not one diner in the restaurant. As our meal went on further into the night, the dining room certainly filled up and for a Tuesday night had an impressive quantity of guests. The decor and setup was quite nice and welcoming, and the wait staff was very friendly and patient since we took our time to order.

Kiwi, Strawberry and
Mango Juice

I started off with an absolutely amazing juice drink that was a blend of fresh kiwi, strawberry and mango juices. The picture speaks for itself and the juice was exactly what it said it was.

Pre-meal Snacks

We were then given some pre-meal appetizer consisting of crunchy, crispy rice flour, potato, aubergine and banana slice snacks served with a side of 3 chutney sauces. Though the snacks might have been fried, it was very light and quite tasty.

We ordered a couple fish entrees and side orders of Naranga Choru, rice tossed in lemon, curry, mustard seeds and dried chillies, and Appam, which reminded me strongly of the spongey, dough-like bread you get at Ethiopian restaurants.

One fish entree was the Kayal Fish Curry. It had chunks of boneless king fish dipped in a
coconut-flavored curry sauce. It was very good and enjoyable. In this photo, you can see also the lemon rice and Appam bread.

The Tilapia Pollichathu was delicately wrapped in banana leaves and seasoned with spice paste and lemon. The presentation was quite stunning and the fish extremely tender and flavorful. I was so much in awe of this dish that I forgot to snap a picture of it after the banana leaves were opened. There were also a side of potatoes, almost like an Indian version of a curry potato salad and a chopped cabbage salad. I really enjoyed this one!

The night concluded with a warm cup of Masala tea, which was a black tea that included spices and milk. We opted out dessert since we were so full, but the tea was just the perfect finish to a stunning dinner.

This place deserve my first A rating. The food was a bit different from any other Indian cuisines I have had before, and was a really positive experience for my palate. The power of recommendations surely trumps trying to find places myself. I am really trying to tap into our corporate chef's mind for other fine restaurants. He's worked in Michelin-star rated eateries, so he's certainly one who knows where to go. More to come when that list arrives into my inbox!

Time to hit the hay and get some rest. Goodnight. Cheers!