Tiffinbites (Russia Row) (City, London) review on Fluid Eating

Tiffinbites (Russia Row) Overview

There has always been a large place in my heart, and stomach, for Indian cuisine and the prospect of discovering another Indian delight to add to my list gets my excitement levels positively racing. Tiffinbites began as a takeaway, and its popularity has led to several restaurants being opened across London.

The city branch is tucked away behind Cheapside, a mere poppadoms throw away from St Pauls & Bank stations. Make sure that you print your directions before you go as it is tricky to find but your journeys effort will be more than rewarded once you arrive. The décor is a plush, modern take on the Eastern theme which got the thumbs up from me and there was Molton Brown in the bathroom which the fickle part of me tends to rate in a restaurant. If you are lucky then you might even get a Bollywood film playing on their big screen projector, I wasn’t so lucky but it meant I could fully concentrate on culinary matters, never a bad thing in my book.

As with a lot of Indian restaurants who are trying to move away from the stereotypical British Indian restaurant, Tiffinbites offers something a little bit different. Or rather we should say the same, as they claim to offer a traditional Indian dining experience where you can enjoy real Indian food served in a Tiffin box. This, I was reliably informed from the menu, is ‘a round, metal dish that tiffin-wallahs use to serve their real Indian food’. What’s more, Tiffinbites claims that their Indian food is good for you because they don’t cook with ghee, the clarified butter which is often a big part of your Indian dish.

Now, I always believe the proof is in the pudding so I was keen to get past the marketing spin and let my tastebuds decide. After the obligatory poppadoms and chutneys, with fantastic mango chutney but not so good cucumber raita, I take a look at the starters. From the plentiful selection we go for the lamb samosa and onion bhajis. The bhajis warrant a special mention for being very tasty and not in the least bit greasy which is quite a rarity in the world of Indian cuisine.

Moving onto the main course, comparing the menu to your usual Indian eatery there isn’t such a wide variety of choice but there was still plenty of dishes to tempt me. Sharing is very much the name of the game with plenty of sharing platters, and Indian meze type options to nibble on with friends. Being Paneer cheese’s biggest fan, I was immediately drawn to the Tandoori Paneer Tikka (and I am not alone as this is by far Tiffinbites biggest seller). I have to admit it wasn’t exactly what I expected when a dish of large chargrilled cheese blocks with salad and dips arrived but it was still tasty. I would recommend choosing this if you are sharing other dishes, it might have been a little bit much on it’s own. My companion went for the King Prawn Masala which came with salad, naan and rice. The sauce was spicy but not at all greasy, fully backing tiffinbites claims that their Indian food is good for you. Top marks.

You will also be spoilt for choice by the alcohol selection, with a fantastic choice of cocktails, spirits and soft drinks including scrumptious mango lassi. I washed my dishes down with a very fine bottle of shiraz.

If you fancy a spot of Indian in the city then take a trip to Tiffinbites, nice drinks, good wholesome food & plush surroundings.

Claire Taylor

The cooking at Tiffinbites is low in fat which means that it’s lighter, so their generous but not excessive portions make Tiffinbites an ideal and speedy lunch time option. Tiffinbites also offer a take-away. Either turn up and order, or phone through first so that it’s ready when you arrive. After 5pm they serve a different menu that offers a slightly more lavish spread of mouth-watering dishes for a true Indian feast. (Updated 03/08/2007)

Additional Info: Food, Non-Smoking Area

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