Diwana Bhel Poori

Since 1971 Diwana Bhel Poori has been a fixture in Drummond Street, serving vegetarian South Indian food in simple surroundings. It is just yards from Euston station and is perpetually popular. The plain wooden tables are closely packed and you should not expect to lingere here - dishes come at a swift pace.

Bhel poori was a mix of puffed rice, pooris, sev, onion potato, green chilli chutney, garlic relish and sweet and sour sauce. This is a really lovely dish, the balance of the sour ad sweet just right, the crunch of the pooris being a pleasing texture contrast to the vegetables. This is a classic dish (14/20). Aloo papri chaat consisted of chickpeas and potatoes on flat pooris with bought, spices and sweet and sour sauce. This was a successful dish, the soothing yoghurt balancing the spices well (13/20). 

Sev poori had flat pooris with onions, sev (which are crunchy noodles made of chickpea flour paste), chilli chutney, garlic relish and sweet and sour sauce. This was excellent, the balance of the sweetness and sourness just right, and with just a hint of chilli bite (strong 13/20). Samosas here use filo pastry rather than the more traditional maida flour, with a generous filling of potato, onions, peas and spices. The casing was crisp and the filling nicely balanced (13/20).

Bhajia consisted of mixed vegetables dipped in gram flour and spices and then deep fried, served with a spicy tomato chutney. These were crisp and tasty, the chutney having a pleasing bite of chilli (13/20). Dosas are a crisp pancake from southern India that has been around for many centuries (a recipe appears in a 12^th-century encyclopaedia called the Manasollasa in Karnataka). In India, I have seen it mostly as a breakfast dish. The cylindrical pancake has a fermented batter of rice, lentil and semolina with a core vegetable filling.  Masala dosa here had a thin outside shell and a central filling of potato, onion and spices. The contrast of textures between the pancake and the filling was pleasing, with enough spices to enliven the dish (13/20).

Service was efficient, and the bill came to £26 a head, which reflects us ordering more food than a sane person would finish. A more normal cost per head would be lower, especially if you focus on the starter snacks, which are anyhow the best dishes here. We had sweet lassi to drink but you can also bring beer or wine with no corkage added. It is great value for money. Diwana Bhel Poori is an institution that has lasted 43 years so far. May it prosper for many more.

Further reviews: 27th Jun 2024 | 11th Nov 2023 | 10th May 2016 | 25th Jul 2013