Best Indian restaurant or takeaway in SE15?

How many Indians are there in Nunhead or Peckham?

Ganapati. End of.

Yep, Ganapati's fantastic food. For takeaway i'm a big fan of Spices (Nunhead - Evelina Rd)

My neighbours upstairs swear by Two Sisters Tandoori by Nunhead Station and last week we gave them a go and was very impressed. They can do lots of dishes Naga style (which I love) and unlike a lot of other Indians they're food wasn't swimming in a pool of Ghee and there was no evidence of a generic cover all sauce. Fresh and great value.

Barbur just outside SE15 in Brockley is slightly pricier but they have a brilliant menu (a la carte and less expensive take away menu opposite the restaurant) full of very nice and unusual things - far from bog standard kormas and tikka massalas.

Also heard the Ghandi on Barry Road by the Peckham Rye park is meant to be good - it's next on our list!

I am mostly disappointed with the Indian takeaways in the areas of south London that I've tried, but I've found it's not that the food is poor, it's my palate. I did most of my curry-eating apprenticeship in Birmingham and up there it's mainly north Indian cuisine and of course Balti (which I am yet to taste an authentic one outside of Sparkbrook) but down here the sub-continental menus are mostly south Indian (strong on dhosas and vegetarian cuisine) or Bangladeshi (the Brick Lane variety, in the main) and there's a surprising difference. Having said that, I have had a couple of belting chicken pathia's from Cinnamon in Forest Hill - good rich, spicy sour sauce with plenty of succulent chicken.

There are few Sikh or northern Indian restuarants around in London (many in Southall) and there are some, but not many, Pakistani restaurants. Then there are some which are Moslem run but adopt a wider style - Omrith for instance (which is I think underlying Bangladeshi) or the aforementioned Babur Brasserie, which I've read offers special months where cuisine from different (Indian) regions is offered. We should be getting more sophisticated in our tastes rather than just asking for 'a curry', and there are Thai and Vietnamese restaurants close by which also offer very good spiced SE Asian food.

BTW, tonight I had a Chinese.

Everest Inn in the Old Kent Road (where the Chinese Elvis place used to be) is probably our favourite for well-prepared, fresh Nepalese food.

To echo some of the above.. For me; Ganapati for a sit-down meal, and Everest Inn for takeaway. Both quite different from the average Indian fair that SE22 has to offer!

Excellent reviews for Zaffron in Forest Hill on a Wider London thread here

All except three of the Indians mentioned are outside of SE15 - are there any more Nunhead or Peckham places?

SE22 but very good food and service. I dropped in on my way home from work and ordered a delivery of the Ghandy special which was superb. As I was still 10-15 mins walk from home I mentioned that by the time I get to my flat they'd be ready to deliver and the guy offered to drop both me and the curry home.

Spices is amazing. The staff are really friendly and the food is wonderful. I really like the fact that it always tases so fresh and you can actually taste all the different ingredients in the dish without it being overwhelmed by the spices.

2 sisters are also great. I remember going to them when I first moved to the area about 8 years ago. I had never really tried Indian food then and the guys asked me what ingredients I liked and made me a bespoke curry. I have never looked back...

Lovely jubbly.

There's a very detailed review of the jewel in SE15's curry crown here:

South Indian restaurant tucked away on a side street off Rye Lane in Peckham. It's very much not a standard curryhouse; the menu changes every six weeks, they don't do "X meat in Y sauce" type dishes, and meals are served plated up rather than in serving bowls for people to share around. Also, as they state on their website, they are "not a takeaway restaurant" and although they will try to accommodate customers wanting takeaway, this may not be possible at peak times, and even if it is possible the waiting time may be "longer than you expect".

Read on: http://london.randomness.org.uk/wiki.cgi?Ganapati,_SE15_5DF

Spices - Set Menu B - just great. The owner is really friendly, the food is very good and it's all a good price.

How have I not seen this thread before?! Gan't get enough of Ganapati - especially at this time of year!

Some people find it a tad pricey, but maybe it's a relative thing, in comparison to a typical curry house it may be, but Ganapati's no typical curry house - it's a premium restaurant that focus on high quality food and table service (there's no delivery options).

I reckon that if you want to watch the rupees, go for a thali: it's everything you could want and more, so no need to order anything else. I can't finish the main thali, so depending how greedy I'm feeling may go for the mini, so no complaints about portion sizes here!

Their garlic chutney is also awesome. You can even buy it in jars - perfect to snack on just before a date!

There's so many Indian eateries on Lordship Lane but for me it has to be Swadesh.

The dhansaks are spicy so if you like it hot (but not Vindaloo level), one I recommend. The biriyani's are pretty spicy but very tasty.

However, more recently I have tried the Lamb Palak which is much milder in the heat department but I have never tasted such tender lamb before - it melts in your mouth. None of the dishes I have ever had there have been overflowing with ghee or been bland. I guess I keep going back as I've only ever had good food from there.

Happy Saturday curry night!

One man's meat etc.

If you do go to LL then try the naga from Jaflong, a drier curry and hot but not scarily - the kind of heat you expect from a good jerk chicken if you know what I mean. It lingers but doesn't scar the inside of your cheeks.

I'm beginning to think the best take away would be a compilation of dishes from various restaurants. my choice:

Curry Cabin... 'Meat Samosa'

Swadesh... 'Treat for Two' starter

Ghandi... 'Captain Patilla'

Jaflong... 'Naga Chicken'

Two Sisters... 'Tarka Dall'

Anyone else care to offer their perfect take-away menus?

On consideration this might be a good thread so I might copy/paste above and start a 'create your perfect take away menu' thread

We have been using Two Sisters for about 25 years. They went downhill a few years back and the food was watery and salty, but they have come back to their excellent standards and haven't been disappointed for quite awhile now. Spices, we have tried them a few times. Their food is different from 2 sisters, but equally delicious and would recommend them both - we don't need to go to Lordship Lane or New Cross when we have on our doorsteps. We have to support our community and keep them going.

Two Sisters have never disappointed us. May try Spices for a change but why I ask myself?

Because the lemongrass is always greener?

Had to dig this up.

Have just returned from a fabulous meal at Ganapati with friends. Again, I wasn't disappointed.

The portions were more than ample (and I have the appetite of a horse and a couple of wild boar). For the quality of food and level of service (I have visited this establishment over a dozen times now) I don't believe they are overpriced. I have eaten at one other Indian restaurant locally, and whilst cheaper, I didn't particularly enjoy the food. Furthermore, (and this really matters to me) Ganapati score highly vis a vis their environmental health/hygiene/scores on doors ratings.

All in all, a stupendous dining experience.

*pats bulging tummy*

I live pretty near Ganapati and went for the first time last week - bloody loved it. I am veggie and so absolutely love South Indian food (plus I really like coconuts and lentils anyway.) I had the vegetarian thali which I think was about £12 and was absolutely stuffed, and the paratha was the best I have ever had. Gorgeous restaurant, and very friendly service. I'm super pleased to have it on my doorstep!