INVITED: Burra Khana, located in the same building as Red Dog Saloon and owned by the same people, is an Indian street food restaurant inspired by the markets of New Delhi. Open for over a year now, the owners split the Red Dog Saloon restaurant in two to make way for Burra Khana. This is understandable as the building is huge and although the building is split in two, I didn’t feel like an imposter in a bbq restaurant. In fact the only real noticeable difference was the fact that the music wasn’t adding to the ambiance of India. I had heard really mixed reviews of Burra Khana when it first opened, and hadn’t had the chance to experience it for myself. When they invited me down I wasn’t sure what to expent to be honest. I am so glad I went and tried it for myself.

First Impressions

Although the restaurant has been split in two, it doesn’t feel too odd. There is a lack of atmospheric music in all honesty but I gather that the music is pumped out into both restaurants at the same time so it has to be more easy listening rather than a specific genre of music.

The restaurant must be quite dark in the evenings, with brown/purple booths and wooden tables, but they have tried to inject some colour with bright window type archways that look on to the bar at Red Dog. There are also some framed prints that brighten up the walls. Thankfully there are a few large windows that let in light during the daytime and are perfect for photographing your food! I would have loved to see more colour throughout the restaurant but understand that it is difficult with it essentially being two restaurants in one.

Drinks menu

There are a variety of cocktails, mocktails, beers, wines and spirits. Also there are Sharabats (Persian chilled floral drinks) and Lassis (Punjabi yoghurt drinks) along with tea and coffee.

Burra Khana Menu

After grabbing a couple of drinks, Eleanor and I perused the menu. Breakfast or Brunch is served Monday to Friday 09:00-12:00, Saturday & Sunday 10:00-16:00, with a selection of cooked breakfasts and healthy options. There is also a lunch deal Monday to Friday offering a kati roll and a fruit lassi for £8.

Eleanor and I opted to share a range of dishes to really get a feel of a wide variety of the menu. Here are our choices and thoughts.

Burra Khana is a Hindi expression meaning ‘Big Feast’ and as you can see from this post, we really took that literally!

Small plates

First up was the Dahi Golgappa. These are a chatpata (meaning tangy) snack from Mumbai. Crispy puffed puris stuffed with potatoes, chickpeas & sweet, sour and spicy house chutneys. I have had variations of these at other Indian street food places and I absolutely love them. The ‘dry’ items arrived inside the crisp spherical shell and the ‘wet’ items came in a shot glass. You pour the liquid into the ball, open wide and then shove the whole thing in your mouth. Do not try to be dainty and bite it in half. It will end in disaster with liquid running down your chin and arm. I speak from experience. Shove it straight in. These were delicious. There was a kick of chilli, the tang of the chutney, the crunch of the sphere and the explosion of flavour as the ball burst. Highly recommend.

Next up, Momos. This North Indian classic of steamed dumplings stuffed with chicken, vegetables & a blend of spices were really nice. I think this is the first time I have had Momos. They reminded me of Asian dumplings and were chewy balls of heaven. Steamed perfectly they were dense but juicy. I cant for the life of me recall what the sauce tasted like but I know we both enjoyed it.

Grills

From the grill I opted for the Tanghi Kabab. Chicken thigh meat steepd overnight in garlic, ginger, coriander stems, garam masala, turmeric and chilli, and a little cream. This was possibly the most vibrant dish I have ever eaten. The colours exploded on the plate. Bright red, tender, juicy thigh meat marinated in a host of spices and a beautiful green dip made from mint, coriander and chilli. This was a taste sensation and I would eat it time and time again. It also came with naan bread which I wasn’t aware of so we did also order another bread. (More on that in a second)

Curries

There are only 3 on the menu; a fish one, a mutton one and a chicken one. Eleanor chose the chicken one, Murgh Aloo. The epitome of a traditional
Bangladeshi household curry. Chicken, almonds and fluffy potatoes. In all honesty, this was our least favourite dish. Although packed with chunks of chicken and potato, it left us wanting. It was possibly the most boring curry either of us have ever eaten. It is a curry for people that don’t like curry. There wasn’t really any flavour. My advice is to skip this and try something else.

Bread

The breads on offer are kulcha breads, similar to naan but made with different flour and without the need for yoghurt. You can choose from butter, masala, garlic/capers/red onion/parsley or the one we chose; date and pistachio. Oh wow. I have never had date and pistachio bread before and we both absolutely loved it. The chewiness of the dates with the slight saltiness of the pistachios had us coming back for more until the whole lot was demolished. I would love to try the garlic one too.

Rice

A choice between pilau, or pinenut and onion pilau had us choosing the latter. This was just rice topped with a smattering of toppings and was really enjoyable. However I would have liked a little more of both nut and onion throughout the dish. A subtle flavour and would recommend.

Salad

Last up, we had forgotten we had ordered this as it arrived a little late. Chaat Salad is a favourite of mine. A tangy, flavourful chickpea salad with potatoes, red onion, chilli, garam masala, bhel puri, yoghurt and mango chutney. It is delicious. There is so much going on in your mouth. The crunch of the chickpeas and puffed rice, the tang of the chutney, the smooth creaminess of the yoghurt. This is a real winner for me!

Verdict

I had heard some mixed reviews when Burra Khana opened that left me in no rush to head down. I am not sure what has changed since the launch but my visit far exceeded my expectations. The food was fresh, tasty and piping hot, the presentation was great and I feel it is good value for money. Standout dishes for me were the kabab and the golgappa and I recommend you give these a try. Yes the location is a little weird being inside another restaurant but don’t let that put you off. The food, from my experience was great and the staff are also really friendly. Shoutout to Tiago and Breandain for looking after us. I will definitely be back.

My meal was complimentary in exchange for an honest review.