Louise Gillespie visits Baluchi at Lalit London for a lesson in Pan-Indian perfection
The red brick exterior of the LaLiT London certainly retains the grandeur of its former days as a grammar school and inside its Indian owners have made being summoned to The Headmaster’s Room a real treat.
An aperitif awaits in the Teacher’s Room- an elegant bar, or the Headmaster’s Room- more of a cosy armchair affair. As I sipped a delicious Delhi Daquiri to prep my taste buds for the Pan-Asian menu of Baluchi, I couldn’t help but have my attention drawn to the stunningly restored ceilings and wood panelling interiors.
The former Assembly Hall where Baluchi resides, provides the perfect dramatic setting for a menu that effortlessly combines the best of traditional and modern Indian cuisine.
The Food
Term One, began with a fillet of Tandoori monkfish that I feared was going to be drowned in spice but the complex marinade of fenugreek, mustard seeds and fennel perfectly complimented the delicate fillet and certainly warranted a good school report back to the kitchen.
Mid Term, I felt that was more like Spring Term, so fittingly I tucked in to a succulent Cannon of Lamb with a masala cashew crumble and of course added the signature ‘Dal Baluchi’ which was rich and creamy. I was only sad the bowl wasn’t bigger.
Term Break arrived which to me meant dessert and the saffron-infused Tandoori pineapple. If ever someone manages to create a dish whereby a fruit is as wafer thin, delicious and paired with cardamom and pink pepper as this pineapple was, then please do call me!
The Wordrobe Verdict
Baluchi is certainly somewhere to take someone to impress but the beauty of the building certainly doesn’t outshine the flavours from Executive Chef Santosh Shah. If only all schools were like this, I think I might have received more A’s.
Make it happen
Where: 181 Tooley St, London SE1 2JR
Bookings: Please visit thebaluchi.com to make a reservation.
Words by Louise Gillespie
