Formerly the Cuckoo Inn, this corner pub off the Caledonian Road was transformed in 2022 into a showcase for the creative south Indian food cooked up by head chef Prince Durairaj, who previously attracted critical acclaim for his Malaysian street food.
Which makes the Tamil Prince the capital’s latest Desi pub, combining curries with pints, and, in this case, some exciting cocktails. It’s dog-friendly, too.
The old bar room has been stripped back to a clean, practical and fresh style, and a menu introduced that celebrates the subtleties as well as the heat of well-judged spicing.
Small plates include old favourites like onion bhaji with mint chutney and more unusual dishes such as pulled beef masala uttapum with chilli coconut. Large plates, accompanied by a coconut pilau or flaky roti, range from grilled tiger prawns in garlic masala to robata lamb chops. Home-made ice-creams in various flavours feature among the desserts.
This is more than just a curry house, though. The Tamil Prince is serious about its drinks and you’ll find craft beers on the bar with enough zing to match the punchy spicing.
