Kricket Review: Indian But Tapas Style

At a glance:

📍 Location: Soho.
🗣 Social: Facebook, Twitter, Instagram.
💸 Price: ££
✨ Decor: 8/10.
🍸 Food: /10.
🌏 Website: https://kricket.co.uk/

What kind of restaurant is it?

Blending British ingredients with authentic Mumbai-inspired aromas and flavours. Anglo-Indian plates are the speciality here.

Spread over 2 floors, Kricket is a counter dining experience with an open kitchen which I love because I can see all the clever things the chefs are doing to create awesome dishes. Downstairs is a more exclusive affair  withlow-lit cocktail bar and a large communal table which is open for reservation.

What’s the menu like?

I am a subscriber in the saying that ‘less is more’ and at Kricket, the menu is refreshingly short. To me feels like every dish on the menu is well-considered and so it proves: I can’t fault the food at all.

My favourite dish (and therefore one of my recommendations) was the Bhel Puri. It may only a be a starter, but I was won over by puffed up crispy rice, raw mango, tamarind, and yoghurt. Deliciously creamy, crunchy, sweet and generous in portion – a sure way into my heart.

A side of their signature KFC – Kerelan Fried Chicken – was also on-song. Crunchy, juicy and again generous in portion perfectly complemented by curry leaf mayonnaise, pickled mooli.

If you’re like me and love to round off a meal with something sweet, then the Sticky ginger cake, caramel, chai custard topped with yoghurt sorbet. Not as fiery as it sounds – more mellow than you could expect.

What the vibe like?

It’s brick-and-mortar look situation which I love. It’s industrial-chic so they say and the type of sophistication look often favoured by the hip restaurants in Shoreditch. It’s small and lively but relaxed.

Any tips?

Sit at the gleaming kitchen counter for the best dining experience. Not only do you get to see the chefs do clever things with your food to make it taste bangin’ but staff are brilliantly accommodating and friendly. Don’t be afraid to come dining here alone – you’ll find yourself in good company here at Kricket. Try moving into the restaurant to avoid the draught coming from the door.

Any gripes? Anything else I you should know?

I can’t fault the food one bit. But if I was nitpicking, some may find the kerelan fried chicken a bit on the too salty side. I personally loved it.

Unless you’re a group of about 6, you can’t make a RSVP so, it’s a walk-in job. Fortunately, Kricket operates a virtual queue which means you can put your name down at the door before going off and finding a place to drink. It’s typically a 1-hour wait and you can check on your phone when how long left you have to wait. Nice.

Verdict?

I can’t find any fault a Kricket. The food was excellent and the place looks so good and so intimate that it’s the perfect place to wine & dine with a hot-date. But really, it’s great for any occasion. One of my top restaurants in Soho.

🌟 Stars: 9/10