Roti Chai

Roti Chai Review

Incredible Indian street food hits the spot at this bright, yellow-ceilinged, superior curry canteen found behind Selfridges. The kitchen specializes in grub inspired by Indian street-cart vendors, roadside '"dhaba" cafés, and bustling Victorian railway stations found across the subcontinent. You'll find a good sprinkling of smart Indians tucking in—often heartily with their fingers—into glass bowls of spicy street snacks like nibbly bhel puri (puffed rice with onion, cumin, and tamarind), fiery white cubes of "Hakka" chili paneer cheese, or flayed Keralan chicken "lollipops," which come with an irresistible coriander dip. There's Punjabi aloo (potato) bun tikki mini-burgers, and a tender tomato-based "Railway" lamb curry with chapatis (straight out of Bombay's Victoria Terminus station). You can imagine you're on the road with the authentic hot curried chickpea spreads, pea samosas, or Indian mango ice cream on a stick. This is a trip to India for which you need no passport.