Gunpowder Spitalfields
Spitalfields, London
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Named after a potent South Indian spice mix, not the black chemical explosive, this cute, cosy and cramped canteen on a backstreet near Spitalfields Market is East London’s take on a traditional Indian roadside dhaba. You can’t book, space is tight, and the decor is bare bones (think exposed brickwork, functional furnishings and no-frills crockery), but the kitchen delivers on its promise. Home-style recipes from the owners’ native Kolkata are reworked and recast as intriguing small plates with plenty of up-front fire and spice – as in egg curry masala, the house chaat with Norfolk potatoes or punchy venison and vermicelli doughnuts (a top call on the succinct menu). Alternatively, if sharing is your preference, go for bigger plates such as steamed sea bass infused with mustard, pork ribs and tamarind kachumbar or spinach with tandoori paneer. For afters, the must-have dessert is the Old Monk rum pudding – a boozy ‘bread and butter’ riff, served with an extra shot of liquor if you want it. Two dozen spice-friendly wines (from £30) match the food; otherwise, plump for a can of thirst-quenching Disco lager or a frisky gin wala Negroni.
