Balham Social Reviews Summary

Food Quality

Pros:

• "Honestly it’s 5 stars on everything every time I go."
• "Everything was a real culinary delight."
• "The gajar halwa was a winner, not the run of the mill kind."
• "The plates were fresh with greenery, color, texture, and mouth-watering flavors in every bite."
• "Food was delicious especially chicken chops and butter chicken."
• "The food was fresh and well made, nicely seasoned and good portions."
• "Each and every dish was fresh and sumptuous!"

Cons:

• "Naan bread was a bit thin and disappointing and the dal wasn't as flavoursome as others I'd tried and a bit gloopy."
• "Only thing we didn't like was Salee (veg curry option) - didn't have any flavour."
• "The butter chicken sauce tasted like a sauce made of ketchup."
• "Every item was really underwhelming and lacking in any flavour, spice or depth."
• "The mushroom, however, didn’t look very appetising - it looked a bit slimy and was cold."
• "The chutneys that accompany the poppadoms are a bit lacklustre."
• "I will say that the chicken curry was tasty but not the best I've had."

Service

Pros:

• "Our server, Harry, was very friendly and attentive."
• "Service is very fast, highly recommended!"
• "Staff very professional and helpful."
• "Really lovely and helpful staff."
• "Service is always amazing. The staff, especially Harry, are attentive and we never have to wait too long for food or drinks."
• "The service was wonderful and the staff, Hari, was so attentive and accommodating."
• "The service was impeccable. All the staff were attentive, helpful and friendly."

Cons:

• "The frequent reminders that we had to return the table after 1 hour and 35 minutes ruined a delicious curry!"
• "The food was amazing but the service was nothing … the server came and throw the menus on the table."
• "Ask how the food was within 2 minutes of receiving it so felt very rushed."
• "Also we found it quite hard to get waiters attention when we needed smth."
• "Only critique would be the service which can be slow at times."
• "We were rushed to order with no help on the menu (asked a few times) and was then badgered throughout our time if we wanted to order more."
• "The service was very poor: the dishes arrived way too fast (5min after we ordered), the waiters were pushy and not friendly."

Ambiance and Decor

Pros:

• "Very stylish and modern feel, and there was a good atmosphere on a Thursday night."
• "The actual restaurant is beautifully decorated."
• "Really really well decorated inside, a really beautiful spot."
• "The restaurant itself is super pretty too."
• "The decor is amazing, no detail has been spared."
• "The atmosphere is wonderful here. Very pretty decor, great for a social environment."
• "Beautiful decor and vibrant atmosphere."

Cons:

• "It's very stylish and 'instagram-y' on the inside so not a relaxed 'curry house' vibe."
• "The tables are really stuck close to each other no social distancing is followed."
• "The restaurant itself has very peculiar outlook inside."
• "Gorgeous restaurant with fake flowers and atmospheric lighting."
• "Don’t come here if you want a gentle relaxed evening."
• "The music was quite loud."
• "Unfortunately there is a cat that sits on the chairs/tables and walks around the restaurant."

Value for Money

Pros:

• "A great experience which is not too stressful on your pocket."
• "Really good atmosphere and great food. Reasonable prices."
• "On top of that you will find the prices are very reasonable."
• "Great service great food at a reasonable price for a team of 15."
• "Solid dinner at a (slightly) reasonable price."
• "The dishes had great flavour and depth and the portion sizes were generous considering what we paid."
• "Food here is super delicious and light wasn’t heavy in oil which we really like."

Cons:

• "Will not be back whilst these bandits are around."
• "A bit pricey in my own opinion but worth a visit."
• "We shared the meat platter to begin and it was on the expensive side for such a small portion."
• "I was charged 3 pounds for a piece of bread."
• "A main course of okra (bindhi) will set you back £9 and will come in a very small bowl (certainly not main course!)."
• "The portions are small, the prices are high."
• "For a small plate, main, and two cocktails we paid ~50."