Mooli's Review

Book a table at Mooli's

We’ve all had those moments in our lives where our paths cross with those bound for bigger and brighter things. Sometimes their ascent is impossible to predict, and seems almost accidental. One day they’re in our lives; the next they’re on our TV screen. With others, success seems inevitable – we’re just happy to have caught them whilst we could.

For Sam and Matt, Mooli’s charming proprietors, success seems both guaranteed, and richly deserved. They’ve both packed in their jobs in the City to follow their dream, and it’s a dream so vivid and elegantly conceived that you can’t help but wish them well.

Growing out of Brick Lane’s weekend markets and into a cosy little spot on Frith Street, they’ve set their stalls out as purveyors of modern, eclectic Indian street food. Absolutely nothing’s been left to chance, and if their perfectly packaged concept (Old Delhi meets Tokyo, apparently) seems at first a little too watertight for my tastes, then the vim with which it’s all executed is more than enough to win me over.

The dining area is functional and pleasant, with the counter and kitchens set up in classic fast-food fashion. Behind the hatch, chef Raju Rawat has put his experience working in Michelin starred restaurants to good use, working with Sam and Matt to draw up a near flawless capsule menu of just five different moolis (wraps, or roti to the uninitiated), ranging from a traditional sounding paneer and tomato chutney, to a slightly leftfield chicken, apple and mint. It’s a magpie mix of north and south India, picking up inspiration along the way from modern European cuisine, as well as Leon and the US gourmet burrito chain, Chipotle. With nothing on the menu coming in at much over four quid, it’s remarkable value as well, whichever way you look at it.

Every dish, with the exception of the slightly bland chicken mooli, is an absolute joy. The slow-cooked beef and pork dishes are the real highlights, with the unusual flavours and textures in the de-facto signature dish of Goan pork and pomegranate salsa effectively summing up Mooli’s modus operandi in six very tasty bites.

Sam and Matt aren’t shy about their ambitions for Mooli’s (when I suggest this isn’t the kind of fare you’d find on Oxford Street, they add an unintentionally ominous ‘yet’ to the end of my sentence), but there’s no signs that they’re cutting corners to make a quick buck. All the meat and veg is sourced from local butchers, and the finer details of every dish, from the moolis they prepare on-site, to the delicious homemade chutneys (of which they’re rightfully very proud), right on through to the hand-grated paneer, raise the meal head and shoulders above anything I can think of in the price bracket.

For my money, there’s no-one doing this sort of fast-food better at the moment, and if there’s any justice, Mooli’s should go from strength to strength. In fact, the real challenge for Sam and Matt may be whether they can continue to meet the high standards they’ve set as the chain expands, as well as clinging onto the friendly, personal atmosphere that made my meal such a pleasure. Whatever happens, I’ll enjoy looking on as their stars rise....read more

Additional Information

• Cuisine Type: Indian
• Website: Visit the Mooli's website
• Group: (Independent/Freehouse)