Chapati Club (Indian) – Acton, London

Large, white, bold font juxtaposed against an entirely black shopfront, makes Chapati Club stand out from the crowd down the busy section of west London’s Uxbridge Road.

Having opened around a year and half ago, this 36-cover local eatery, while introducing a typical Indian menu to Acton, albeit succinct, is certainly atypical in its decor when compared to your local Indian curryhouse.

Instead, its interior has a distinctly 70’s vibe to it, with tables and chairs straight out of a school dinner hall, and eyecatching freestyle graffiti one would find sprawled across the wall of any neighbourhood street from said era.

With the food menu being fully Halal, the kitchen is flexible enough to assure the following: “Most of our dishes are medium spice level. Please talk to us for any adjustments.”

Note also that the alcohol bar is discreetly located at the back, with plenty of seating at the front.

(Top) Mango Lassi £3.50, Sweet Lassi, (bottom) Salted Lassi – £3.00 each

Damn do they know how to make a mean lassi! These were fantastic, which, given the many poorly-executed ones we’ve had over the years at seemingly more prestigious places, came as quite a surprise.

Each one was thoughtfully conceived and elevated via the simple addition of something extra, such that the thick Mango had a hint of cardamom to it, the Sweet a touch of rosewater, and the frothy Salted a touch of masala.

Honestly; we’d recommend any of these (or all three if you’re feeling thirsty) with any given meal. Our only quibble would be: why weren’t these presented ice-cold as they deserved?

Lamb Samosas – filo pastry filled with spice & mince, £2.50

Can’t go very much wrong with a Lamb Samosa with an ultra-crispy exterior.

Add to that the lightly spiced lamb mince interior, and what you had here was a well made traditional samosa.

Partner this with a tamarind sweet chutney, and this turned out to be a good start to the starter section.

It was also recommended by the owner as inhouse made.

Kerala Prawns (gluten-free) – delicious dish from our south India, £8.00

These Kerala Prawns, however, were the pick of the Sharer dishes for us.

With the prawns cooked to absolute perfection, what made these so good was the spicy mustard semi-dry marination expertly offset by the evident squeeze of lemon therein. RECOMMENDED ALL THE WAY!

Samosa Chaat (veggie) – samosa + yogurt + chutneys, £5.00

This superb little plate of smashed Samosa Chaat had everything that makes this dish accounted for, from the strong kick of the chilli marrying with the combo of the mint sauce and the touch of sweet from the tamarind, to the addition of the crispy biscuits to help enhance its texture.

Chilli Mogo (gluten-free) – cassava fries, £4.00

These cubes of cassava were gently spiced allowing the heat to come through soothingly. Texturally, however, these could have had a crispier exterior perhaps.

Okra Fries (veggie, gluten-free) – crunchy lady fingers, £5.00

Unlike the Mogo though, these Okra Fries were superb! Okra Fries appear to be a hit and miss affair at most south-Asian restaurants brave enough to offer this, with many turning out too oily and soggy.

Just as the owner promised, these were judged to perfection – thin, superbly battered and beautifully crispy – and, thus, extremely addictive.

Chicken G (gluten-free) – laced with garlic, ginger + greens, £7.50

Apparently this mellow spiced Chicken G is the most popular dish in this section.

Nevertheless, while the chicken was tender and soft, and the spinach green base beautifully buttery and superly spiced, without being too hot, we did feel that the dish was slightly erring on the salted side.

Butter Chicken (nuts, gluten-free) – north indian as it gets, chicken in a buttery gravy, £8.50

This Butter Chicken was a decent one in that it was smooth and fairly buttery, with the curry being mildly spiced, while the chicken, again gorgeously cooked, charbroiled enough to leave that strong hint of smokiness.

Like we said, good without being anything spectacular.

Prawns (gluten-free), £10.00

Another prawn dish; another winner! This was the best of the lot, defined, ultimately, by the expertly-cooked and decently-sized crustaceans, and the wonderfully balanced curry sauce.

Hence, whilst the former was soft and delicate, the latter was gently spiced and nicely countered by both the touch of sweetness and the familiar aroma of the mustard seeds therein.

You’ll be enjoying that curry sauce right down to the last. Of course, if you want it slightly more fiery, then be sure to ask.

Matar Paneer £6.50

They nailed the paneer in this Special. It was as close to melt-in-your-mouth paneer as you’re ever going to get, with the fragrance of the mustard seeds coming through well.

Nonetheless, despite two Lions appreciating the layers of spice and the subtle balance achieved in the curry, the remaining Lion, despite enjoying it for what it was, didn’t rate it as highly.

Black Dhal (gluten-free) – black lentils & beans, £5.00

This bowl of black lentil didn’t pack as much punch as we’d have liked. It may, therefore, be a good idea to ask for this to be made more spicier.

Consistency-wise, it was a touch on the watery side. A good attempt; but, we’ve had far better.

Garlic NaanWholemeal ChapatiPilau Rice

Garlic Naan, £2.00

With little specks of garlic sprinkled over the top, and a good amount of butter, this beautifully thin and crispy tandoor Garlic Naan is a must order.

Wholemeal Chapati – you get 2, £1.50

Oh yeah; nothing wrong with this spherically thin and nicely charred Wholemeal Chapati.

Pilau Rice (gluten-free) £3.00

The garam masala was ever present which, along with that distinct fragrance of a well made pilau rice being prominent, made this a superb little bowl of rice.

Lemon Sorbet; Honeycomb Gelato – £4.00 each

As good as these two were, with the extreme tanginess of the smooth and slushy Lemon Sorbet mellowing after those initial few spoonfuls, and the crunchy-textured Honeycomb Gelato erring a tad on the icy side, we would have preferred (and expected) something more traditionally Indian, if we’re being honest.