Address: 126 Acre Ln, Brixton, London SW2 5RJ

Phone: 074 4882 8139

Google Maps Link: https://goo.gl/maps/oPTGNrnJayj

Opening hours: ring for details

This restaurant is closed in the evening and we discovered the hard way that it is closed all day Monday as well. So we iterated to a Friday lunchtime and were surprised and very pleased we made the effort. It’s a bit hidden behind the bus shelter half way along Acre Lane and is an Indian which serves Goanese food. So plenty of coconut, as well as the usual chili and coriander. We only went in for a snack but ended up with a feast. It’s all a bit informal, with the menu is written on a typed sheet. And not everything is available and, to complicate it further, there are specials not on the menu. So our advice is – ask. We had two curries to choose from (prawn and chicken) and dahl with chapati and there were a couple of snacks (samosa and a potato cake with minced beef inside). There were a few other dishes but we stopped there.

Starting with a potato cake and samosa, we realised that this was not going to be easy and that our eyes were definitely bigger than our stomachs. The potato cake was crispy then soft and the minced meat was softly spiced with cinnamon and a hint of chili. The samosa, also with potato, had other vegetables, but was crisp and with thin pastry so none of the fighting the chew the ends. We were served what looked like tomoato ketchup to eat with them and we couldn’t decide whether it has anything added. But both these dishes were a big hit.Next came the chicken curry with rice and the dahl and chapati. Like most things that were made to order, it’s not necessarily fast food. Neither was burning hot and yet the odd chili made itself known is some mouthfuls. Again there was lots of cinnamon, coriander and chili as well as gravy in the chicken curry. The golden dahl too had some spices that evaded our best endeavours to name. We then received a surprise extra – a green mango chutney. It was sliced, sprinkled with black pepper, chilli and vinegar and was delicious – just a hint of sweet and hot and went well with both dishes.

At the end of the meal we were served a rose flavoured Goan tea with a small sweetmeat made with coconut, sugar and milk. A great end to the meal.

We are encouraging people to visit despite the uncertain opening hours. It’s a bit like eating with a family and certainly deserves to be a local favourite. It doesn’t offer small plates or fancy cocktails, but the food was delicious and different, so we will definitely return. And all for less than £18. We just hope they manage to make it a success with such limited opening hours and little on-line links.