LDNReview
photo credit: Aleksandra Boruch
The Tamil Crown
Included In
It was already easy to be jealous of Elia Street's residents. Close to the Regent’s Canal, it’s the kind of leafy road in Angel that'd get Richard Curtis going. And now, in The Tamil Crown, from the same people behind The Tamil Prince, they have an excellent neighbourhood pub and Indian restaurant, made for moody date nights where the lighting is low and the chances of sharing an Uber home are high.
photo credit: Aleksandra Boruch
photo credit: Aleksandra Boruch
photo credit: Aleksandra Boruch
photo credit: Aleksandra Boruch
Downstairs is fine for snagging a walk-in table and for more casual meals, but it can feel cold and stiff—especially for somewhere cosplaying as a pub (that really leans more restaurant). It’s sparsely decorated and the door swings open at regular intervals, filling the small space with gusts of air. You really want to be upstairs. Water rings are replaced with trembling candles blown out by the breathy giggles of a couple on a third date, and sticky, spilt Guinness floors make way for polished wood. Come evening it’s so dark and moody we’ve been known to exclaim, “oh my god, there’s a golden retriever in here” mid-way through our meal. It’s the kind of place where an accidentally-on-purpose finger brush while reaching for roti turns into an actually accidental elbow caress.
photo credit: Aleksandra Boruch
photo credit: Aleksandra Boruch
photo credit: Aleksandra Boruch
photo credit: Aleksandra Boruch
If the candlelight and linen curtains don’t make you go all doe-eyed, the aubergine curry—jammy, rich, and more tender than a John Legend lyric—will. Not all the dishes reach these heights. A mango sambar in particular is forgettable, but the ratio leans more hits than misses. And if you want to be guaranteed a good meal, come on Sundays for an Indian roast so flavourful and exciting that it feels like a personal attack on Aunt Bessie. You might not be an Elia Street local, but food like this will turn you into a regular.
Food Rundown
photo credit: Aleksandra Boruch
Onion Bhaji
photo credit: Aleksandra Boruch
Lime Leaf Roasted Chicken & Pineapple Chutney
photo credit: Aleksandra Boruch
Beef Masala Uttapam & Spicy Coconut Chutney
photo credit: Aleksandra Boruch
Aubergine Curry
photo credit: Aleksandra Boruch
Mango Sambar
photo credit: Aleksandra Boruch
Thanjavur Chicken Curry
photo credit: Aleksandra Boruch
Chettinad Lamb Curry
photo credit: Aleksandra Boruch
Buttery, Flaky Roti
photo credit: Aleksandra Boruch