A look at the pub - and you can see the chefs working at the back (it's quite mesmerising to watch them make the raitas).
What can you tell us about The Tamil Prince?
It's taken over what used to be The Cuckoo pub in Islington's leafy Barnsbury area and it is now a pub that specialises in South Indian food. The team behind it have said that the cuisine is something that's not particularly represented in the area and, as as an Islington resident I'd have to concur.
Who's behind it?
It comes from chef Prince Durairaj (hence the name) and Glen Leeson (ex JKS) who are also behind Tamila in Hackney and are both alumni of the extremely well-regarded Roti King. So expectations were high on this one.
This is what you're looking for - a pub in the middle of Islington's leafy Barnsbury
And where can we find it?
It's right in the heart of Barnsbury in Islington - so it's about a 10-15 minute walk from either Angel or Highbury stations (and just around the corner from Caledonian Road overground). We thought it was actually a smallish pub for the area (it's actually our first time inside), seating about 40-50 inside but there are a lot of tables outside too, if the weather is decent.
Onto the food - what can we expect?
Prince Durairaj is looking to showcase South Indian food on the menu, with a particular focus on the cuisine of his home state of Tamil Nadu. The grill sees a fair bit of action and we'd say there's perhaps a lighter touch on the heat than you might expect.
Here's what we had on our visit:
Fried goodness - the onion bhaji with mint chutney (£5)
Even more fried goodness - okra fries (£5) - either these or the bhaji above pair perfectly with a pint if you're just dropping in.
Pulled beef masala uttapum (a type of South Asian dosa) with chilli coconut chutney (£9)
Grilled tiger prawns in garlic masala (£26.50) - Actually a pretty good price for these enormous prawns (and that delicate garlic masala is wonderful)
Robata lamb chops (£32) - the lamb is marinated for over 18 hours in masala spices, with all the spices homemade and roasted in-house
And two of the desserts - Shrikhand (a strained yoghurt dessert - £5) and Falooda (like a dessert drink with added noodles - £5)
What's it like for vegetarians?
At the moment, you'll get the most from the menu if you're willing to order seafood and meat - there's not much vegetarian-led other than what we've featured here. This was in their first week, however, so the menu could well expand from here. That said - the standout dish of the whole meal was the following:
The Channa Bhatura with raita (a vegan dish, £10.50). You'll see this huge puffed-out bhatura being served to pretty much everyone in the pub and won't be able to stop yourself from ordering it.
What about drinks?
We opted for beer on our visit (with pints from Harbour, Purity, Crate and Lucky Saint, circa £6) but the cocktails are probably particularly worth a look, with Simone Pugi (Bar Termini in charge). Alongside standard negronis and old fashioneds, you'll find Cocktails like the Serafin (tequila, pear liquor, lime, sugar syrup, ginger beer) and lots of spritzes, at £10
Overall thoughts
The Tamil Prince has clearly become an instant hit on its arrival in Barnsbury. The pub was packed on a Tuesday night and we heard of people immediately booking a return visit after coming to the earlier soft launch. It's clear to see why too - there's nothing else quite like this in Islington and the food is excellent throughout. A great new addition to the area.
More about The Tamil Prince
Where is it? 115 Hemingford Road, London N1 1BZ
Find out more: Visit their website or follow them on Instagram @the_tamil_prince.
Hot Dinners ate as guests of The Tamil Prince. Prices are correct at the time of writing.
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