South Indian dishes with a twist. Absolutely love this place. Everything is tasty and so full of flavours.
Excellent food. Do not expect the traditional style or portions but extremely well played in terms of food. The place is very cozy and the staff’s warmth make the experience even more worthwhile.
And yes, one of the very few places in London that serve Old Monk rum :-)
Do not expect simple traditional dishes of indian cuisine. Chef takes it to another level.The food they offer are the best quality and taste with great customer service by manager and his team.I highly recommend it.
Your parents were wrong; it's not rude to play with your food. Gunpowder plays with your food, and their recipes are explosive. They smash something traditional into something modern and boom! A menu full of something special. Their dishes are tapas-style, concentrated small plates perfect for sharing. This Spicy Venison and Vermicelli Doughnut is a fun one, a coat of crispy thorns covering a crumbly ball of ground, spice-loaded pinballs.
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This is a review of the new Gunpowder in the One Tower Bridge development that doesn't have it's own entry in Zomato yet. It's a handsome place but acoustics are lousy when it is crowded.
The food is good but be warned that portion sizes are dainty relative to rather high prices. I love that they seem to focus on the lighter, brighter side of Indian cooking instead of the stodgy fatty things available in a typical curry house.
We started with aloo chat which is a really fresh and bright dish I like. Boiled spiced potato and cauliflower, tart yoghurt, sweet tamarind sauce, fresh notes of raw coriander and raw red onion and micro herbs, garnished with a little deep fried lotus root. Well balanced and tasty. Peanut and flattened chickpea chaat was great too. Skin on peanuts, spring onion, coriander, cucumber and chickpeas that had indeed been pounded flat and roasted.
Kashmiri grilled lamb chops were divine and came with a punchy coriander chutney. Very tender, served medium rare, with a flavourful spice rub. It came with some strands of pickled cabbage where the acidity was a nice foil for the fatty meat. Patara maach was fish steamed in banana leaf on the grill served with some spiced pickled cauliflower. Fish was tender and rubbed with a nice emongrassy paste.
The only dish we ordered I didn't care for were the okra fries. I like bhindi when the okra's are halved lengthwise and dredged in chickpea flour before deep frying. However, these had been cut into very thin julienne slivers and then tossed in the chickpea flour. Though the frying technique was perfect (crisp, with no greasy texture) slicing the okraso finely resulted in a heavy dish.
We attended the reduced price soft launch. At full price with a bottle house wine, dinner for two would have been £70 including service. Expensive for Indian, but worth it because it was refined and elevated.
In a nutshell - it’s a place to try indian finger food, quirky place and great service.
Ambiance : it’s quite a small place and they have used the space very efficiently.
Food : limited menu which caters to everyone (vegetarian/ sea food / white meat / red meat)
Banana wrapped fish - it’s a must for sea food fans, it was cooked to perfection and very mildly marinated with mustard seeds.
Bhindi fry - Bhindi was crispy and batter was very thinly smeared, which lets one to get the taste of Bhindi.
Chicken Tandoori - it was organic baby chicken, certainly meat tasted good, it was also very well cooked and loved the chutney which was served with it.
Gunpowder aloo chat - its a dish where one has to strike balance between the yogurt and the sweet chutney, they had got it bang right.
Chettinad pulled duck - duck tasted good with all the masala in it.
Service - staff was very friendly and helpful.
It’s a nice place if one wants to try indian cuisine.
Filipe Passos-Coelho
+4.5
As a friend of mine described it, "Indian tapas". Each dish packs a punch, flavour to sell and give away. As an example, I was very impressed with the potato dish (aloo chat) with the variety of taste you get from it. It is a small and very busy place (we waited for 2h for a table), so do book ahead. And get ready to share lots of different options with friends.
Possibly one of London's newer (and underrated) Indian restaurants, perhaps because it is difficult to find tucked away in the corner behind Spitalfields market.
This 25-ish gastropub seater has some amazing food and vibes! With classic Hindi music, cosy interiors and warm staff,I felt very welcome.Their modern take on Indian food is something I've not come across before in Dubai or London (and theres a lot of those out there!)
We ordered: two glasses of their Malbec, the aloo chaat, the venison and vermicelli donut ,chutney cheese toast and half mustard broccoli . We loved ALL of it. To end our meal we ordered the Old Monk bread pudding- a special. Whilst it was a great end to our meal, both my friend and I felt it needed more alcohol as we could hardly taste any rum!
All in all a great meal and totally worth it for £50 for 2 people! Highly recommend this place!
Delicious, punchy food. The lamb chops were recommended and definitely a good choice, some of the most tender meat I've had in a long while. It's a tiny little place but if you manage to grab a table and don't mind being a little packed in its a great spot for dinner with friends.
Nice fusion indian food .. Loved lamb and chicken .. Rabit pulao is fabulous .. Portions are little smaller .. Ambience is hip .. Service wonderful .. Will recommend
The Veggie Perspective
+4.5
Gunpowder is a new restaurant specialising in aromatic rustic Indian food. It’s located on White’s Row, just off Commercial Street, and its bright lights ensure it stands out like a hidden gem on the quiet narrow road. It’s small and quite tightly packed fitting with Gunpowder’s theme of an Indian kitchen and home-style family dining. It seats around 20-25 people and there is a small bar serving up creative Indian themed cocktails. The space is a converted curry house with the red brick walls and some of the old furniture making the cut to stay. Hanging light bulbs and the red hue throughout the restaurant creates a delightful dining atmosphere.
i just wrote a really good review and then went to look at the menu and bloody lost it!!!! so here we go again.
this place is just exceptional. its no ordinary indian joint ladies n gents. its no just order the one curry and a naan and feel like its the beginning of the end, this place is a miracle!!!!!
its so delicious!!!!! im using so many exclamation points to try and get my point across i hope it works!!!!!
indian sharing plates - wow genius idea. you have to get the lamb cutlets and the aloo chat and the mustard brocolli and OH GOD JUST GET ONE OF EVERYTHING DO YOURSELF A FAVOUR!!!!!!
What a place !! This restaurant is a small gem in splitalfield area and specialises in small plates ( Indian style tapas). A very restrictive menu but all the dishes have been thoughtfully designed. Rasam bomb is a must try !! It can be a little pricey but for the quality of food served, I am happy to go back to Gunpowder again and again. Highly recommend it!!
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Over the past few years, the small sharing plate movement has slowly been taking over every facade of London dining to the point where to order a dish just for yourself is beginning to feel foreign. No cuisine is safe as this change in mentality slowly engulfs everyone. And so I guess it was inevitable that Gunpowder would come to fruition serving up sharing plates of the Indian variety.
Opened in December 2015, Gunpowder has situated itself a stones throw away from traditional Indian stomping ground Brick Lane which is curiously ironic because, aside from physically location, the food here also separates itself from that crowd.
Like the cool kids at school, it has blazed ahead offering a variety of traditional dishes with a twist or new dishes which adhere to traditional flavours.
Playful offerings such as the spicy venison and vermicelli doughnut draw you in and confirms the kitchen's legitimacy but it's dishes like the Maa's Kashmiri lamb chops which its bold flavour profile that really knocks your socks off and leaves you wanting more.
That aside, the karwari soft shell crab and sigree grilled mustard broccoli were both winners worthy of your time and will be staples for me going forward on return.
So as the small plates style of dining continues to move its way across our fair city, I am pleased to say that in Gunpowder, we have one that we can be proud of. Get here soon.
Also follow me on Twitter @annixontong and on Instagram @ks_ate_here.
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So from reading online I've noticed some sort of rivalry between Gunpowder and the infamous Dishoom. It find the choice in restaurant name to be very interesting, and I'll explain why; Dishoom means gunshot, and this little restaurant is named Gunpowder. Coincidence? I'm not sure.
Anyways, on to the food. The menu was small and precise, which I like as I feel this gives the kitchen a better opportunity to perfect it's dishes. The food was stellar! Everything cooked to perfection and they really nailed it with the east/west fusion. The Kashmiri lamb chops are possibly the best lamb chops I have had in my life. Crisp on the outside but succulent and juicy on the inside. The chutney cheese sandwich was very good, and really brought out the flavours of traditional 21st century Indian home cooking. We also tried the okra fries, saag with paneer, pulled duck with homemade oothappam, aloo chaat, and a rasam ke bomb. I feel the quality and passion of cooking is exactly what Dishoom used to be like before it became trendy and overpopulated. I hope Gunpowder can keep their food this good, and hopefully the quality doesn't diminish as time goes on.
While I’m from Australia and find that Chinese Asian is my go-to cuisine whenever it’s up to me, the other half of this site is English and leans quite far into the Indian camp anytime she gets her way. Her having travelled there a few years ago has only piqued her interest more and it now seems I never get my Chinese fix.
I am fortunate enough to visit new restaurants every week.. It’s my hobby, my passion and trying new restaurants and experiences in London and abroad is my one true love. It’s Valentine’s eve and if you haven’t booked anything yet and you are having a panic- this place has stopped taking reservations- so get there for 5:30 and you might be in with some good luck!
Very positively surprised by the quality of the food, the almost impeccable service and the feel of the place. The portion of each dish was perfect and as a vegeterian, I felt spoilt! My new fav Indian restaurant in London 😍
Gunpowder is physically caught in the middle between the City and Whitechapel. The far glossier, more spacious and more expensive eateries of the former, such as the Cinnamon Kitchen, offer a more comfortable and spacious experience. Meanwhile, the very cheap and cheerful grill houses of the old East End, like Tayyabs, have more familiar and more accessible dishes.
Yet Gunpowder manages to carve out its own identity and holds its own.
The house specialty was broccoli, which was a shame. It’s always held a special spot in my personal rogue’s gallery of vegetables, worse than mushy peas but not quite as vile as beetroot. Ordinarily I’d have politely declined, but it’s hard to refuse when the waiter endorses it with such misty-eyed enthusiasm. It’s my own fault for asking for recommendations, I suppose.
Fantastic, cosy little place, with an eclectic menu, crammed full of twists on traditional Indian favourites. Gol gappas are transformed to rasam bombs with a distinct masala dosa takeaway, shahi tukra into a decadent old monk bread and butter pudding. It isn't so much fusion, as fearlessly authentic cooking with an eye for exploration! Staff is friendly if a little slow to maneuver around this tiny space - though the owner Harneet more than makes up for this with know-how, warmth and energy. My favourites - aloo chaat (this is proper aloo tikki chaat, Delhi style, loved it), lamb chops, naga chilli pork belly, venison donut, banana leaf steamed mustard fish, chutney cheese sandwich, saag paneer (this is almost half the menu...). They're planning a pretty regular menu overhaul, so get there fast for the seasonal favourites!
Pow! My dinner at newly opened Gunpowder was a tasty meal – and one I’d recommend to folks foraging for full flavoured Indian food. With a “made to share” menu based on family recipes collected by Founder Harneet Baweja and Head Chef Nirmal Save, this small and cosy Spitalfields eatery sits just a block from Brick Lane. But don’t expect to get your balti fix here. Come to Gunpowder for hearty eats backed with sophisticated heat.
This was such a pleasant find for us. A small Indian tapas place serving the most delicious food. The menu is thoughtfully crafted and you wanna try everything on the menu. Everything we tried was mouthwatering delicious, I especially liked the fish and broccoli. The hosts are delightful and take extra care that you are being served and fed well. Absolute delight visiting this place. Gonna go back again very soon.
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It is indeed an honour to be the first among the Zomato community to review a brilliant restaurant that I KNOW is going to make a name for itself very soon! Nestled away in one of the by-lanes adjacent to London's famous Spitalfields market (barely a 1 min walk actually) is a true GEM of a restaurant serving Indian tapas with a TWIST! Ladies and Gentlemen of the jury, I present to you - Gunpowder.
It is unlike any restaurant I've been to. In London you can club the likes of Dishoom, Inito, Roti Chai, Chai Ki into one bucket, if you think of it. Good food/Standardised/Indian meals/tastes-like-back-home,etc.
But Gunpowder just blows your mind.
Take the Rasam bombs for example. Exceptionally made rasam, tangy and tasty served in a shot glass with a "Phuchka" on top - see pic to believe. Instructions to eat are: Take a bite of the Phuchka and take a swig of the rasam. Let them marry in your mouth. Delicious.
Ever heard of spicy Venison doughnuts? Yeah. Exactly. The flavour is Indian, the mince is exotic. There is a sweet (mango?) relish it's served with. The combination is just divine. It's the size of a tennis ball - filled with Bambi. Yum.
The lamb chops are the best I've had in London. Period. It's the chef's specialty. You HAVE to try it. Tayyab's doesn't even come close. Tayyab's is dry. This is just right.
Then there's the Naga pork - Oh. My. God. Thank God they introduced this dish on the menu yesterday. It's a spicy and sweet preparation with slices of fried pork, I'd say a square inch each. Truly reminiscent of Nagaland, India. Could come with a bit more chillies though - but I do appreciate everyone might not enjoy a super fiery dish. If you think you can take it - just tap Harneet or Devina (the owners) on the shoulder and ask him/her to BRING IT! Haha!
Other dishes of note are the chilli cheese toast - good ol' comfort food you get in good canteens back in India, and also the Saag Paneer which my wife and friends were waxing eloquent about! I couldn't try it though, coz I was too full of the good stuff I'd eaten before.
There's lots more to try here. The owners have promised that the menu is going to keep changing, depending on the fresh catch/produce of the day. There's a wide array of drinks/cocktails/wines to choose from as well. Harneet recommended I try the tamarind margarita which was spectacular!
It's in the nascent stages of it's journey. Opened a week back. Please hop on to the Gunpowder wagon. Spread the good word. You can thank me for it later.
Note - it's not a very large place. Seating capacity of 30. I'd advise you to call the restaurant and make a booking. Just to ensure you don't have to wait.
Happy different eating!
Very tasty meal with a good service.
- Had the kale and aubergines which was a very tasty mix of textures and flavors. Would recommend it.
- Then the soft shell crab which far too greasy and too much fried dough. Barely could taste the crab. Not advised.
- the venison doughnut, generous in size and a very interesting way to cook the venison. Very nice indeed.
- saag with tandoori paneer. Perfect spinach mix, lots of flavors with the spices and loved the paneer. One to pick also.
- lamb chops, very generous portion and very well executed. A must try also.
The whole experience took one hour which was perfect for us and the service was very attentive.
Go you won’t be disappointed
Went here to a weekday dinner. Do make sure to book ahead as the space is not too big and gets filled quickly.
I got the lamb chops, pulled duck pancake and the venison ball. Overall, I think the food was done well, but nothing really struck out to me as amazing.
Lamb was the nicest out of the 3, as it was cooked just right to be soft and tender. However after a few pieces it got a bit plain for me as the sauce did not add a different flavour to it. Personally would prefer for the sauce to give a nice contrast to the meat, to enhance the flavour so it felt a bit flat to me.
The pulled duck pancake was decent if nothing spectacular. The venison ball by itself was nicely seasoned, with a decently spicy sauce accompanying it.
Still a nice place to come and try. Maybe coming with an Asian palate and with the Michelin star, my expectation was high. Personally found it to be okay food.
We were looking for an Indian food experience in London. So many choices, but a <10 table restaurant with a Michelin Star has to be worth a try. Did Not disappoint - each small dish, and think we tried most, provided unique flavors. The pork ribs and duck were probably our favorites, but even the rice was amazing. Well Done Gunpowder
Had a great time. Cozy place. Food comes out fairly quick and tastes great. The okra Fries are thin and not slimy. The pork chops were super tender and easy to clean the bone. The side of rice was a great add on to finish off the sauces from the dishes.
Amazing food, really really impressed. The spicy venison vermicelli donut and the tandoori starter were showstoppers. Bursting with flavour. The beef pepper fry was rich, and we also got sea bass which was nice and delicate.
The bread and butter pudding is to die for.
It’s quite a tight space and it was very busy on a Saturday evening. Would go again to a different branch.
We were thinking about giving this 4 stars, but actually can't fault it at all in regards to the food. An Indian tapas description is pretty good and the stars were the soft shell crab and succulent lamb. The server mentioned the lamb was marinated overnight to give it soft and supple texture. Everything was amazing. Surprised this place was not more full during the weekend. But it is tucked down a side street.
Booked a table for a Friday evening 6pm.
Heard great things about this Indian cuisine with a modern twist and wanted to check it out myself!
The restaurant is tiny, let's say it was cosy. Need to point out, it's all bar chairs and high tables, if you are disabled or have limited mobility, I'd go to the Tower Bridge or Soho restaurant, best check seating beforehand.
Nonetheless staff were extremely friendly and polite. So attentive with info on dishes and recommendations.
We ordered a few small dishes, Chaat (Norfolk potatoes), Spicy venison and vermicelli doughnut, Cheltinad pulled duck with homemade oothappam, okra fries (we both felt these were a little over seasoned) steamed pilau rice. But the Barnsley lamb chop ghee roast 250g was the star of the show, it literally melted in the mouth...absolutely divine!!
Dessert was the chocolate ganache...to die for!!! I made a wish too... Thank you.
Tip: if you don't do spicy food, check with staff to recommend the more milder dishes!
Every single dish we had was delicious, especially the venison vermicelli doughnut which is one of the best things I’ve tasted. The tandoori chicken and pork ribs were also amazing! Great service and wine also. Will definitely go back
Exceptional Food! Service was fast and very friendly.
The atmosphere was nothing special.
We ordered many different dishes which we all shared and enjoyed together.
Our absolute favourite was the lamb which was outstanding!
Very much enjoyed dinner at Gunpowder. The portions are a good size and we probably did over order for just 2 people. The flavours are amazing, just the right level of spice for us. The lamb chop was very tender and juicy.
The egg curry masala was the highlight!
Amazing service as they did take care to check over the ingredient list as we did have one food allergy item. Overall atmosphere was good, quite small restaurant and we were sat next to the kitchen door.
A little on the pricey side.
Had a delightful dinner of a few small and spicy plates at Gunpowder, Shoreditch. Loved all the plates, but the Spicy Venison Doughnut and Gunpowder Chaat are worth a mention.
Very friendly staff and great, quick service.
YUUUMMM! Was in the area and there was space here, so decided to git it a try and so glad we went in. The food is so delicious! The highlights were the seabass and the okra fries. The crispy kale was pretty good too. Not too many seats inside though.
Small place inside Spitalfields. We discovered it thanks to the Michiline guide. The waiters were really kind and suggested us (correctly) what to take, also they were fast. The food was really really good, you can feel the Indian touch in that, for a fair price. The place is small and intimate, seems to be in a restaurant of Bombay in the '40.
Strongly suggested!
Lovely dinner and great service, its a tiny place though
Really delicious and flavourful food. The paneer was delicious, and the broccoli had no right to be that good. The portions were perfect for a lunch between four people.
Really cool fusion place...food was great except for the pani puri version as it was filled with potato curry which I personally did not enjoy.
Bhidi fry, Palak paneer, chat was good. They don't serve any bread just white rice so if you more of a Naan or paratha person then you may be disappointed. My colleagues had non-vegetarian food and they also enjoyed it. Dessert was very average and didn't really like it.
Very good. The service is wonderful. The food is amazing. It’s our anniversary so they gave us a desert as present.
If you're craving authentic Indian street food, look no further. This restaurant brings the vibrant flavors of India right to your plate. The chaat selection is phenomenal, with each dish bursting with tangy, spicy, and sweet flavors. The service is quick, and the prices are reasonable. It's a fantastic spot to satisfy your Indian food cravings!
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