Seven-thirty on a Tuesday evening isn’t generally thought to be the best time to catch a restaurant at it’s most ambient, but staggering in dazedly from a taxi-driven-near-death-experience with a “facking rickshaw” (you gotta love the London cabbie), the place was humming.

“Hi, I’ve got a table booked,” I bellow at the smiling maitre’d, who, surprisingly in such a throng, manages to offer me a selection of tables to choose from and has me settled and listening to him explain the concept of the restaurant within thirty seconds of my entering the building. Efficient is not the word.

Seated and waiting for drinks, first impressions are of dark-wood and bright orange, accentuated by muted lighting. On closer inspection, alcoves house pieces of sculpture and art work, combining boldness, simplicity and elegance in a way that somehow works.

Freshly blended fruit juices in hand – a subtly sweet orange, mango and strawberry for my companion, a satisfyingly sharper mango and passion fruit for myself – we set to inspecting the menu. The idea is essentially pick n mix; “At Imli, we believe food tastes better when shared with friends and family. That’s why we recommend that you select a few of our dishes to share and to sample as many flavours as possible.”

Indecision seemingly the order of the day we opted for one classic and one vegetarian (with no banana’s, please!) Imli meal and let the waiter do all the hard work for us. First to arrive was a dish called “assorted flavours;” Indian stuffed breads with a selection of daal and curry dips. From then on in, it all became rather complicated. Platter after steaming, aromatic platter filled the table: Sev Puri; Spiced Potato Cakes; Mushroom Tikki; Papdi Chaat; Adraki Fish; Southern Lamb Curry; Aubergine Masala, Pav Bread, Mint Chutney, dishes of rice and not a popadom in sight. Wine arrived at some point; a Spanish Senorio de Sarria Tempranillo, described as “Long and silky on the palate with touches of treacle and dark black fruit,” it complimented the meal beautifully and helped defuse the heat beginning spread as we gorged. The servings were small but deceptively filling.

There comes a stage in any meal where, figuratively speaking, you “hit the wall” and suddenly, quite unexpectedly, I was there… Just as dessert arrived; the chef’s selection – a delicate and mercifully small portion of the restaurants three top sweets, beautifully presented and dauntingly irresistible. Taking a few deeps breaths, lifting… then dropping my spoon a number of times, psyching myself up, I went in for the kill. Fig and Ginger Ice Cream, Cardamom Rice Pudding, Chocolate and Orange Zest Ice Cream, . It’s a point of etiquette on which I’ve always been unsure: is it rude or a compliment to lick the bowl? Had the Imli tri-part dishes not been such an awkward shape for such activities there would have been need for me to wrestle with that question.

The best way of describing Imli is a sophisticated Indian Tapas restaurant. And what’s more, it’s surprisingly cheap; an Imli meal will set you back oooh, a whole £10.50, hold back £3 for desert and if you really feel like treating yourself, splash out a fiver on a couple of juices or £15 on a very nice bottle of wine.

There is nothing at all not to like at Imli; service is fast and attentive, the food is fresh, varied, tasty, high-quality and extremely good value and the atmosphere seems to be there all week through. If you go there expecting your “curry in a hurry” greasy naan’s and good old chicken tikka you’re going to be disappointed, but for a different class of Indian cuisine I’d strongly recommend it.

Opening hours
Monday - Sunday 12.00 - 11.00pm