From 15th February to 27th April, Masala Zone is revamping its menu to offer diners the chance to enjoy the diverse cuisines of India's west coast without leaving London. The special menu is available at Masala Zone's Soho, Piccadilly Circus, Covent Garden, and Earl's Court restaurants and offers a sensory feast across six coastal regions, from Gujarat to Kerala.
For a limited ten weeks, the bold flavours of six coastal regions will take over every corner of the restaurant's menu, from thalis and curries to house biryanis and small plates.
Things kick off in Gujarat, the mother of the west coast, where vegetarian dishes take centre stage with dishes like Mandvi dabeli, a popular snack made by mixing boiled potatoes with dabeli masala, stuffed in a ladi pav, and served with tamarind, date, garlic, and chilli chutneys, garnished with pomegranate and roasted peanuts. The coastal town of Kathiawar inspires the delicious yam tikki chaat – a crispy purple yam mash stuffed with peas and served with tangy tamarind.
Mumbai is the next stop, where Maharashtrian hearty kolhapuri cuisine, the delicate flavours of Saraswati, and local fisher folk cuisine steal the limelight for dishes inspired by Bombay.
There are Bombay vada pao sliders, two lightly spiced vegetable patties in a home-baked caramelised onion pao bread, as well as the bold and aromatic Maratha bhajia curry, made with Maharashtrian goda masala, including unusual spices like stone flower and sun-dried coconut. Khoja Chicken Biryani is one of the tastiest biryanis of coastal India, with caramelised onion, almond, mace & essence of Himalayan screw pine flower, and it's also available to try on Masala Zone's limited edition menu.
From the Konkan Coast between Bombay and Goa, Masala Zone chefs are serving the vegan Konkani veg khatkhate curry, a Saraswat dish of fresh, seasonal vegetables with coconut, kokum, mustard, and curry leaf, as well as Kolhapuri paneer, the Konkan grilled seabream with fisherman's spices, and the Konkan green veg biryani.
Goa is known for its bold flavours of fish and creamy coconut, and Masala Zone is making the most of this, serving Goan spiced crab cakes (inspired by the Mandovi Hotel in Panjim) with vindaloo mayo, as well as chorizo balchao chilli fry, a blend of Portuguese and Indian influences. There's also a traditional seabream Goa fish curry, and a local favourite, Goa green herb chicken cafreal.
Next, adventure along the Malabar Coast, and you'll find dishes like Karwari crispy fried prawns, seabass tawa fry, and the aromatic Malabari lamb biryani, all of which are featured on Masala Zone's limited edition menu. Try their seabass tawa fry and Kundapura chunky chips tossed in shetty Masala for something local. But don't miss the Udupi masala bullet idlis, made from fermented black lentils and rice tossed in gunpowder seeds.
Finally, Kerala, where dishes like Kochin-inspired baby squid chilli fry, the Rogan Josh of Kerala and the Cochin Lamb Curry with roasted coconut take centre stage. You'll also get to feast on The fragrant Alleppey prawn curry from the palm-fringed backwaters of the Malabar coast, as well as the Malabar Moplah lamb biryani, which is hailed as the star dish of the Moplah community with centuries-old roots. All of these bold dishes offer a taste of a region that once was the centre of spice routes.
Enjoy a taste of India's fragrant west coast without leaving the city, available at Masala Zone's four central London locations – Soho, Piccadilly Circus, Covent Garden, and Earl's Court.