Review: Indian Street Food at Inito, Shoreditch

Style Points: 2/5
Price: £
Overall: 5/5

Inspired by original local delights from India’s roadside eateries, Inito is a new restaurant which aims to serve comforting authentically spiced street food.

My readers will know that Indian street food is my favourite food and so I couldn't wait to head to East London, just past the bustling Spitalfields Market, and try this new addition to the neighbourhood.

The restaurant has a relaxed, quirky feel to it, with wooden tables and comfortable low seating in the shape of blocks within which you could stow away your belonging – genius!

There are aptly placed additions to the space such as funky wall signs and wooden crates which hark back to the hustle and bustle of street markets in India where the food originates from. The addition of an open kitchen means diners can see their order being conjured up whilst catching tempting wafts of the spices being used.

Would I Want Seconds?

The menu here is created by award winning chef Saurav Nath who has worked at two of my favourite Michelin star restaurants Benares and Colony.

Inito has a variety of options available on the menu. They serve up a range of made to order Rotis filled with freshly grilled meats, fresh vegetables and tangy pickles and chutneys which are ideal for lunch as well as dinner. There is also the option of ‘build-your-own-roti’ where diners can select from the tempting fillings to create a different taste experience every time. The large plates on offer include tandoori plates, biryanis and curry and salad bowls.

I opted to order from the sharing plates section of the menu which had some of my favourite dishes. To start with I tried the Inito speciality lollipop wings, which where chicken wings marinated in their secret blend of spices and herbs. These almost had a fried chicken feel to them but where well-seasoned. I also tried a well-made masala dosa which arrived with the ideal accompanying chutney.

By this point in the meal I noticed that the flavours within the dishes where extremely reminiscent of the original flavours that I came across in India and within Indian home cooking. Chef Saurav Nath had certainly delivered with his recipes for Inito.

Next I tried the pani puri, bhel puri and aloo papri chaat which arrived as sharing plates. These were all as delicious as my first course and I couldn't help but finish of the majority of the aloo papri chaat which had the beautiful combination of yogurt and tamarind chutney. The pani puri was an interesting dish to try as it involved pouring the chutney into the puri using a laden and then eating it in one bite, as is the tradition.

I also tried the chicken roti with charcoal grilled chicken tikka and the paneer roti which was filled with tandoori roasted paneer with pickling spice. Served in a wrap format these would be ideal for a quick bite to take off or eat in and they filled me up just nicely after my starters.

Could I Afford Seconds?

What astounded me about Inito, alongside the delectable dishes, were the prices. There isn’t a single dish on the menu is costs over £10, a rarity of London. The Roti rolls are £5.95 each regardless of the filling you choose. Sharing plates are approximately £4 for a large portion and the larger dishes such as the tandoori and curry bowls are about £8 to £9.

This means that by spending £20 per head each diner would leave more than satisfied.

Overall:

I was very impressed by Inito as it is a great find which I am sure I will be returning to repeatedly. It’s no wonder that they already have a base of regular customers.

Everything from the food, decor, prices and the super friendly staff was exactly what I had been looking for from a small independent restaurant serving my favourite type of food.

In additional Inito is a restaurant with a conscience, as all their produce is ethically sourced and they even have a zero percent wastage policy wherever possible, making me love Inito even more!

Website: www.inito.co.uk
Address: 31 Bell Lane, Whitechapel London, E1 7LA
Closest Tube Station: Liverpool Street Station