Bawarchi Chidlom - Authentic Indian cuisine in Bangkok

Bawarchi Chidlom - Restaurant Review
Cuisine: North Indian and Mughlai
Style Points: 5/5
Location: Bangkok
Price: £££
Overall: 5/5

Whenever and wherever I go travelling in the world I always make sure to find a quality Indian restaurant that can provide me with the comforting food of home whenever I crave it. A few days into my trip around Bangkok, (and despite the delicious Thai food surrounding me!) I was already craving it and headed straight to a restaurant at the top of many online lists for best Indian restaurant in Bangkok - Bawarchi Chidlom.

Located next to the Intercontinental Bangkok and a short walk from the Chidlom BTS Skytrain, this is the flagship branch of the Bawarchi restaurant chain and is the perfect place to sample authentic Indian dishes. The suave and sophisticated décor and furnishings are imported from India and really add to the experience of dining at the restaurant. Yet it is the live Indian music from the brilliant singer at the restaurant who really creates a fabulous atmosphere. The singer has been with the restaurant for over 15 years and sings classic Bollywood songs but also takes requests, should you have them (I definitely did!)

Of course, without great tasting food, stylish décor and a great dining atmosphere mean nothing so let’s move on to the most important element.

Food?

The a la carte menu features lots of various curries and tandoori dishes including typical Indian favourites such as Seekh Kebab, Tandoori Chicken, Paneer Tikka and Rogan Josh. However, there are also several traditional Mughlai dishes of North India that are worth sampling if you’re after something a little more adventurous.

We tried the Aloo Chaat to start, one of my favourite comfort foods. The dish is essentially potatoes fried in a chaat masala and tossed with onion, chickpeas, and coriander and topped with tamarind chutney and yoghurt. The chaat was slightly more spicy to the one I’m used to back in the UK but it definitely delivered on flavour.

To wash down the chaat we tried a couple of freshly squeezed juices - Watermelon and Lime. Both were very refreshing and perfect for rich Indian food. If you’ve never tasted fresh Lime Juice, the one here is perfect and probably the best one I had throughout my whole time in Thailand.

Next we decided to try the Non-Vegetarian Tasting Platter. Made inside a traditional tandoor clay and finished on the grill, the platter includes prawns, chicken leg and thigh, kebab, paneer and lamb chops. Everything was juicy and succulent and really cooked to perfection. I especially enjoyed the lamb chops and prawns although everything tasted delicious. The platter can easily satisfy 3-4 people and is a great way to try a selection of classic tandoor cooked proteins.

Already quite full even at this point, we soldiered on and tried a couple of curry dishes - Murgh Makanwala and Gosht Ooh La La. The former is a chicken curry that is often called ‘the Queen of all curries’ and I could see why. The chicken is simmered in a rich and thick tomato gravy that is flavoured with chopped nuts and various herbs such as fenugreek. Similar to a butter chicken or korma, it was a delicious curry and as decadent as it sounds.

Our polite and friendly server recommended The Gosht Ooh La La as it is a creation of the restaurant. He also told us it was the spiciest curry on the menu so we a bit wary at first! However, luckily for us, it wasn’t as hot as we were expecting and was actually nicely spiced and very flavoursome lamb curry cooked in a fragrant gravy. I’d definitely recommend this dish as a curry to try if you want something a little different from the usual Rogan Josh.

With the curries we tried a couple of cocktails - Spicy Mango Daiquiri and a Classic Mojito. The Daiquiri was very spicy but had great mango flavour and the Mojito was a little strong for me but still had fresh flavours of mint and lime.

We ended our meal with a classic Indian dessert - Flambé Gulab Jamun. This dish is popular all over India and is essentially balls of milk powder that have been deep fried and smothered in a warm sugar syrup. Although some would say it is a diabetes-inducing dessert (and I’d be inclined to agree!) it is both decadent and delicious and I was tempted to lick the plate clean!

Price?

Compared to typical Bangkok restaurant prices, Bawarchi Chidlom is not cheap yet it isn’t expensive by any means either. Curries are similar to London prices at around £10-15 (400-600 baht) and cocktails are priced at around £8 or 300 baht. You can get a great Indian meal for two for around £40-50 and feel very satisfied.

If you have quite an appetite or are in a group then I’d recommend the veg or non-veg tasting platter which serves as a great starter before the main course even if a little pricey at 1800 baht/£45.)

Overall?

If you love Indian food and are unsure on where to find authentic curry and tandoori dishes in Bangkok then Bawarchi Chidlom is a must try. The food, decor and ambience are all fantastic and you’ll have a great evening eating delicious food whilst listening to brilliant live Indian music. It’s a restaurant that delivers a dining experience that entices all of the senses.