This weekend, celebrate the festival of light, the time when we wish for light to triumph over dark and good over evil, with good food and great atmosphere in one of these standout Indian restaurants…
Hyderabadi Kitchen, Dublin 2
Indian food for breakfast – this is the dream. Yes, Camden Street’s Hyderabadi Kitchen serves authentic South Indian food all day, every day but being given the option of having Indian food for breakfast is something I will never get sick of. The menu is Dosa heavy, which is not a bad thing but bring a crowd and order a selection of dishes to try. Open seven days a week from 9am – 11pm (12am on Saturday night). www.hyderabadikitchen.ie
Kerala Kitchen, Stoneybatter and Baggot Street
Kerala Kitchen will be celebrating Diwali this Saturday, November 11 in both the Stoneybatter and the Baggot Street branches. From 4pm, expect free Prosecco on arrival, complimentary canapés by Kerala Kitchen head chef, along with a delicious Diwali menu. In Baggot Street, resident henna artist Yamini will be on hand for all your henna tattoo needs too. www.keralakitchen.ie
Pickle, Dublin 2
The five-course tasting menu at €75 (or €110 with paired wines) is a culinary journey every Indian food aficionado should take at least once and Diwali seems like an appropriate time to do just that. The menu is individually tailored to the group but rest assured, it will always be created using local, seasonal produce in conjunction with North Indian cooking techniques and recipes. If you don’t order the goat keema pao with maska pao (fluffy bread rolls), you are making a big mistake. Huge. www.picklerestaurant.com
Doolally, Dublin 2
This weekend Doolally will celebrate the traditional festival of Diwali with a series of culinary specials created by Head Chef Vipin Kishore. The Diwali festive menu at Doolally includes the sublime sounding Shakark and Kamalkakdi ki chatt, with lotus root and sweet potato, and Murgh makai ka soweta, chicken cooked in corn, mathania chilli and yogurt gravy with missi roti. To finish off the festive dining experience, Vipin has included two traditional sweet dishes, Moong Dal Halwa and Daulat Ki Chaat, in the unlikely event that you have any space left. www.doolally.ie
More to try … Anything from the most excellent 3 Leaves in Blackrock (www.3leaves.ie), Rasam in Glasthule for excellent palak kofta (www.rasam.ie), Diwali on South Great Georges Street for quality Indian and Nepalese food at a reasonable price (www.diwali.ie) and the moreish Ananda in Dundrum; www.anandarestaurant.ie.