Restaurant of the Month: Colonel Saab

If your tastebuds fancy a grand tour of the Indian subcontinent without leaving Zone 1, Colonel Saab in Trafalgar Square is your golden ticket. This isn’t your average curry house - it’s a sensory expedition wrapped in velvet banquettes, gilded mirrors, and the hum of well-fed diners basking in spice-fuelled bliss.

The vibe? Elegant yet energetic — buzzy enough for a fun night out, but refined enough to impress your in-laws. Service is slick, attentive, and just the right level of theatrical. Think Indian Maharaja meets Soho supper club.

Pouring a yellow soup or sauce into a bowl with grilled fish fillet, radish slices, and grilled vegetables garnished with microgreens on a wooden table.

Start with the Tandoori Broccoli, which proves vegetables can indeed be sexy when kissed by a clay oven and dressed in creamy spice and Urfa chilli. The Prawn Chimichurri? A knockout — juicy tiger prawns dancing in tangy chaat masala and punchy chimichurri, balanced by pickled onions with just the right snap.

A bowl of curry garnished with sliced green onions on a red and blue decorative plate, with a glass of red wine next to it on a wooden table.

Mains take a rich, royal turn — the Shikari Raan is slow-cooked lamb at its most indulgent, the kind you eat slowly just to make it last longer. Pair it with a crunchy Kachumber Salad and a sweet, nutty Peshwari Kulcha that could double as dessert (but don’t worry, dessert is still coming).

Assorted Indian dishes on a wooden table, including curry with chickpeas, a vegetable dish, a plate with naan bread, and a bowl of lentil or bean curry, with part of a glass of wine visible in the background.

Too indecisive to commit? Go for the Tasting Menu, curated by Chef Sohan Bhandari, a love letter to Indian homemakers and classic regional dishes. From spicy South Indian rasam with mini idlis, to street-style chaat with black lime dust, to creamy dal makhani, pillowy Malabar paratha, and a curry that’ll have you plotting your next visit before the bill arrives — it’s a journey worth taking.

A white plate holds a round tart topped with meat and vegetables, garnished with a purple edible flower. Next to the tart is a yellow spherical dessert decorated with a small green leaf, resting on a bed of crushed pistachios. The plate is set on a dark wooden table, with a textured glass candle holder in the background.

Finish with the Rasmalai Milk Cake (because why not top a milk-soaked sponge with boondi caviar?), or the Rose Gulab Jamun, which comes swimming in nostalgia, vanilla ice cream, and pistachios.

We came for the flavours, stayed for the flair and left slightly spiced and totally smitten.


Reservations: colonelsaab.co.uk/locations/trafalgarsquare-london