We love Dishoom’s Permit Room at any time of the year, but perhaps curry isn’t the first thing you think about when the sun is shining.
That’s all changed since Dishoom Permit Room introduced their new Ruby Murray in a Hurry lunch deal which is incredible value – snacks, a small plate, curry and rice for £14.50.
Heading down there faster than a delivery driver, we found the city centre restaurant understandably busy, choosing instead to sit at one of the tables for two outside on New Inn Hall Street, from where we could watch the world go by.
Ordering our first chai to kick things off – they are continually refilled – the first sip instantly reminded us why this is such an Oxford favourite, because they do it properly, authenticity coming across in every sip.
The Ruby Murray offer is simple – to kick off chilli cheesy garlic naan bites – arriving piping hot straight out of the tandoor, sandwiching the melting cheddar and green chilli.
Then a ‘small-ish’ (not very) starter, from fried chicken to chaat and salads, although we opted for the onion bhajia – hoping they would be crispy curls rather than the dense balls, and the vegetable samosas. Predictable perhaps, but because Dishoom does everything so well we were hoping for that bit more, and we got it.
The samosas were huge, the pastry thicker than the watery, paper thin stuff you find in supermarkets, the filling strong and sturdy, packed full of pea, onion, carrot and potato, the tamarind chutney dip packing a punch.
As anticipated, the onion bhajia were sliced, spiced and then crisped rather than packed into a shape, the soft onion inside still discernible, easy to tear apart and dip in the spicy green chutney. It was quite the feast. We’d already got our money’s worth.
And we hadn’t even got to the curry yet! There was a choice of prawn moilee, Dishoom chicken ruby, mattar paneer or chickpea chole – a great and varied selection of heat, region and ingredients, each served with its own plentiful bowl of rice.
The prawn moilee then because it’s a nice, light, fragrant south Indian dish cooked with coconut milk, while the mattar paneer with soft cheese and sweet green peas in a spiced tomato and onion masala base, finished with a touch of double cream, was much richer, but equally as enjoyable.
Thank God there wasn’t any pudding!
Absolutely full to the brim, we couldn’t believe the price! £14.50 a head? Under £30 for two. And while it’s termed a speedy lunch, it runs from 12noon – 6pm, Monday to Friday.
It sure beats a sandwich any day of the week!
Dishoom Permit Room is at North Bailey House, New Inn Hall St, Oxford OX1 2RP. https://www.permitroom.co.uk/menus/all-day/oxford/
