Reggie likes to surprise me and it’s been quite a while since we’ve been out to dinner. We’ve had some friends staying from the US we met in Africa a few years ago on holiday. Not those passing holiday acquaintances that when the holiday is over and you’ve reunited a couple of times, exhausted the holiday reminiscing you never see again. These are friends we’ve actually stayed friends with. They are “Indian Americans” who grew up in Africa, they made our Africa visit epic and off the beaten track so he wanted to give them a fantastic experience in London.
I’ve seen this restaurant down Derry St, when I go to the gym, it’s not a place you’d pass by as Derry St is a dead end. It looks like an old fashioned cinema from the outside. I’ve always thought it looks exciting,inviting and wondered what was beyond the deco doors.
I didn’t know it was an Indian restaurant and the truth is, it’s so much more than that. I’ll apologise in advance we were having such a good time, I didn’t think about photographs, the evening flew by in a haze of tequila and chatter and I forgot to take pictures. Wanting to use about the evening shared and give a boost to the team by way of thanks I returned a few days later to take these few pics from the outside.
It’s a walk in place. Open for breakfast, lunch and dinner and everyone is welcome. We felt so welcome by the staff from the moment we arrived. You feel like you are walking into another world. I can’t explain it any better. It’s one of those blow you away places you have to experience for yourself.
We had the house Margaritas and they were bloody delicious. A creation by the Dishoom founder Cyrus Irani. A reason to return on its own.
The art deco interiors and beautiful light installations are an absolute treat for anyone interested in architecture or design. A combination American dinner our friend pointed out and Vegas jazz late night supper club from the 1940s and 50s. I thought about a scene from the film An Education written by Nicky Hornby when Jenny an impressionable 16 year old played beautifully by Carey Mulligan in her first big film role goes to a jazz club for supper, (supper, I’ve heard of it but I’ve never eaten it) stating on her return home to suburban Twickenham in the 1960s she’d had the best night of her life.
I have to say reuniting with friends not seen for a long time, listening to the resident band The Martine Liners (Friday and Saturday nights) in these dreamy surroundings downing heady cocktails, eating spectacular food and being waited on by servers who play their roles like actors in a movie was possibly one of the best nights of my life too.
It’s not cheap. The bill for four with drinks was around £500 but we did leave a hefty tip and we also over ordered, everything sounded so good and as you see the food coming out to the tables around you you want to try everything. The smell of the place is the icing on the cake. The scent of star anise lingers in the air. The coriander is apparent before you even bite into the most delicious Naan you’ve ever tried.
A night at the Roxy was a rich immersive one off Indian Noir production inspired by the glamour and excitement of the art deco world of 1940s Bombay and the story of your host, the wayward and charismatic Cyrus Irani.
This place is an absolute international triumph I cannot wait to return to.
Pure Magic. Our visitors were absolutely blown away. Thank You