now this was one fabulous experience from the word go. i chanced upon lasan rather randomly, when i was in a last minute fix to reserve a table for a birthday and everything else in birmingham seemed full or unaccommodating. although the name seemed questionable (garlic?), i did not have many alternatives and made a quick reservation for lasan online. i was called back within minutes to confirm and inform me that kitchens would close 30 minutes after my reservation so i should feel free to arrive early. this was a pleasant change after a slew of rude restaurateurs earlier that day.
when i arrived, i was taken in by the sheer elegance of the decor. understated and minimalistic, yet classy, the ambience is very very inviting. an offer to put my coat in a 'cloakroom' bowled me over and evidenced what i was to expect during the next hour.
this is no ordinary indian quick bite restaurant. it is a sit-down at ease, several course fine dining experience. we were served pre-starters in the form of papad and pani puri, both delicious to begin with. our starters arrived shortly after, and i was immediately sold on the marvellous presentation of dishes. the dahi kebab i had were delicious and yet not too filling to leave me unexcited about the mains.
for mains, the nilgiri paneer was a seemingly small portion, but rich and filling. it was a wonderful culmination of spinach gravy and tandoori paneer, nothing like i have ever eaten before. the pahadi dal was a great combination of 3 lentils, again quite filling. we chose the bread basket, with assorted rotis and also a garlic and coriander naan, which was the best i have ever tasted. soft and full of flavour, it complemented my meal beautifully.
to add more value to this meal, theservicehere is outstanding. no complaints whatsoever on this count. whilst i was leaving, i was asked if i wanted to call for a taxi. while these may seem like insignificant details, i have grown accustomed to the lack of adherence to the spirit of hospitality in the uk dining industry and things like these really make up for an overall incompetence.
i wouldn't call the meal cheap but with the entire experience, i was expecting a larger dent in my wallet.
all in all, i am more than pleased that i stumbled upon lasan and i am only too convinced that gordon ramsay did well by recommending it.