"Scientific studies have shown that the firstborn is often the smartest, the second is a troublemaker, and the third is just along for the ride. It feels very much the same with Tamila. This South Indian spot in Clapham is the third, and most casual, spot to open from the people behind The Tamil Crown and The Tamil Prince. Unlike both sibling restaurants, Tamila is more laid-back. The room relies mostly on the loud hum of friends chatting for ambience, and the formula of its sibling restaurants for the menu. The mix of crispy onion bhajis to start and rich, spicy curries for mains is mostly great, without being groundbreaking. The move here is to sit in a booth, get all the curries, and as many rotis as needed to mop up the moreish sauce. And don’t skip the mango lassi. It’s a thick, sweet, tangy drink that cools you down and sets you up for your next round of curry like your own motivational boxing coach. Food Rundown photo credit: Rianne Shlebak Onion Bhaji A crisp-edged, non-uniform group of bhajis. We would have preferred if more of the crispness carried through into the softer middle. But the mint chutney that comes on the side makes up for it. photo credit: Rianne Shlebak Mutton Curry Dosa We thought we’d like this spicy, mutton-topped dosa more than we did. It was a little on the dry side, so only get it if you plan to dip it into a curry sauce. photo credit: Rianne Shlebak Dhal Curry A thick, creamy dhal curry—this is excellent and should be on your order list. photo credit: Rianne Shlebak Thanjavur Chicken Curry Our favourite of the meaty curries. The chicken pieces are big and tender, and the sauce is warming with a deep heat from the spice kicking in. video credit: Rianne Shlebak Chettinad Lamb Curry Soft lamb chunks in a rich, meaty, stew-like sauce. Pick the lamb up with the roti and spoon the thick sauce over every bite. photo credit: Rianne Shlebak Roti Perfect, stringy, doughy, and elastic all at the same time—this roti needs to be involved in your meal. Mango Lassi We re-ordered this thick, refreshing mango lassi within a few sips of our first one. It’s a nice balance of tanginess with sweetness." - Rianne Shlebak
