South Indian restaurant Sagar hits the spot

If you like idli, dhosa or south Indian curry, try here.

I have been eating at Sagar in King Street Hammersmith for years, enjoying a combination of their reasonable prices and unusual south Indian dishes.

Who could fail to be seduced by a dish called Idli for starters, comprising of gently steamed rice dumplings served with chutney and a coconut curry called sambar (£3.75).

I am also a sucker for Dosa, a delicious type of pancake made with rice and lentils and available stuffed with red coconut chutney, potatoes, onion and carrot (£5.95), or with home-made paneer (Indian cottage cheese) and red peppers (£7.25).

I’m sure I’m not the only person who is a fan of Sagar. Heading there on the Monday before Christmas at 9pm, the place was pretty packed, up to three quarters full, in contrast to some of the other King Street restaurants we had passed on the way.

Deciding to steer away from our usual choices of Idli and Dosa, my dining partner and I selected the traditional Udupi Thali (£13.95), which came with a bewildering array of dishes.

To drink, we ordered excellent mango lassis, which arrived promptly.

Our Thalis also arrived without delay, and comprised pappadums, a yoghurt dish called raita, playa, a potato dish cooked with south Indian spices, sukhi bhajee, a dish of root vegetables cooked with coconut, kootu, a lentil dish and rasam, a dish made with tamarind.

It was all delicious, and very filling, especially when giant puffy breads called poori, which are fried in oil arrived.

We were unable to finish our thalis, although I was forced by my own greediness to finish the dessert, a cardomon scented dish with vermicelli.

Our dinner came to £34 .40, which I thought was reasonable for the amount of food, which was varied, delicately spiced and delicious.

I plan to go back as soon as possible, preferably next time for the lunch deal, which offers a pappadam, bhaji, masala dosa, rice, vegetable curry, raitha, sambar, chutney and dessert for £5.25.

If that’s not credit crunchy enough for you, there is a lunch box option for £3.25, for which you get two curries, rice, salad, yoghurt and fresh bread. Sagar is located at 157 King Street, telephone number 020 87418563.

24 December 2008