Hoppers (Soho)

• Indian fine dining that isn't just about serving the same old curry house classics with while tablecloths and a wine list
• Reinventing the cuisine from the ground up with superb ingredients
• Sri Lankan cuisine is about as familiar to me as the Rugby World Cup
• Today started out as one of the gloomiest with relentless rains that proved impossible to shield against
• Pottering around with endless cups of tea and catching up on the blog
• Expectations were riding high ever since they announced their new eatery
• Karam Sethi is the culinary brain of the family
• Their father is a chartered accountant from Delhi who came to Britain in the Seventies
• She served me on my second visit to Hoppers and was an effervescent presence in the busy restaurant
• I only realised was missing from my life afterwards
• Hoppers (Soho) is the new Dishoom for me
• Ve ever been to and the main items are reasonably priced in my opinion
• From the team that brought us Gymkhana comes their next venture which is sure to get Londoners and tastebuds excited welcome all to Hoopers
• Because that is what it is
• You can expect intimate and cosy with no more than I suspect 50 covers at any one time
• There is nothing little about the flavour of the dishes where big and bold are the name of the game
• Short eats such as the bonemarrow varuval (served with a light and fluffy roti) and duck roti with rasa are absolutely divine and will awake every tastebud and even some you didn't know you had
• Even more adventurous dishes like the chicken heart chukka are a pure delight and if you can get over the name
• You'll be rewarded with the most enjoyable experience as the combination of spices with the richness of the chicken heart is divine
• You're faced with a vast choice of karis (essentially curry) to go along with your hoppers (fermented rice crepes) or dosas (lentil crepes)
• Always ask what the special is because you'd hate to miss out on a treat
• Desserts here are limited and in all fairness
• The pick of the list though is the love cake (served with kalfi) which was described as "
• This is your dream as it is the overriding flavour
• Clearly the best thing since sliced bread/Bao"
• The no reservations queuing was a bit of a shambles
• We had a natter with both of our neighbours
• It's an attractive space with some lovely design touches including funky coat hooks and toilet seat handles you've got to enjoy the little things
• Most of the pricing is in fact reasonable
• Duck Roti with Rasa (gravy) was also a big hit
• The Bonemarrow Varuval (a Chettinad masala) is currently doing the rounds on Instagram
• The Sethis were probably hoping to introduce Londoners to hoppers
• We opted for a fish kari with our dosa (£
• 9.50) and a lamb kari with our egg hopper (£
• There's another section with larger sharing plates
• We braved odorous Durian Ice Cream served inside a Milk Hopper with Kithul Treacle &
• ) a return visit is bound to happen soon
• Hoppers on Frith Street in Soho is the latest venture from the Sethi family (Trishna/Gymkhana both of which I appallingly have not been to yet)
• Centrally located at the site which was once the much loved Koya
• Their food is extremely flavorful and I left the restaurant dying to go back for their roasted chicken one of the best I've ever had
• I wish they took reservations and that is the only draw back for me
• Gymkhana is one of my top five favorite restaurants in London and Hoppers is owned by the same group
• I wanted to see what we were in for&hellip
• The must eats are on my review but get there early as they have a limited number of roasted chickens available
• Hoppers restaurant is the third South Indian restaurant of Karam
• Shown in the picture was a phenomenal dish
• Injected the dish with a level of heat that made your tastebuds stand to attention
• Devilled prawns are absolutely spot on
• Best eaten with a fluffy aapam/hopper
• Had a pineapple arrack cream soda thing which was quite pleasant
• Egg hopper with fish kari was fairly decent as the hopper was light and crispy while the kari delivered a good balance of spicy and sweet flavours
• The egg yolk was almost completely cooked when it arrived on our table
• Is saying something with the amount of restaurants I've been to this year
• We were really impressed with Hoppers and will definitely be back soon to try everything else on the menu
• Ve given Hoppers a whopping 4.5 yums (as we did with Bao &ndash
• T surprise us since the Sethi siblings are also investors there)
• 4.50) The chicken hearts were really tender and the coupled with the South Indian spices
• The famous hopper is made with fermented batter and coconut milk
• The guinea fowl was so tender it was falling off the bone
• The buriyani was packed full of flavour and had a mixture of textures &ndash
• The yogurt and pickled aubergine were also good accompaniments
• A steamed coconut pudding with a strong cardamom flavour
• S Soho that everyone is crazy about
• Each element of every dish we tried was cooked to absolute perfection
• I was not familiar with Sri Lankan cuisine before visiting Hoppers
• That queue was firmly fixed every day
• She excitedly informed me that there was currently no queue at Hoppers and I was to leg it there asap
• T take reservations and the queues were already a couple of hours long at peak times
• Hoppers (Soho) is well worth the wait
• I didn't try any of the main dishes which are rode naive by comparison but to mix a few of the smaller plates and karis
• The pumpkin Kari is one of the best dishes I'd eaten in a long time and
• Word of Mouth plus a strong foundation are vital ingredients for a popular dining spot as well as a successful one
• When I heard it was related to Gymkhana
• Unfortunately (or kind of) I didn't get the chance to experiment with it as I managed to get a table straight away
• My sister and I were not familiar at all with Sri Lankan cuisine and dishes
• He recommended that we order a dosa or a hopper which is a bowl shaped thin pancake made with fermented rice and coconut milk batter
• We started our meal with two starters which are called 'short eats'
• The mutton rolls were nicely crispy on the outside and had mild spiced rich mutton inside
• The duck roti was a minced and spiced duck meat roti pastry and it was served with a nutty spicy sauce
• We had a preference for the mutton rolls but we ate them with the duck roti sauce
• My sister and I like spicy food but only when it is not too hot
• We made the mistake of drinking all our water with our starters and our mouths started to burn soon after
• We had one hopper each with a soft yolked egg baked into it
• The lamb kari was very tender and melt in the mouth
• The pumpkin was probably the most mildest dish of our meal
• The only improvement this restaurant could do in the future will be to offer each dish with different level of spices so everyone can have more options
• When I heard that the Sethi family were behind the new venture
• Owner is super efficient to get you into the restaurant with minimum inconvenience
• I think this was the first Sri Lankan restaurant I have been to so I was blown away by the items on the menu and the textures and flavours of the food served
• The only downer is as it is such amazing food
• There is always a long line but it is definitely worth it
• Too my luck there were 13 people waiting ahead of us
• Good thing is hoppers will send a text 10 before your table is ready and to our surprise we got our call in 45 min
• After all that food we were too full and decided to have their local coffee instead of desserts
• Coffee was nowhere close to a South Indian filter coffee and infact it was way too sweet for my liking
• I guess that was the only disappointing part of our meal
• Sri Lankan food is delicious and I will definitely be coming back
• Pictured here is the egg hopper &
• A Thursday afternoon Hoppers (Soho) was super busy
• Though the quantities were disappointingly small
• The music and people were quite loud
• After our 2nd visit to Hoppers I have to say they are hitting the mark in all departments
• Highlights are the devilled prawns
• The egg hopper with black pork kari and all the condiments
• I watched a lot of hopeful diners being turned away at the door at 8pm as they were full for the night
• I'm completely in love with Hoppers and can see myself trudging over quite often
• Hoppers has been on my wishlist for ages and I was determined to eat there this weekend
• Would let us know when it was our turn (however
• Mobile signal is terrible on Frith street) and we headed to Bar Italia for a coffee
• The desserts there were too tempting and by the time we returned we had only half our appetite left and not enough time
• We did however get to try their signature bone marrow curry with the Ceylon paratha (layered and flaky)
• The egg appam with pork kari and the gun powder dosa with some SriLankan sambols
• Everything was absolutely delish
• I'd love to go back with more people (its a tiny place
• So table of 4 is the best bet) and try EVERY SINGLE THING on the menu
• Serving a few brands that are only available in India / Sri Lanka like the Amrut
• When I checked it was being served from a thermos
• We had a 2.5 hour wait which was managed well as staff gave realistic timings and the mobile link and staff SMS texts kept us updated while we had cocktails nearby
• Staff guided us through the menu with good knowledge and service was great throughout
• Food was the best point authentic flavours
• Especially if a visit to one of the JKS restaurants is part of said plans
• I personally always love srilankan food over Indian and Hoppers (Soho) competes with all the best Indian restaurant In a good way
• And we have the Stein Hoppers this is the only reason why Hoppers (Soho) lost the 5/5 did not love the Pol Sambal or the Curry it served it with for some reason ( Not Bad but could be better )
• We also did order the hopper with the fish curry was worried that the fish might be very fishy but again was proven wrong and was the best fish curry I had
• Superb the only other thing was maybe to check with the Pol Roti if I had to pinpoint anything else
• Today arriving pretty close to 12 we were seated straight away
• Highlights for me definitely were the bone marrow
• The quail wings were nice and the dosa
• Also only getting one roti with the bone marrow was a bit of a shame as the sauce was great and needed plenty of mopping up
• Idli's sambar was also very good
• So my expectations were super high
• Everytime u go to Hoppers u will be told that there is a 2 hours waiting time
• Hoppers (Soho) is not to be missed
• I'm running 15 mins late but not bothered as a friend is there on time so she can wait in line already
• What I didn't expect was the wait would be more like an hour
• My co diner will eat anything but meat for the moment so a few things that caught my eye were off limits if I were to be sociable and shared
• The special was a (whole blue swimmer) crab Kari which was fair game so that more than made up for it
• I thought it was some game that little kids used to play
• It was verbal abuse but I heard that elsewhere physical punishment was more readily available
• We had a veg kothu and a lamb curry with hoppers (appams)
• 4.8/5 rating from 50+ people are you kidding
• I know London curry is exceptionally good and the main cuisine I was back here to eat (Dishoom
• Other) but that rating is ridiculous
• The other places that competed for me stomach that lunch was Black Axe Mangal (haute kebab
• Only got the opportunity the second time we visited as it was always full
• It's a small yet quirky restaurant with very hospitable and efficient staff members who were extremely knowledgeable about the menu
• Was absolutely brilliant with rich and vibrant flavors that went perfectly with the roti
• The deviled shrimps were probably the only disappointment out of our entire meal
• DOSA to go perfectly with our FISH and CHICKEN KARI along with the SHELLFISH KOTHU ROLL
• Get there leave your name and number with the hostess and go off until you get a text saying your table is ready
• Was told there was a 30min wait and went back to work and by the time the table was ready my friend had showed up
• M writing this review a month after visiting and all I can recall is that I Really liked the food here
• The service level is high at Hoppers
• Where they constantly ask you if you need anything and if the food was good and so on
• Really good flavour with a lot of spices
• The flavours were exquisitely balanced with just the right amount of heat
• Hoppers Soho is a Sri Lankan restaurant named after the pancakes made from fermented rice and coconut milk batter that are a popular breakfast item in Sri Lanka
• We started with lotus root crisps thin
• Packing a powerful punch of chilli (not surprising since the dish was approximately 80% chilli and just a handful of actual shrimps)
• At Hoppers I actually tasted the best of Idli and Sambhar and Dosa
• The food was the best version of deliciousness
• Arrived before opening and there was already a queue
• Had the lamb hopper and was initially underwhelmed by the portion size although it was filling
• The flavours were pretty mediocre
• A very trendy restaurant with a simple but unique menu to share Sri Lankan cuisine with people
• Famous for their hopper (as they are called it) and dosa
• The small plates were also delicious (tried the prawns)
• 'Hoppers' is a pancake made with rice and eaten with curries or with an egg in the middle
• The servers will help you make the right selection if you are too confused about the names of these relatively unusual dishes
• The nonvegetarians are luckier and have more choices on the menu
• The fish curry is unlike any other I've had in the city
• In India we don't have any such Sri Lankan restaurants so while I was at soho I wanted to give this cuisine a try
• The Sri Lankan food was more like South Indian food
• The dosas here were thin and crisp
• Each chatney was different and had its very own flavor
• The restaurant was nice and warm
• We had the sting hoppers to start and the kiri hodi sauce its swerved with was to die
• I wouldn't recommend the pol roti (coconut) as it was very dense
• The regular roti was much more flakier and lighter
• Hoppers (Soho) is worth a try
• We started with buttermilk
• We finished our dinner with fish kari &
• Undoubtedly Hoppers (Soho) is way better than some of the "
• A small restaurant in a big city with a very good quality
• Waited for almost 30 minutes to get a table but trust me the wait was worth it as i had an incredible experience at this store
• Also make sure all your guests are with you as they don't give you a table unless all people are present
• Once you do manage to get in the food is great and but I am not sure if it is truly worth the wait
• The more important reason is it offers fast
• Consistent Sri Lankan styled food that is a huge step beyond the norm
• So a base curry and a hopper is the first thing you should get
• The conical dosa is fine if you prefer something with a bit of crunch
• The chicken was amazing and the manager of the restaurant was very friendly and extremely helpful
• The Podi Dosa with Okra Kari is a must try
• One of the best Southern Indian restaurant I have been to
• Restaurant is fairly small
• No bookings and the wait time is about 45 mins for table for 2 but food was well worth the wait
• No wonder that Hoppers is one of the best and most recommended restaurants in London
• Tried the lunchtime rice plate and it was amazing especially if it&rsquo
• Food was very tasty and drink was very refreshing
• Curry and gravy were rich and jam packed with flavour
• Only downside is the booking system for a table
• Great restaurant with delicious Sri Lankan food
• The wait is very long (around 1.5 hours) but it is well worth it the texture of the hopper and the dosa were beautiful and the various curries complemented them perfectly
• Oh my God the bone marrow was just exquisite
• The butter milk drink was delicious and light in the stomach
• I was really impressed with the food at Hopper&rsquo
• Delicious food with a lot of variety for veggies
• Being someone that loves spicy food it was the right amount of zing
• Their signature dish is hoppers or appam and they are super delicious
• Finally been to hopper and agree with all the fantastic reviews I read before
• I am in love with the fish Kari I had
• Everything was just wonderful
• Everything on the menu is worth it and you will love it
• Soho branch doesn't take bookings and they are closed on Sundays
• Loved the decor and the staff were very friendly
• We were enticed by the exciting twist on traditional Sri Lankan drinks with the Falooda cocktail but unfortunately it didn&rsquo
• The presentation was beautiful but the actual cocktail probably needed a bit of a creamier taste with a bit more sweetness to remind us more of a falooda
• I had the biggest egg hopper I had ever seen and one of the best kothu roti&rsquo
• A seafood kothu roti with soft shell crab
• Its service is quite good as the waiter was informative and was able to mend and customize our orders
• It smelled amazing and I was so excited to try the food
• Before visiting the restaurant I googled what Sri Lankan food was and everything sounded amazing
• It was similar to South Indian food which I love so I was very excited to try Hoppers
• Had a few of the appetisers and a masala dosa with condiments which was awesome
• A great place to eat and not having had Sri Lanken before this was a nice pleasant surprise
• The service was good although the table were small and the resturant shuts down for a period of time between lunch and dinner so you do have a limited time for lunch
• Being small this can be a bit hit and miss as it is a busy place and I prefer to book to be honest so I am not as comfortable with this process
• So not really but there is an NCP car park not to far away
• It was a sunny day but everything inside was comfortable
• Turmeric Honey Given they do not do normal range of soft drinks i found this refreshing and ginger and turmeric was very subtle
• Chicken Kari A large portion with some great flavour in the curry to me it is like a mix between Thai and Indian
• Egg Hopper This is a light crispy pancake with an egg inside
• It went really well with the chicken to be honest as a substitute to rice which can be a little heavy and filling
• Really fresh and one of the best I have eaten
• I would not order as much next time but with so many new items I have never tried I went a bit crazy
• Everything was so delicious
• Went to the Hoppers at the corner of James Street and Wigmore Street with some friends who were visiting us
• After finishing a delicious house punch our table was ready (at 9pm sharp
• The texture was not to my liking but the sauce was incredible
• A sauce that is spicy and packing a punch
• The spice mix is an interesting experience for your palate
• The 2 chutneys I did not know what they were of were spectacular
• Delayed so I was caught off guard
• To finalize the dessert is delicious and a nice closing argument for a delightful dinner
• Money was well worth spent and it is a must visit if your in for good quality
• Were told it was a one hour wait
• Chicken kari the first time and it was so good we had to come back and order the same thing
• The paneer is also delicious
• Don't miss the drinks we've only tried the non alchoholics but a couple of them are among the best drinks we've ever tried
• The green papaya krush is deliciously refreshing
• Still manage to leave the restaurant very happy (I) the staff is SUPER nice
• Service part is a big slow but being at lunch hour when the restaurant was full could be the reason
• Amazing Sri Lankan food best dish we ordered was the kutu roti order that for sure
• Went towards the end of lunch even then there was a line so be prepared to wait
• Showstopper was Icecream Sandwich
• We ordered all the dishes that were recommended to us and we were not disappointed
• The food is spicy so those that are not used to should request for suggestions
• The podi dosa is super spicy and it hits the roof when you have it with the curry(kari)
• Idly sambhar because idly is my fav dish
• It was soft and fluffy but the hero was the drumstick sambhar
• Both the accompaniments were bursting with different tastes one with coconut and spices and the other yoghurt based and spiced
• Chicken kari with the Malabar paratha
• I almost cried with the taste of this
• The parantha was perfectly crisp
• Brown on outside and soft inside and the chicken kari was one of the best I have had
• Cauliflower curry with lemon rice
• The only suggestion is to have plain rice too as lemon rice doesn&rsquo
• T go great with every curry
• My friend ordered something which was a short rib with some sides
• It was SO well made and tasted just like it is prepared at Indian homes
• Also had the butter milk which ofcourse was also delicious
• Everything was cooked with perfectly blended spices
• The chicken gravy and dosa were exactly like you would get in India
• Even the filter coffee was very close to Indian preparation
• The place was buzzing with people over weekend
• Thanks to our dear friend Leo we visited Hoppers (Soho) and it was totally worth it

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