Review of 'Kolkati'

On a recent trip to London we were in the Covent Garden area looking for something to eat and not too fussy about going into a restaurant. With a bit of hesitation we agreed to give the Seven Dials Market a try - Hesitation because the last time we were here it was very busy and noisy. Difficult to find a seat and when we did we were crowded on either side. Early on a Friday the place was quite quiet…not even security on the door!

Of course, what is on offer here changes from time to time so vendors we have visited before are not there any longer with others taking their place. Looking for something a bit more unusual I settled on a visit “Kolkati” specializing in “Hot Kati Rolls”. No? Yeah, me neither. These are a popular Indian street food originating from Kolkata, featuring grilled kebab skewers (traditionally chicken, beef, or paneer) wrapped in a crispy, egg-layered paratha flatbread (according to Google). Being a street food market, the menu is quite simple here divided into “Kati Rolls” (obvs), “Curry” (two: chicken and veggie), “Snacks” (fries, pakoras, wings and chaat) and “Drinks” (mango lassi, soft drinks and water). I opted for the highlighted menu item: “Kati Roll Thali Tray (£18.50; “Kati roll, dal fritters, lime slaw, masala fries, mango aioli and kasundi ketchup dips”). On asked about which Kati Roll I wanted, I asked what the best one was. I was told the chicken kati roll (“grilled masala chicken, pink pickled onions, fresh coriander, tamarind chutney, coconut coriander raita and a squeeze of lime, in a flaky, egg-fried paratha bread”, £12.50 on it's own) was most popular. I countered with the fact that even if it is the most popular does not make it the best…but I opted for it anyway, paying up and grabbing a beeper then finding somewhere to sit.

Having found a seat and waiting for my companion to order her food, my buzzer went off and I picked up my dinner. Very nice looking on the tray. The dal fritters were wonderful - Crunchy on the outside, fluffy on the inside with a nice herbal flavour and a mayonnaise-type sauce. The slaw was OK but too memorable though a nice crunch from the cabbage. The fries were delicious with a good amount of masala spicing along with two wonderful dips - a tangy ketchup-type affair and the aioli was fine but quite bland (I could discern no flavour of mango). On to the main event: The chicken Kati Roll. Well, what can I say? Absolutely incredible. The paratha was light but rich with butter (ghee, likely) and the filling was packed with flavour along with ingredients - Chicken was juicy, the various sauces added interesting flavours of sweet, spicy and tangy along with the sharp notes from the pickled onions. It was a good sized roll and, in retrospect, I might consider having it on it's own or with a few less sides…Despite the delicate paratha wrap (with crispy edges at the end) it held together remarkably well during eating but sauce did end up going everywhere…

Absolutely delicious and I would highly recommend to anyone looking for a quick, tasty meal. Quite different than other options in the food hall, it is worth seeking out (also, I have to say, very friendly staff as well).

Rating: “I have absolutely no complaints”

Review Date: 2026-02-13

Cuisine: Indian

Address: Seven Dials, London WC2H 9AU ENGLAND

Public Transport: Tottenham Court Road Covent Garden

Location: London (England) - Covent Garden

Map:

Telephone:

URL: https://www.kolkati.com/