I’ve walked past this place on my daily lunchtime perambulation for the past four years. It has always caught my eye. In my ignorance, I’d never considered that there might be many christians in the sub-continent nor understood why their young men would require their own YMCA, here in the corner of Fitzroy Square. But how wrong could I be, according to Wikipedia there are 28 million Indian christians and can see that this place would have more than enough trade to keep busy. If you are interested in a fuller history of the Indian YMCA you can find one here. But I’m not visiting to learn about the story behind the association today, because I’m hungry. And I’m here to eat.
The other thing that has always caught my eye about this place is the sign that advertised “Authentic Indian Food. Breakfast Lunch Dinner”. Each time I have passed by I’ve made the mental note to try it one day. And today, finally, is that very day.
Walking through the front door feels like entering a secret world and I was actually half-concerned about being turned away by the rather officious looking and uniformed man behind reception. But when I explained that I was hoping to eat he waved me through to the dining with a friendly smile.
The dining room was half full as I arrived with a small queue lining up in the far corner where food was being served in the cafeteria style. I joined the queue, got myself a tray and began stacking food upon it. The chefs wore pristine white uniforms and were quick to help identify the various fruits of their labour. I chose a fish curry, a plate of rice, a bread, a bowl of curried vegetables and a mango-flavoured yoghurt lassi. I was quite greedy and probably didn’t need the last two items but I was feeding a hangover and thought what the hell! Total cost was £12.90. I thought it an absolute bargain.
There was plenty of space in the quite spartan but very clean-looking dining room, but I took my tray out into the covered garden on the side of the building, which was a rather charming space complemented by a host of pot plants. My fellow diners appeared to comprise groups of students and local office staff with a smattering of smart Indian businessmen who tended to sit on their own and attend to emails on their smartphones. Overall there was a laid back vibe. Kitchen staff patrolled looking for empty plates and bowls to tidy away but there was no pressure to move on at the end of the meal. I did some people watching and it was clear by the way most people entered the dining room and confidently grabbed their tray suggests that the Indian YMCA has many regulars.
I can see why people would come back. The food didn’t disappoint. It felt like home cooking. Hearty and tasty without being too hot. I would put the heat level as being somewhere between mild and medium. Just right for me. The lassi, although a luxury, was lovely.
I enjoyed my meal and the friendly atmosphere and I strongly recommend a visit for a quick and tasty meal in the centre of London.
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