Shapla

This review appears in the The List's Eating & Drinking Guide 2008 – in the shops now or buy online.

Shapla has championed the native cuisine of Bangladesh from its plain premises in unprepossessing Easter Road for 15 years. Named after the national flower of Bangladesh, Shapla is definitely a bloomin' good bet for ever-reliable, genuinely authentic Bengali food. Myriad highlights include gorgeous methi gosht and lip-licking tandoori chicken among accessible dishes from across the sub-continent, from the easy kashmiri to the searing Ceylon. Plentiful starters and sides include proper kebabs, subtle sag panir and delicate puri. Cooking is with fresh herbs and spices, so dishes never seem to taste the same twice and your favourite comes with a twist each time.