The Thali: A Whole Meal on One Platter
If you can never decide what to order, the thali was made for you. It is a complete meal on a single platter, a curated set of small dishes that lets you taste a little of everything in one sitting. It is how much of India actually eats, and at Saffron Soho it is one of the smartest orders on the menu.
What a Thali Is
A thali brings together several dishes in balanced portions: a curry or two, a vegetable side, a dal, rice, bread and an accompaniment, all served at once. The idea is contrast and variety, a spread of flavours and textures that add up to a satisfying whole.
It is the opposite of ordering one big dish. Instead of committing to a single curry, you get a guided tour of the kitchen in one sitting, with no decision paralysis required.
The Ones We Serve
The Vegetable Thali is a feast in itself: onion pakura, vegetable samosa, mixed vegetable curry, saag aloo and dall tarka, with pilau rice, naan and raita. It is a complete vegetarian meal and brilliant value for the sheer variety on the plate.
The Chicken or Lamb Thali brings onion bhaji, samosa, mixed vegetable curry, a rogan and a dopiaza, with rice and naan. The Special Thali goes further still, with chicken tikka masala, lamb bhuna and mixed vegetable curry alongside the starters, rice and naan.
Why It Is the Smart Order
A thali is the best-value way to eat well, and the best way to learn the menu. Trying Indian food for the first time? A thali shows you several styles at once. Eating alone? It gives you a full, varied meal without over-ordering. Sharing? Order a couple of different thalis and pass them around.
It is also genuinely satisfying. The balance of curry, vegetable, dal, rice and bread is no accident. It is how the cuisine is designed to be eaten, and it leaves you full and happy.
How to Enjoy It
A thali needs nothing added, but take your time with it. Mix and match across the little dishes, scoop with the naan, cool things down with the raita, and work your way around the platter. That variety, all in one meal, is the whole point.
Come and Eat With Us
We serve the full menu straight through from midday, late into the night: until midnight, every night.
You will find us at 63 Old Compton Street, W1D 6HT, two minutes from the West End and close to Leicester Square and Tottenham Court Road.
Book a table online or call us on 020 3941 9935.
