If, like so many folk, you tend to head to central Twickenham when you fancy going out for a curry, think again. Head towards Richmond, and along from York House in the building that previously housed Wags ‘n’ Tails, you’ll find a really stupendous Indian restaurant: Delhi Social.
About Delhi Social
It’s actually been open for nearly a year, and has already built up a strongly loyal customer base. The proprietors are chef Manish Sharma and general manager Avi Patel, who’d previously worked together at Black Salt in East Sheen.
The Building
The restaurant is deceptively large, and has a number of different dining areas.
We were at the back, with views of the fairy-lit courtyard garden, which would be fab in the summer.
Tables are well spaced out and the atmosphere’s relaxed, friendly and very comfortable.
Drinks
We started our meal with a couple of cocktails and some poppadoms.
For me a Delhi Gin Raja (gin, mint, Amaro Montenegro and lime) and for my husband a mocktail, Kashmiri Soda. My gin cocktail was sharp, yet smooth and refreshingly delicate. It was the very essence of a proper cocktail. 
The Kashmiri soda (black pepper, dry ginger, black salt, jeera, coriander) looked a tad murky and strange but tasted delicious, with an earthiness and gentle heat coming through.
All the cocktails are £12 and the mocktails vary from £4.50.
Two kinds of poppadoms were served with very good spicy tomato chutney, as well as lime pickle and mango chutney.
To Start
For our starters, Avi suggested we try the spinach & kale bhajiyas, tandoori monkfish and lamb samosa.
The monkfish was served with coriander chutney which gave it a gentle heat that gradually builds up in the mouth, but the dish is so delicately spiced that the fish retains its flavour and texture and isn’t overpowered.
The bhajiyas…well, what can I say? They were beautifully crisp, bursting with spices – soft inside but not greasy. My husband declared them the best he’d ever tasted.
The samosa was a generous portion – a little pyramid-shaped mountain of flavour, a crispy crust packed with delicately spiced minced lamb, peas and herbs. Then there was a lingering coriander note, but no great heat – it too was fab.
Main Courses
For our mains I chose kacha aam prawn curry (coconut, raw mango, prawns, curry leaves) and my husband a venison keema peas (venison mince, green peas, garam masala).
Avi suggested a portion of steamed rice to accompany and never one to turn down the chance of a Peshwari naan, we also had a mango peshwari naan. Avi was spot on with the rice suggestion as both dishes were so well spiced they didn’t need the additional spices of pulao rice.
Both of our mains were superb – the prawn curry was packed with big fat prawns in a rich, creamy sauce, which wasn’t coconut heavy as can often be the case.
The venison curry was a new addition to the menu apparently. It was fragrant, fairly spicy but very meaty and again the skill of the chef enhanced the meat without masking its inherent flavour.
A side of baingan bharta (roasted aubergine, onion tomato) proved to be another unexpected star of the show – it was smokey, smooth and packed with flavour.
If I was to return as a vegetarian, I would consider ordering this with the fabulous peshwari naan as my main course (or a light lunch).
To Finish
Not surprisingly, we were pretty full, but the suggestion of kulfi was a welcome one.
I chose mango and my husband had pistachio. They were the perfect end to an excellent meal.
I had a large glass of the house white wine, (Fábula de Paniza’ Garnacha Blanca Bodegas Paniza, Cariñena, Spain 2022) which at £8 was very reasonably priced.
We were served by the delightful Vrunda, who told us that her name in fact means basil, which is a holy plant.
Summing Up
To sum up, Twickenham is lucky that Avi and Manish chose to open Delhi Social here.
They’ve priced the menu very fairly and it’s affordable, but excellent value for the quality of the food.
As well as the a la carte, there’s a lunch menu with two courses for £15.95 or three for £18.95.
As I type up this review and look at the photos, I’m feeling hungry and keen to return…
