Who: Gunpowder opened in September 2018 at the foot of Tower Bridge. It’s the south London sibling to Harneet and Devina Baweja’s first Spitalfields-based restaurant, which has become something of an institution in the last four years with its modern take on Indian home-style cooking.
What: The new Workers’ Lunch. Inspired by the traditional tiffins prepared daily by families across India, Gunpowder founder Harneet Baweja and executive chef Nirmal Save have created a new weekday offer available for takeaway only, from Monday to Friday (12-245pm).
Why: They’re lighter and healthier interpretations of India’s traditional curries. Our top tip is Old Delhi butter chicken on the bone, for meat moreishly charred, with a thick spicy sauce and aromatic steamed rice; a close second is juicy grilled prawn masala, whose sweetness is lifted by a zesty lemon and ginger rice. Vegan fave jackfruit and paneer tawa pulao is a drier dish, with kachumbar yoghurt on hand for tangy contrast, while a slow-cooked lamb mince keema pau delivers a deeply savoury (and carb-laden) hit with its potato-y goodness, red onion and cute brioche rolls. The only main perhaps more suited to a side was punjaabi saag, a dense blend of spinach and porcini mushrooms.
Don’t: order a side, in fact, unless there are a few of you – especially to keep within the tenner mark (the dishes are £8-9.50, only the prawn stretches over the threshold at £11). Having said that the two we tried – aloo chaat jewelled with pomegranates and salty, crispy okra fries (£6.50-7) – are a must if you’re with a gang of co-workers; or even a main in themselves.
Notes: The Workers’ Tiffin Lunch is available to click and collect from 12midday to 2.45pm Monday to Friday. Order via gunpowderlondon.com or the Athand app and choose your collection time.
