Colonel Saab Holborn Review

Ahead of National Curry Week, I was invited to visit Colonel Saab, the Indian restaurant housed inside the historic former library in Holborn. Having recently celebrated five years since opening, the restaurant has established itself as one of those London dining rooms where the surroundings are almost as important as what arrives on the table.

The Setting

Upon entering, we were greeted by a particularly well-dressed host, which, as someone who loves fashion, was one of the highlights of the evening for me. There was an impressive level of attention to detail throughout the restaurant, from the uniforms and table settings to the decoration and the layers of history scattered around the room.

The restaurant was buzzing when we arrived, with the gentle aroma of curry filling the space beneath a ceiling covered in spectacular handmade chandeliers. Later, during a tour, we discovered that the many chandeliers were replicas of two originals positioned in the corner of the room, which belonged to the grandparents of founder Roop Partap Choudhary.

It was one of those details that made the restaurant's identity click into place. Colonel Saab feels less like a restaurant decorated around a theme and more like a personal love letter to Choudhary's family.

Choudhary opened the original Holborn restaurant before expanding the brand to Trafalgar Square, and the food draws heavily on his family's experiences across India. His father, Colonel Manbeer, was stationed in different parts of the country during his military career, developing an appreciation for the very different regional cuisines he encountered. Those experiences, combined with family recipes, became part of the inspiration for Colonel Saab.

The restaurant's collection of objects and artwork continues that story. Rather than simply filling the space with decorative pieces, the interiors reflect the family's travels and history, giving you plenty to discover between courses.

Drinks at Colonel Saab

We were seated at arguably one of the best tables in the restaurant, tucked into a corner beneath family portraits and illuminated by the handmade chandeliers.

We began with one of Colonel Saab's signature cocktails, the Memsaab, made with Monkey Shoulder, orange juice, cinnamon syrup and curry leaf. It was simple and elegant, with the cinnamon and curry leaf adding a subtle warmth. Most importantly, it complemented the food without trying to dominate it.

I am usually not much of a beer person, largely because I am not particularly fond of the smell, but the Bombay Bicycle IPA was a surprisingly enjoyable exception. It was refreshing alongside the food and, somehow, managed to win me over.

Starters at Colonel Saab

The first dishes arrived with warm naan finished with garlic butter, which was almost enough to make a meal of its own.

We chose the Chicken Cafreal, deep-fried, spicy and tangy chicken lollipops served with Goan cafreal sauce and red cabbage salad. The chicken brought plenty of heat, while the fresh crunch of the cabbage provided exactly the contrast it needed. I particularly enjoyed the balance between the spiced chicken and the cooler, sharper salad.

The Kandhari Paneer Tikka was richer and landed further towards the spicy end of the spectrum. The cottage cheese was stuffed with prunes and pomegranate and served with a tomato, garlic and mustard salsa. The salsa was the standout for me, bringing sweetness and depth to the paneer while complementing rather than competing with the spice.

One small warning: we did not initially appreciate just how generous the portions would be.

Mains at Colonel Saab

The Prawn Moilee was perhaps the standout dish of the meal. The prawns were some of the softest I have tried, cooked in a lightly spiced coconut milk curry that was fragrant without becoming heavy.

There was a generous amount of sauce, which made pouring it over the boiled rice particularly satisfying. The combination of tender prawns, creamy coconut and rice was simple in theory but remarkably difficult to stop eating. By this point, we had eaten enough food for a small village, but somehow there was still room for another spoonful.

Memsaab's Chicken Curry followed, a family recipe with an unusually intricate presentation. We were told that getting the chicken into its distinctive rolled shape involves freezing processes and a lengthy cooking time.

That level of thoughtfulness became a recurring theme throughout the meal. Nothing felt like filler. From the welcome and service to the drinks and food, everything seemed to have a story behind it. Rather than feeling disconnected, the different elements worked more like pieces of a puzzle, each revealing another part of Colonel Saab's identity.

Dessert at Colonel Saab

By the time dessert arrived, we were already well beyond what could reasonably be called hungry, but the Dark Chocolate Silk Cake was difficult to resist.

Served with thandai crumble, candy floss, fresh berries and vanilla bean ice cream, it was playful and nostalgic at the same time. The combination of dark chocolate, melting vanilla ice cream and candy floss immediately brought back memories of childhood and long summer evenings. It was perhaps the least complicated dish emotionally, but one that stayed with me because of that sense of nostalgia.

We also tried the Pineapple Jalebi, served with rabri Chantilly cream, pistachio kulfi, crisp tuile and pistachio-infused oil. The combination brought together the sweetness and texture of jalebi with the richness of pistachio and creamy rabri, giving the meal a distinctly Indian finish.

The Verdict

What stayed with me most about Colonel Saab was how consistently considered the experience felt. The interiors, the family history, the welcome, the cocktails and the food all seemed to belong to the same story.

The restaurant's five years in Holborn have clearly given it time to develop an identity that feels more personal than simply opening another Indian restaurant in Central London. From the family chandeliers overhead to the recipes on the table, there is a sense that the restaurant is constantly revealing another piece of its history.

And then there is the food. The Chicken Cafreal brought heat and freshness, the Kandhari Paneer balanced spice with sweetness, while the Prawn Moilee was the dish I would happily return for. The desserts finished things on a more playful note, particularly the nostalgic combination of chocolate, vanilla and candy floss.

Colonel Saab manages to make dining feel like more than simply sitting down for dinner. There is something to look at, something to taste and, almost always, another story to uncover.