Gunpowder Tower Bridge is a tapas style Indian restaurant focused on home-style authentic cooking. We dined at Gunpowder Spitafields in June and loved it, so when we found out Gunpowder was opening a new restaurant in Tower Bridge we rushed over to the soft opening. Plus, it was 50% of food 😁.
Gunpowder Tower Bridge has a contemporary stylish décor with a beautiful bar, and has far more room than the cosy Spitafields restaurant.
There is also a second floor, which looks into the kitchen. The service was a tad rushed, but that was understandable because the restaurant was almost overwhelmed with diners (loads of people waiting outside). But the service was still very friendly and attentive.
What we ordered
We went with Shiima’s kid brother who, like me, eats everything (except pork, unlike me 😆) so we ordered almost everything on the menu. Gunpowder aloo chaat, chicken lollipop madras style, maa’s Kashmiri lamb chops, Kerala pepper fry, Nagaland house crispy pork ribs (all me!), pulled duck with homemade oothappam, cheese sandwich, karwari soft shell crab, rabbit pulao, and full organic baby chicken in tandoori spices. Yes, a lot!
Food
There isn’t a classification of starters or mains on the menu, and the food comes as ready. So I’ll spilt my thoughts on the food to the dishes we’ve eaten at Spitafields and the new dishes we tried at Tower Bridge.
Previous Dishes
These were just as delicious and mouthwatering. Based on these dishes the cooking is utterly consistent, and they were able to transfer they’re delicious home-style cooking from the cosy Spitafields restaurant to the larger and seemingly more upscale Tower Bridge restaurant.
Shiima’s brother particularly loved the lamb chops and the soft shell crab.
New Dishes
I remember seeing the Kerala Beef Pepper Fry at Spitafields and wanting it, so it was the first dish I ordered here. It wasn’t as I’d hoped though, mainly because it wasn’t spicy enough for me. It was excellent cooked though, and very succulent. My quest for Beef Suya replacement continues…
Chicken lollipop madras style was awesome. It’s one of the best chicken lollipops we’ve ever had. Perfectly spiced and extremely moreish. I wanted to order more, but Shiima scolded me with a look because we had a lot more food coming 😄.
The pulled duck served with homemade oothappam was just great. Problem is we only ordered one and had to split it three ways. The oothappam (pancakes) were soft and delicious and the pulled pork was very tasty.
The cheese sandwich was mostly Shiima’s, but I had a bit and it tasted exactly like a cheese toastie… Shiima thought they could’ve been a little more creative with the dish, and maybe used another type of bread.
Rabbit pulao was another great dish, and this had little or nothing to do with the rabbit, which tasted okay. The combination of rest of the dish was so good, and I had several portions (and I don’t eat rice, supposedly 😁). It was sweet in parts, crunchy in others, and subtly spiced in others. Excellent balance of flavours.
Dessert?
Nah, we were too full.
Verdict
Our experience at Gunpowder Tower Bridge was excellent. It certainly has a different vibe to the Spitafields restaurant, but the food is just as excellent and the service just as friendly (and I imagine less rushed once things settle down). There are a couple days left of the 50% of food offer as it’s just for the August. But beyond the offer, I certainly recommend for anyone who enjoys Indian food. I also recommend for a casual delicious meal with family, friends, or colleagues. Casual dates also, because the restaurant is fun but isn’t exactly romantic. It’s also very fairly priced.
Cuisine: Indian
Dress Code: Casual
Shiima’s Star Dish: Pulled Duck w/ homemade oothappam
Amen’s Star Dish: Maa’s Kashmiri lamb chops
Shiima’s brother Star Dish: Rabbit Pulao
Price: £20-30pp
Rating: 4.9 out of 5
Gunpowder Tower Bridge
4 Duchess Walk
London SE1 2SD
Reserve through OpenTable,
or just walk in.
Contact the restaurant for large tables.
