Randomness Guide to London - Differences between Version 8 and Version 5 of Vasanta Bhavan, E6 2JA

Version 8 Version 5
== Line 0 == == Line 0 ==
Totally-vegetarian Indian cafe on the High Street in [[Locale East Ham|East Ham]], very near [[East Ham Station]].
Small, totally-vegetarian Indian cafe on the High Street in [[Locale East Ham|East Ham]], very near [[East Ham Station]].
== Line 2 == == Line 2 ==
Inside, seating for around 50-60 people is provided by chairs upholstered in burgundy pleather set at tables with wood-effect formica tops. The floor is beige tiles, and the walls a stark white, unrelieved by any decor aside from the occasional light switch.
Inside, cafe-style white plastic chairs are set at small square tables with marble-effect formica tops. Instead of napkins, there are boxes of tissues on each table. Like the other Indian cafes along this strip, the tables are all set with metal water jugs and cups.
== Line 4 == == Line 4 ==
Like most of the other Indian cafes along this strip, there are boxes of tissues on each table instead of napkins, alongside metal water jugs and cups. It's casual in terms of operation as well as decor; choose your own table instead of waiting to be seated, and pay at the till by the door on your way out instead of asking for the bill.
[[Kake]] visited on a Monday early evening in June 2009. There were a fair few other people in, and others came in for takeaways during my visit. Music was playing, though not overly loudly. The staff seemed a bit confused by me saying hello to them and waiting for them to tell me where to sit, so I suspect the done thing is to just seat yourself. They also don't bring a bill when you're finished, or even ask if you want anything else; you just get up and pay at the till by the door on your way out.
== Line 6 == == Line 6 ==
When [[Kake]] visited on a Monday early evening in June 2009 there were a fair few other people in, and others came in for takeaways during my visit. Music was playing, though not overly loudly. I had the mushroom masala dosa (very thin rice/lentil pancake with a savoury filling).
They don't seem to have thalis on the menu, but there is some kind of buffet deal. They also do a selection of Indian-style Chinese food.
== Line 8 == == Line 8 ==
The dosa was crisp, but very greasy. The mushroom filling was very highly seasoned; it would have been too salty on its own but was generally fine with the dosa and chutneys. The accompanying sambar (a thin vegetable curry) was thicker than I've had elsewhere, perhaps more lentilly. Chutneys weren't bad. Overall I preferred the dosa I had at [[Chennai Dosa, E6 1JB|Chennai Dosa]] down the road, mainly because I didn't like the greasiness of this one.
I tried the mushroom masala dosa (very thin rice/lentil pancake with a savoury filling). The dosa was crisp, but very greasy. The mushroom filling was very highly seasoned; it would have been too salty on its own but was generally fine with the dosa and chutneys. The accompanying sambar (a thin vegetable curry) was thicker than I've had elsewhere, perhaps more lentilly. Chutneys weren't bad. Overall I preferred the dosa I had at [[Chennai Dosa, E6 1JB|Chennai Dosa]] down the road, mainly because I didn't like the greasiness of this one.
== Line 10 == == Line 10 ==
On another visit for breakfast, on a Monday morning in September 2019, there were two other customers when I arrived around 8:30am and several more turned up while I was there. No music was playing this time, but by 9am there was a decent amount of conversational noise. This time I had the idli (&pound;3.75 for three including chutneys and sambar) <small>[https://www.flickr.com/photos/kake_pugh/48665932171/ photo]</small>.
Accessibility: A step up to get in. It's step-free once you're in, though the single unisex toilet cubicle is a bit of a squeeze.
== Line 12 ==
The idli themselves were pretty good; reasonably structurally sound and with a decent level of sourness. The chutneys were flavourful, and distinct from each other in terms of flavour, not just colour. The sambar was fine. Masala tea (&pound;1.50) was pre-sweetened but not excessively so, and nicely milky. Cardamom was evident but not overwhelming in the spicing.

Accessibility: A step to get in, and two more steps with no handrail to the toilet (a single large unisex cubicle with grab rails).

== Line 17 ==
* Photos of the menu as of September 2019: [https://www.flickr.com/photos/kake_pugh/48665933551/ 1], [https://www.flickr.com/photos/kake_pugh/48665591163/ 2], [https://www.flickr.com/photos/kake_pugh/48666092057/ 3], [https://www.flickr.com/photos/kake_pugh/48665590768/ 4], [https://www.flickr.com/photos/kake_pugh/48666091672/ 5], [https://www.flickr.com/photos/kake_pugh/48665932501/ 6]
== Line 19 ==
* [http://www.foodloversonly.com/2011/04/proper-dosas-in-east-ham-if-this-was.html Food Lovers Only review]
* [http://bestdosa.blogspot.com/2011/05/vasantha-bhavan-east-ham.html London's Best Dosa review]
== Line 23 == == Line 16 ==
<div class="last_verified">Last visited by [[Kake]], September 2019. Opening hours taken from menu, September 2019.</div>
<div class="last_verified">Last visited by [[Kake]], June 2009. Opening hours taken from the Vasanta Bhavan website, June 2018.</div>
== Line 25 == == Line 18 ==
category='Breakfast,Cafes,Featured Article,Indian Food,South Indian Food,Takeaway,Totally Vegetarian,Vegetarian Friendly'
category='Breakfast,Cafes,Chinese Food,Indian Food,South Indian Food,Takeaway,Totally Vegetarian,Vegetarian Friendly'
== Line 28 == == Line 21 ==
formatted_website_text=''
host='2001:41c8:10:b1f:c0ff:ee:15:900d'
hours_text='Mon-Sun: 7am-10pm'
formatted_website_text='vasantabhavan.uk'
host='81.187.166.218'
hours_text='Mon-Sun: 7am-10:30pm'
== Line 36 == == Line 29 ==
node_image='https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/48665933791_98b8318d60_m_d.jpg'
node_image='https://c2.staticflickr.com/8/7427/9970914693_56452f15d6_m_d.jpg'
== Line 39 == == Line 32 ==
node_image_url='https://www.flickr.com/photos/kake_pugh/48665933791/'
opening_hours_text='Mon-Sun: 7am-10pm'
node_image_url='https://www.flickr.com/photos/kake_pugh/9970914693/'
opening_hours_text='Mon-Sun: 7am-10:30pm'
== Line 45 == == Line 38 ==
summary='Vegetarian South Indian cafe in East Ham.' website='http://www.vasantabhavan.uk/' summary='Vegetarian South Indian cafe in East Ham.'
summary='Vegetarian South Indian cafe in East Ham.'
website='http://www.vasantabhavan.uk/'

Small, totally-vegetarian Indian cafe on the High Street in East Ham, very near East Ham Station.

Inside, cafe-style white plastic chairs are set at small square tables with marble-effect formica tops. Instead of napkins, there are boxes of tissues on each table. Like the other Indian cafes along this strip, the tables are all set with metal water jugs and cups.

Kake visited on a Monday early evening in June 2009. There were a fair few other people in, and others came in for takeaways during my visit. Music was playing, though not overly loudly. The staff seemed a bit confused by me saying hello to them and waiting for them to tell me where to sit, so I suspect the done thing is to just seat yourself. They also don't bring a bill when you're finished, or even ask if you want anything else; you just get up and pay at the till by the door on your way out.

They don't seem to have thalis on the menu, but there is some kind of buffet deal. They also do a selection of Indian-style Chinese food.

I tried the mushroom masala dosa (very thin rice/lentil pancake with a savoury filling). The dosa was crisp, but very greasy. The mushroom filling was very highly seasoned; it would have been too salty on its own but was generally fine with the dosa and chutneys. The accompanying sambar (a thin vegetable curry) was thicker than I've had elsewhere, perhaps more lentilly. Chutneys weren't bad. Overall I preferred the dosa I had at Chennai Dosa down the road, mainly because I didn't like the greasiness of this one.

Accessibility: A step up to get in. It's step-free once you're in, though the single unisex toilet cubicle is a bit of a squeeze.

See also:

Last visited by Kake, June 2009. Opening hours taken from the Vasanta Bhavan website, June 2018.

List all versions