From pop-up to established restaurant group, Kricket’s success has been founded on its fresh, innovative take on Indian food, served sharing style. Food director Sarah Akhurst heads to their new site in Canary Wharf to sample the menu.

Where is it?
Just off Fisherman’s Walk in Canary Wharf, East London.

What’s all the fuss about?
The brainchild of exec chef Will Bowlby and co founder Rik Campbell, Kricket began life as a 20-seater pop up in a shipping container in Brixton in 2015. Their modern Indian small plate concept immediately took off and two years later Kricket was opening its first bricks and mortar site. The restaurant in Canary Wharf is the group’s fourth site, following successes in Soho, Brixton and White City. They are known for their unique take on Indian cooking, combining fresh, seasonal British produce with the flavours and aromas of India – and also for their fried chicken!

What’s the place like?
Industrial chic, lots of blond wood and metal, with a large restaurant length open kitchen tiled in red. Tables are communal.

What did you eat and drink?
The menu is divided into snacks, smaller plates, larger plates and sides. From the snacks we tried the Mirchi vada, a deep fried green chilli stuffed with goats curd and tamarind, which was a lovely little crispy, creamy, tangy intro to the meal. We followed with Grilled tomatoes aam panna - a delicious combo of seasonal toms, cucumber, juicy peach, black sesame and basil – and Kricket’s Keralan fried chicken, which has become one of the group’s signature dishes. Tender chicken thighs in a crispy batter served with pickled mooli and curry leaf mayo, it’s a definite must-order if you go. Larger plates included a succulent Poussin ghee roast with cucumber pickle, and a delicious Pandhi pork neck curry, rich with chilli, ginger, tamarind and peanuts. We accompanied this with a lovely creamy cucumber and peanut raita, buttery paratha and rabbit keema baida roti, which is unique to the Canary Wharf site. We washed it all down with a bottle of Portuguese white, but there are also some great, innovatively spiced cocktails on the menu.

Your verdict?
Since the opening of the Elizabeth line, Canary Wharf is fast becoming a proper foodie destination which pleases me no end as an east London dweller. I have long been a fan of Kricket so I am delighted they have a site on my side of town.

Lasting memory
The Keralan fried chicken doesn’t disappoint, but for me the grilled tomatoes aam panna really sum up what Kricket do so well; small plates of seasonal goodness rioting with flavour.