Gastro pub-come-Indian restaurant Thekaa builds its concept around the strong ties between India and Britain, bringing together the essence of both country's cuisines. The word Theka is derived from the Hindi word thekedar which means a contractor or supplier, specifically describing a place where alcohol is sold. The team here felt this was their way of capturing the British love of pubs, places that welcome family and friends, new and old, into a warm, casual environment.
While the atmosphere is all about paying homage to a traditional freehouse, the food menu is totally Indian, filled with crowd pleasers like curry samosas and hanging kebabs. The menu is broken up into several sections, starting with finger foods which can be shared across the table. Think fried dumplings stuffed with chicken or lamb and served with spicy Momo sauce, alongside battered onion bhajis and spicy chicken wings.
For mains, you might fancy a hanging kebab or something from the wok-based selection, but we like the sound of the larger plates, spanning recipes such as lamb berry pulao with berries, cashew rice with boneless lamb curry, and Kasundi fish curry with Tilapia fish cooked in mild mustard curry with a touch of coconut.
You could make things really easy for yourself and opt for a pub mixed platter or one of the set meals, with options across vegetarian, vegan, chicken and lamb. Finally, Thekaa do a range of signature specials which also a great place to start if you're stuck, with options like chilli cheese toast with Bombay toast, potatoes, peppers, cheese and chillies, as well as Paanipuri which is fried dough balls served with spicy water, chickpeas, potatoes filling and tamarind chutney.
As for the interiors, the team have taken great care to create a vibe that feels fun and lively, with eclectic decor and a secret beer garden out back.