Hug a Hoodie: Hot Stuff Revisited

A few days ago, I was amazed to discover that a foodie friend of mine (over here for a few months from Bangkok) had never been to the cult South London Indian restaurant, Hot Stuff.  Hot Stuff reminds me of one of those tiny local restaurants you can find in France: a few tables, an enthusiastic patron, and a loyal clientele.  The food at Hot Stuff is not going to win awards, but it's still pretty darn good, and a refreshing change from the delights of the Pimlico Curry Centre.

Hot Stuff is found in that windswept hinterland between Vauxhall, Stockwell and Clapham, just south of the river Thames. If you stretch your imagination and ignore the gang-land graffiti, 60's brutalist architecture, and otherwise edgy concrete surroundings; it's all a bit reminiscent of the Blitz with green painted vegetable barrows, cobbled streets and a "Knees up Mother Brown" pub on the corner- from which floats the strain of inebriated group singing: "wun wabbit, wun wabbit, wun, wun, wun"; highly appropriate, as the eager chefs of Hot Stuff lurk a few doors up. Hot Stuff doesn't have a licence, so you have to nip next door to the offie to buy marked-up plonk. The enlightened bring beer.

As usual we were met by the affable (albeit slightly eccentric) and transfer-tattoed host, Raj, who suggested that he order for us. Hot Stuff is really just a small room, with a few formica tables squeezed inside, and a blackboard on the wall. You can watch the kitchen from the "restaurant": a team of hoodies (baggy jeans half way down their derrières) all working in unison to the soothing harmonies of Snoop Dog.  The chilli prawns, saag gosht, karai chicken, masala fish, makhini dhal and 'magic mushroom' rice were all good, The nan bread was also delicious.

It's the sort of place where they don't give you a bill ("let's call it twenty quid, mate"), but instead, round it up (or more likely, down), for Hot Stuff is remarkably good value. It would be wonderful it there were more family run restaurants like this in London: serving unpretentious, well cooked food which won't break your wallet. Often, local restaurants still suffer from delusions of grandeur (do the ghosts of Nouvelle Cuisine still linger?) and entirely miss the point.  If you're planning a visit to Hot Stuff, it's essential to book.

Hot Stuff, 19 Wilcox Road, Vauxhall, London, SW8 (020 7720 1480)

Comments

[amelia]

OMG, we live near here and have never heard of it. Will be trying it this weekend!

[Kat]

Went to hotstuff a couple of months ago and completely fell for it's no frills fodder. Particularly quirky was the restaurant owner who came to chat to us and then drew up a chair on the pavement to sketch the next door shop front that he's planning to turn into a fish and chip shop. Have you tried the Regency Cafe? http://snackbite.blogspot.com/2009/06/regency-cafe.html

[The Greasy Spoon]

Kat

Yes, Hot Stuff is such a great place. We've recently moved nearby, so it's now our local restaurant. I think the food there is getting better and better. Especially good is their marrow curry.

The fish and chip shop sounds like good news. Look forward to that. Haven't been to the Regency Cafe- please tell us more about it...