10 Dishes You Must Try at Herb Restaurant

If you're not sure where to start on the menu, this is the shortlist – the dishes that come up again and again, whether you're a regular or visiting for the first time.

1. Kerala thali – rice, sambar, a couple of vegetable curries, pickle, papadum and a sweet, all together. The single best way to try a range of the menu in one sitting. See our full thali guide.
2. Masala dosa – a crisp fermented rice-and-lentil crepe filled with spiced potato, probably the most recognisable South Indian dish outside India.
3. Pothichoru – a banana-leaf wrapped rice meal, traditionally packed for travel in Kerala, served here as a signature dish.
4. Mixed vegetable avial – a coconut and yoghurt vegetable curry, one of the most popular vegan orders on the menu.
5. Paper dosa – a larger, extra-thin, extra-crisp variety if you want something lighter and crunchier than the classic.
6. Uttapam – a thicker, softer rice pancake, good for a quicker lunch.
7. Idli – steamed rice cakes from the same batter family as dosa, a lighter way into the menu.
8. Payar banana thoran – black-eyed peas and banana stir-fried with grated coconut and mustard seed.
9. Business lunch thali – £6.95 at the Leicester restaurant, Monday to Friday 12:00 PM–3:00 PM, a quicker, set version of the full thali.
10. Rava dosa – made with semolina worked into the batter for a lacier, more open texture than the classic version.

Not sure where to start?

A dosa or a thali cover most of what makes the menu distinctive, and both are safe, well-tested starting points if this is your first visit.

Visit Herb

Both Leicester and Leamington Spa restaurants serve this full list – see either page for hours and booking.