Most "Indian restaurant" menus in the UK follow the same template: North Indian curries, naan, tandoori grills. Kerala cooking is a different tradition altogether, and it's still relatively rare to find in Leicester – which is exactly why it's worth understanding what sets it apart before you order.
What is Kerala cuisine?
Kerala sits on India's southwest coast, and the food reflects that geography directly: coconut in almost everything, curry leaves and mustard seed tempered in hot oil at the start of a dish, and rice rather than wheat as the everyday staple. It's a lighter style of cooking than a lot of what passes for "Indian food" in the UK – built on vegetables, lentils and fresh spices rather than the cream-based gravies more associated with North Indian menus.
Herb's Kerala heritage, and head chef Ramdas Krishna
Herb's kitchen is led by executive chef Ramdas Krishna, working from recipes and techniques rooted in Kerala household cooking rather than a generalised "Indian" menu. Kerala's food culture draws on a spice trade dating back thousands of years – coconut oil rather than ghee, curry leaves and mustard seed as the base of almost every dish, and a vegetarian tradition that runs deep rather than sitting as an afterthought on a meat-focused menu.
Signature dishes worth knowing
- Sadhya – Kerala's traditional feast meal, a wide spread of vegetarian dishes served together on a banana leaf, most associated with festival occasions but reflecting the same principles behind everyday Kerala cooking.
- Appam – a fermented rice-batter pancake, soft in the centre with lacy, crisp edges, traditionally eaten with a mild coconut-based curry.
- Pothichoru – a banana-leaf wrapped rice meal, traditionally packed for travel in Kerala, served at Herb as a signature dish.
- Kerala curries – coconut milk and coconut oil based rather than cream, tempered with curry leaves and mustard seed rather than built on a single heavy spice blend.
For a deeper look at two of the most recognisable dishes on the menu, see our guides to what a Kerala thali actually is and the different dosa varieties.
Why Leicester food-lovers choose Herb
Rather than offering a general "Indian" menu, Herb sticks to Kerala's culinary tradition specifically – a narrower menu than some Indian restaurants in Leicester, but a more coherent one, with every dish reflecting the same regional cooking style. The whole menu is vegetarian, most of it vegan, and the room itself is a fairly contemporary space on Granby Street – but what comes out of the kitchen follows recipes that go back generations in Kerala households.
Visit us in Leicester
Herb Leicester is at 96 Granby Street, LE1 1DJ, open Sunday to Thursday 12:00 PM–10:00 PM and Friday to Saturday 12:00 PM–11:00 PM. See the full Leicester restaurant page for booking and directions.
FAQ
What is Kerala cuisine?
Kerala cuisine is the regional cooking of India's southwest coast, built around coconut, rice, curry leaves and locally grown vegetables, with a much lighter use of cream and ghee than many other Indian regional styles.
What makes Kerala dishes different from a typical Indian restaurant menu?
Most Indian restaurants in the UK lean towards North Indian and Punjabi-style cooking. Kerala food is a separate tradition – lighter, coconut-based, and built on rice rather than wheat breads.
Does Herb serve only vegetarian food?
Yes, the entire menu at Herb is vegetarian, and most dishes are vegan or can be made vegan on request.
Who leads the kitchen at Herb?
Executive chef Ramdas Krishna leads the kitchen, cooking from Kerala's culinary traditions rather than a general Indian menu.
Visit Herb Restaurant
Authentic vegetarian and vegan South Indian & Kerala food in Leicester and Leamington Spa.
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