DISH OF THE WEEK in London: Kala Khatta Gola Ice at DISHOOM

We first tried to visit Dishoom on our quick layover in London the night before, but the laughably long line rivaled anything I have seen in NYC. And that says a lot.

I could not believe how long the line was for an Indian restaurant that has been opened and popular in London for over 10 years. Were these tourists? This was in Covent Garden, so odds are yes.

Well, unlike the other tourists, we skipped the wait and thought we would surrender to not visiting this buzzy spot. Except British Airways cancelled our original flight and we were “forced” to spend another day in London.

This time, we found an opportunity earlier in the day in the least touristy area of Shoreditch to visit Dishoom. We still had to wait about 20 minutes, but left before the major crowds arrived.

The food was good and the scene was fun. I definitely wanted to work my way through much more of their menu, but we got a taste and next time, know where and when to visit.

We had biryani and a chicken makhani, both good, but dishes I have tasted many times throughout my Indian food adventures.

One thing I had not tasted was an intriguing “dessert” called Kala Khatta Gola Ice.

I put dessert in quotation marks because unlike the rice pudding we ordered, the Kala Khatta Gola Ice was more of a refreshing summer treat than a full on dessert. Yet it was a delicious and intriguing meal closer for me.

This cup of flaked ice is generously flavored with a syrup made from the kokum fruit, a cranberry like fruit that is in the mangosteen family. It gave the ice a tart, slightly sweet flavor. But it didn’t stop there – blueberries, chili, lime, and black salt added to the magic of this refresher.

The ice really touched on all the senses. Sweet, spicy, tart, salty, smoky, and deeply complex. I easily ate the entire thing and could have even gone for a second one.

I doubt this is what all those people were waiting in line for, but if so, now I understand. Price: £3.90