Indian Ocean

It doesn’t say much from outside, but once you step in you are greeted with a warm smile. I just love it when you go to a restaurant and they are genuinely happy to see you. The service was first class, the waiter took time to recommend dishes to us according to our preferences, and the food was all incredibly good… I can’t wait to go back and try more great Indian recipes from many different areas…

Yum. Indian Ocean serves some seriously tasty Indian food.
I have been meaning to come here since I first moved to this area (three years ago… Oops that took a while…) I am really glad we finally gave it a go! They have a very long menu, so it is worth trying some of their less traditional dishes, as they seem to be masters at pairing interesting flavours together.
— We tried a selection of starters for two. They were presented beautifully, tasted good and had perfect coriander chutney and spicy chutney to go with them.
— My husband ordered a paneer and potato dish. It was really tasty (although, I love the paneer more than the potato… I guess I just need cheese)
— I ordered wild mushrooms wrapped in chicken with a delicious curry sauce. Oh my goodness this was lovely!
— Their wild rice was gorgeous.
— I loooved their peshwari naan as well.
In the end we were totally stuffed for £25 each (with drinks) …so it is not the cheapest Indian food in the area. But meh. It’s worth paying a little extra for some exceptional food.

Excellent food. The right spices and flavor a. High quality. Love it. The chicken was tender, the rice perfectly cooked. We really enjoyed. So much so, that within the week we returned.

Food is ok,
If you prefer Indian food cooked for British taste buds then give it a go else Avoid if you are looking for authentic Indian taste!

I decided to go out and try Indian Ocean after many friends recommended as the best Indian around Holloway.
We went there on a Tuesday evening without booking, and there were quite a few tables taken, but the restaurant was not packed.
I really enjoyed the fact that the menu had those traditional dishes (I loooove tandoori), but also some more «exotic» dishes that you’re not used to see in indian restaurants.
The portions were really generous and the food was tasty — we came out of there nearly needing to crawl home and sleep it off.
Quick note however, both my partner and I were feeling a bit off the day after. I blame the amount of food that was ingested over the quality of it. It will definitely deserve a 2^nd round to confirm the 4 stars.

I’ve been coming here off and on for three years now. The staff are attentive, the food great, breads in particular are gorgeous. Nice beers too and nice décor. Once drink, food and a tip are included it usually costs us around £20 a head. Definitely worth checking out if you don’t fancy take away.

The portions at this place are GINORMOUS!
The food was excellent, although as usual at an Indian we over ordered. We started with pappadoms, which were nice and crispy. Then we went straight to the main. I had the quail eggs in minced lamb as described by Uli. It was delicious! The sauce was very tasty and the rice was cooked just right.
My other half had one of the spicy chicken dishes and the chicken was tender and the spice had flavour, not just heat. I nibbled off a few other people’s dishes and the lamb, again was very tender and flavourful.
The chef came out to check that everything was good and the staff was generally nice. The guy who took our orders was very army-​like with the order taking though.
A really great recommendation, I would happily come here again!

Love indian ocean– not fine dining but for its level and price its a five for me. I always go for the specials which are quite different to the standard tikka masala type styles. Very friendly and attentive staff. If you have got that curry yearning this will hit the spot.

After walking past this place for many years it was one of the first on my new list of ‘finding out exactly what’s on offer on my doorstep’
Overall this is a pretty decent find. We went mid week when this restaurant is not particular busy (the atmosphere & lack of diners would be my main problem with this restaurant).
We ordered curries and the dishes were extremely tasty, very well balanced in flavours and spice. Special mention has to go too to the egg fried rice side and the naan breads (with tomatos in there could have just eaten those).
If I had to criticise the food in any way it could have been a little bit hotter (in temperature), it arrived on the table at ‘ready to eat’ heat which is OK for fast food but not for a restaurant.
Like the reviewer above i wan’t sure if this is a 3 or 4 stars but i’m going to go the other way and give this a ‘fair’ four :)

Have you ever had a hard-​boiled egg coated with minced lamb, served in a delicious tomatoey sauce? — No, well then it’s about time to vist the Indian Ocean on Holloway Road…
In fact, I am much obliged to Patrick R., who has written the first Unilocal review about the Indian Ocean and who — with his wonderfully enticing writing — had made me want to come check out this place asap. And finally, last night I managed to come here with a bunch of friends to put his whooping recommendation to the test: yes, yes, and yes! It is as good as he says!
These are the dishes that I would heartily recommend you to try: the chicken dish with dried apricots and cashew nuts; the above-​mentioned hard-​boiled egg coated in minced lamb; as well as a very simple, but well-​spiced dal side dish (the slight hint of cinnamon went very well with the autumny weather).
I am so glad I found this place, as I no longer have to venture all the way to Whitechapel’s Tayyabs for a really good Indian meal!!!

The Indian Ocean stands out as diamond in the rough that is Holloway Road. Now the following statement may spark some controversy, but there is a contingent of us that believe this to be the best Indian in London. That’s right, you can forget Brick Lane, and head straight to The Ocean. Situated in between Camden Road and Parkhurst Road, it’s pleasant exterior columns give it a bit of class juxtaposed against its surroundings. The atmosphere inside is pleasant, and refined, and the staff are always at hand with a smile. They’ve recently remodelled, which you will notice from the clean and simple interior decoration. They have a full bar, and serve favourite beers like Cobra and King Fisher. Personally I’d go for a mango lassi, which doesn’t have any alcohol, but is so good you’ll hardly miss it.
Now for the food, which is spectacular. All the sauces are made from scratch by the resident chef. (He’s actually taken a friend back into the kitchen and showed him the ins and outs of his cooking, and with great pride the fact that all his sauces are made on location.) Whatever you fancy, it is going to be good. My favourite is the Murgi Tika Masala, but I’ve tried a host of different things, and have never been had a bad experience. Not sure what to order? Ask the staff, as they can steer you in the right direction. Whatever you chose to get, I’m sure it will be good.
After the meal is over you may be lucky enough to be greeted by the chef, who prides himself on checking on his guests. As they are all his recipes, this is certainly a treat. After a few visits you may even begin to feel like a regular, as they are quick to recognize return customers. All in all, you can’t go wrong at the Indian Ocean.

Pretty decent Indian restaurant on the Holloway Road. I was slightly torn between a 3 and a 4 here, but I think in the end I have to give it a ‘good’ 3.
I definitely enjoyed my curry, that was a good choice from the specials list (despite being one of the more expensive choices). The rice and the naan wereas you’d expect and the wine was forgettable (but then it was the house wine). Splashed out on some desert wine for once and that was rather nice.
Service was quick and efficient. I can see myself coming back and if it goes well, maybe upping my rating.