From street food to a jazz club: a night where the food felt rushed, but the music stayed and lingered.

We hadn’t been to Ronnie Scott’s in a while. When I mentioned this to Bal (half complaining) I found out he’d already bought tickets.

That day, I’d proudly wrapped up an intense day of bread baking in Holborn, with that final, satisfied swell of dough still sitting heavy on my chest. As I walked toward Soho, the sun followed behind me like a quiet companion. I found a corner spot and sat down with a glass of Chardonnay, letting the bustle of the city fade into background noise. There’s something freeing about not having a plan for tomorrow. I suddenly felt like one of the characters from Rachel Cusk’s Outline ; drifting through the city, and yet slightly outside of it.

After finishing my drink, we headed to Hoppers. Right in the heart of Soho, next to Ronnie Scott’s — so yes, a perfectly strategic dinner spot. Usually packed, this branch was oddly quiet that evening. The space is small but cozy, and the staff greeted us warmly, offering a generously sized table.

Specializing in Sri Lankan and South Indian dishes, Hoppers offers both a fixed “Experience” menu and a la carte. Naturally, we tried both. We started with a chickpea and cucumber salad, then mutton rolls with chili ketchup. For mains: Lankan chicken curry and lamb curry, with hopper, dosa, and a lineup of sides ; squash, spinach dhal, beet and cabbage kale mallung. I added bone marrow to the mix.

The marrow was genuinely excellent , not heavy at all, almost silky. The hopper’s crisp was just right. You can tell the restaurant aims to refine street food into something more polished, brushing the edges of Michelin sensibility. Still, everything felt… expected. Safe, not surprising.

The flavors worked together, sure. But some repeated notes started to flatten the menu’s rhythm. With spices and ingredients this bold, I had hoped for a more lasting impression.

And here’s one of my biggest pet peeves when dining out: rushed service. At Hoppers, things came out fast. Too fast. Within thirty minutes, I was already feeling like I had to leave. There’s a difference between efficient service and being hurried out , and during dinner, that difference matters.

That said, the prices were surprisingly fair for London standards.

After dinner, we said “check please” and made our way to Ronnie Scott’s. The night rolled into jazz. And as I sat there, I kept thinking back on the meal. You can break a plate down into parts , ingredients, technique, flavor, plating, service. But sometimes, understanding a night isn’t about dissecting dishes. It’s about what lingers across the whole evening. And London is one of those rare cities where that kind of feeling can find you.