Monarch and Lion in Chicago's Streeterville neighborhood is a beautiful British pub that combines old-world ambiance with a modern spin. The pub's interior is all dark wood with large ceilings and bookshelves that create a very cozy atmosphere. Their Indian-inspired menu definitely go far beyond the typical pub food, and reminded me so much of my time I spent in London. London is known for having great Indian food, and I thought this restaurant did a great job portraying that. I've eaten at Monarch and Lion a few times now, and every time I think they do a great job delivering quality Indian food with some cross-over to a couple traditional British dishes. I think it would be a great place to grab some drinks with friends as well. Here's what we ordered:
Chili Cheese Naan: I have had a lot of traditional naan in my life, but this was my first time having this, and it was absolutely delicious. You have to have a bit of a spice tolerance for this one, but it is very light and great for sharing.
Chicken Tikka Masala: Wow. This dish exceeded my expectations and is Indian approved! I had been looking for a great Chicken Tikka Masala dish and this is up there now for it's bold flavor. I thought the chili cheese naan paired very well with this.
Caviar Deviled Eggs: I love deviled eggs and I thought this was good. Even with the caviar, I didn't think there was a lot of flavor to them but I think they were a good for a light bite.
Lamb Keema Shepherd's Pie: This was delicious! I loved the cross-over between the traditional dishes: British shepherd's pie and the Indian lamb keema. The dish is quite spicy, but great for sharing and pairing with the chili cheese naan as well.
Fish and Chips: Usually I am not the biggest fan of fish and chips because it can taste pretty bland and overly breaded, but I thought the breading on this fish and chips in particular was perfect. For someone that doesn't go out of her way to order fish and chips, I would order this one again.
