Base Camp Indian Kitchen was recently crowned best new Indian restaurant at the Global Indian Restaurant Congress & Awards 2026 at the Royal Lancaster in London.
Now curry award ceremonies can seem a dime a dozen with more trophies handed out than boxing belts, however Global Indian Restaurant Congress & Awards is different.
The Global Indian Restaurant Congress & Awards (GIRCA) is a leading hospitality industry event celebrating excellence in Indian dining.
Originally launched in India as the Indian Restaurant Congress & Awards, it has built a strong reputation over more than 14 years before expanding internationally with a Global Edition in London.
GIRCA is widely respected due to its long-standing reputation, high-profile participation and rigorous judging process.
Past speakers and judges have included renowned Michelin-starred chefs such as Atul Kochhar, Vivek Singh and Cyrus Todiwala, alongside senior hospitality executives.
Awards are typically assessed by industry experts, including food critics, journalists and restaurateurs, rather than relying solely on public votes.
So, with that, we went to Base Camp Indian Kitchen, in Cardiff, to sample this ‘award winning’ cuisine and we were blown away.
In summary, the food was fresh, light and bursting with flavour, and everything was made in-house.
For starters, we had momos, pickled scallops (beautiful) and an Indian paneer cheese dish that blew the socks off any halloumi.
Then for the main, we had the butter chicken with pilou rice and an extra side of crispy Pembrokeshire potatoes and a delicious lamb curry side.
Probably the most important thing about the meal was the keema naan had keema right through and was deliciously crafted, crisp, light and not too greasy.
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And the best thing about the dinner – the pudding.
Gulab Jaman.
A soft syrup-soaked dumpling – think the best ever warm sponge cake you could have, accompanied by a white chocolate mousse (I had one but it was so light I could easily have had 12!)
Base Camp really is a gem of the Cardiff cuisine trail and a must for anyone who wants a top-quality curry in Cardiff.
Base Camp can be found at 29 Park Place, Cardiff, or go to their website at www.basecampkitchen.uk.
