29 Jun 2026
If you’ve never been to the Harpenden backstreet boozer that is the Red Cow, now is the time, as James Cameron found out…
You are not likely to come across the Red Cow by accident. It sits on the outskirts of Harpenden, down a residential street near the river, so you’re only going to go there if you mean to go there. Luckily, with the amazing food now being offered you are going to mean to go there.
I was there for the launch of the collaboration between the Red Cow and beloved Redbourn restaurant India Gate. The story of this collaboration seems like it was a matter of destiny. The two were bought together by a match-making drinks supplier who, knowing that India Gate were looking to expand into Harpenden and the Red Cow had a kitchen sitting dormant saw the opportunity for a win-win situation.
Although India Gate will provide a takeaway service as well, this was not simply a case of replicating their restaurant in a new location. A lot of thought has gone into adapting their offering for the pub environment. For example, for those not wanting to be inundated with food there will be a ‘Bites’ menu featuring smaller portions that you can nibble on to keep your spirits up during a longer pub session.
Poppadoms and Chutneys will of course be available, but also less common offerings like Far Far, colourful Indian crisps. Street food dishes like Chat will also be available, as well as dishes with a Chinese influence like Chow Mein or delicious crisp vegetable spring rolls.
One of the reasons the Red Cow were happy to entrust their kitchen to the India Gate crew was the range of their influences, predominantly North Indian but also including dishes with an East African influence such as Cassava chips. The plan is to also feature fusion dishes such as Loaded Masala Fries, as well as more standard pub grub like fish and chips.
This form of cooking puts the ingredients front and centre, rather than relying on rich sauces to do the heavy lifting. Whilst sauces and spices are present, they are there to elevate the intrinsic flavours of the meats or vegetables, rather than douse them. Think sizzling meat platters, and then get hungry.
Talking to Chef Gaurav, his passion for both the food and the project was clear. He explained that underpinning everything were the spices, which he buys fresh on regular trips to India.
Whilst they will of course do a Chicken Tikka Masala, it won’t taste quite like anyone else’s due to the unique blend he uses. Taking things to extreme is the dish Chicken 65, so called because of the number of spices used to create it. This puts Colonel Sanders’ poultry 11 to shame.
During the evening plate after plate of delights were brought round, so we could get a sense of what was to come. These included perfectly spiced Tandoori Chicken, and a juicy and crumbly Sheek Kebab. A personal favourite was the Malai Broccoli, named after the top cream (like you used to get in full fat milk bottles in the morning and would fight over for your cereal), a lovely cooling dish with rich yoghurt and cheese that is the perfect contrast to some of the spicier options.
As well as adapting the food to the pub setting, the drinks offering has also been tailored to match the menu. Kingfisher is available on draft, of course, but there will also be Bombay Bicycle IPA and an absolutely delightful Chai Spiced Cream Liqueur called 5 Walla that is so lovely it will make you forget Baileys ever existed.
Lager and curry is such a classic combination that it makes you wonder why no one has thought of serving Indian food in a pub before. They have, of course, Desi pubs are a common sight in the Midlands but nothing like it near us. There are pubs that have become Indian restaurants, such as Amrit in St Albans which used to be the Cricketers, but this is something different. Much like curry and beer, the two elements of pub and Indian restaurant skillfully compliment each other with the lively and laid-back atmosphere of one meeting the delicious and thoughtful food of the other.
The locals seem to have taken the new venture to heart already, based on the happy faces visible there tonight, but I could see the Red Cow becoming a destination spot as well. It’s got something of the feel of a country pub, located as it is just off the Green Way and near the River Lea with lovely views, but it is also just a short walk from central Harpenden. There are plans to turn the garden into an all-weather dining area, which should also help free up some extra parking spaces as options are currently slightly limited.
The team at the Red Cow battled through a few obstacles, including a powercut in the afternoon and a tropical storm in the evening, to deliver a fantastic opening night. I am very much looking forward to returning to try out the full menu, and I implore you to as well.
