How do you make an Indian restaurant, a mainstay of just about every main street in British towns, a really interesting culinary destination? Some places, such as the excellent Rasoi and The Cinnamon Club, don’t attempt any bells and whistles, but concentrate on serving top-quality food very well cooked. Others, such as Benares and their recently opened sister restaurant Colony, provide an experience akin to a more European destination.
And then there is the Michelin-starred Amaya, the top end fine dining restaurant from the Masala World group, whose restaurants also include Chutney Mary, Veeraswamy and the ever-popular Masala Zone chain. Many people claim that the hugely successful Amaya is their favourite restaurant in London full stop, and it isn’t at all hard to see why on a recent visit. The atmosphere is cool and buzzy, with the open kitchen stations at the back of the restaurant each dedicated to a different way of preparing the food, whether it be cooking, grilling or using the tandoor oven.
The food is excellent, encompassing such unusual ingredients as scallops, oysters and goat’s cheese as well as more traditional options such as chicken biryani and tandoori lamb chops. If you wanted your ordinary run-of-the-mill poppadoms followed by chicken tikka masala though, forget it; there are no conventional curries on the menu at all, with the culinary intentions being somewhat grander. Whatever you have is guaranteed to be as innovative as it is delicious.
While this is a great place to come for dinner – the stylishly designed room, vaguely reminiscent of L’Atelier de Joel Robuchon, and the comprehensive wine list ensure that a fantastic experience will be had at less than wallet-worrying prices – there’s also a surprisingly brilliant cocktail list (try the tequila and lychee daiquiri) which means that this is an equally good spot to come into for a quick bite to eat and a drink. Whatever you choose, there’s no doubt that this is a fabulous option.
Halkin Arcade, 15 Motcomb St, London SW1 www.amaya.biz
