India Today, March 2008
My top 5 Indian Restaurants for Power Lunching in London
by Pinky Lilani, OBE, of Spice Magic

Over the past few years London has seen the emergence of a new breed of Indian restaurants, aiming to combine the best of sub-continental cuisine with the use of more adventurous ingredients. Add sophisticated ambience to this equation and the resulting dining experience is both spectacular and mouthwatering.

THE STAR PERFORMERS:

QUILON
41 BUCKINGHAM GATE
LONDON
SW1E 6AF
(+ 44) 020 7821 1899
Sriram Aylur recently got a much-deserved Michelin star with his enchanting interpretations of India coastal cuisine at Quilon. This is a definite must for Indian food aficionados as Quilon takes Indian dining to another level. The starter platter was the beginning of a mouthwatering adventure – morsels of chicken tossed in curry leaves, crab cakes delicately flavoured, lamb shank slow roasted with fennel and a mini masala dosa with a sambhar which was of perfect consistency. Part of the joy of the Quilon experience is hearing about Sriram’s philosophy of introducing new techniques to old dishes. Meat that is pink is rarely served in India, but Sriram has managed to introduce this into his repertoire of dishes with much success. The subtle but flavoursome dishes that followed forced me to keep going back to every dish to reconfirm how special they were. Lamb biryani with a pistachio curry – okra crispy fried and cauliflower with potatoes were just a few of the dishes that one could not have enough of.

CAFÉ SPICE NAMASTE
16 PRESCOTT STREET,
LONDON
E1 8AZ
(+44) 020 7488 9242
Cafe Spice Namaste, a short walk from the Tower of London, has a vibrant contemporary atmosphere with an extensive menu offering lively combinations. Cyrus Todiwala who is passionate about the importance of fresh ingredients and seasonal produce has a specialty menu that changes fortnightly. However, he also celebrates his Parsee heritage with the offering of Dhansak cooked to perfection and Patrani Machi (fish with coconut, lemon and coriander wrapped in a banana leaf) but combines it with Goan dishes and some innovative creations. Mouthwatering Venison tikkas and Barbary duck combined with Ostrich are some of his more unusual (for an Indian restaurant) offerings. Beetroot and coconut samosas, Achari Jung (chicken in pickled spices) and kofte in a kastoori sauce are definitely worth ordering at this hospitable and colourful city restaurant. The homemade chutneys add another dimension and the wedding chutney is definitely worth taking home.

CINNAMON CLUB
THE OLD WESTMINSTER
LIBRARY
30-32 GREAT SMITH STREET
LONDON
SW1P 3BU
020 7222 2555
Located in a former Victorian library, Cinnamon Club is the meeting place for politicians & power brokers. This spacious restaurant has the feel of a grand colonial club with its high ceiling and gallery of bookshelves. The atmosphere always has a buzz – familiar faces among fellow diners are usually politicians that one feels one knows having watched them on Question Time in Parliament. The menu is impressive with distinctive flavours and eye-catching presentation. Tandoori breast of Anjou Squab pigeon with black lentils, French black chicken breast with fenugreek sauce and Rajasthani Sangri bean served with flaky naans never fail to impress. Make sure you try the deliciously different desserts - date pancakes with vanilla and toasted coconut ice cream or batter fried rice pudding with grill chilli.

AMAYA
HALKIN ARCADE
MOTCOMB STREET
LONDON SW1X 8JT
020 7823 1166v
This elegant restaurant situated in an arcade in Knightsbridge has an impeccable pedigree – created by the owners of Chutney Mary and Veeraswamy it focuses on the use of grills, marinades and drama. The Tandoor (hot clay oven), Sigri (cooking over a coal flame) and Tawa, (hot thick iron plate) are integral to this show kitchen. This is food theatre at its best, of course the fact that one can converse with the chefs whilst they grill your kebab to perfection was a great attraction for me. There are no conventional starters or main courses – small portions to be shared – which appear at your table as they are freshly prepared. The dori kebab (velvety, delicate, fall-apart kebabs dethreaded at the table) and morsels of fish in Pandan leaf were my favourites with the hot naans served fresh from the Tandoor.

MINT LEAF
SUFFOLK PLACE
HAYMARKET
LONDON SW1Y 4HX
(+44) 020 7930 9020
A stylish and fashionable restaurant – it brings a sense of sophistication and elegance to the London Indian dining experience. The trendy and lively bar offers an exotic range of cocktails created by a team of mixologists – they include some unusual creations like Pom Pom which has fresh pomegranate and coriander syrup! Mint leaf is a must for those who want to experience authentic flavours with a contemporary edge. Sea bass in fenugreek, Kari patte ka Paneer and rabbit cafreal are delicately flavoured and lightly textured. Mumbai coconut cheesecake and Tandoor smoked pineapple with papaya ice cream are some of the more unusual dessert offerings.