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Interesting New Indian Restaurants in London

Saturday, July 22nd , 2017

hedone 5472 chocolate millefeuille and cherries-crop-v2.JPG

Gunpowder is the epitome of hipster East London, serving a modern take on Indian food but with a pinch of irritating superiority mixed in. They didn’t serve lassi because “that is so Brick Lane”, whatever that means. If you can manage to make it through the meal without walking out due to the attitude of the staff then you will find some good Indian food, in particularly a top-notch lamb chop. I have no idea why the staff looking down their noses at their customers is regarded as hospitality, but the food is fine. 

Darjeeling Express is the first restaurant venture of Asma Khan, constitutional lawyer turned chef, who previously ran very successful supper clubs and pop-ups. Her cooking highlights the food of Calcutta, where she grew up, and is very much home cooking style (in a good way), with an emphasis on flavour over presentation. She is an excellent cook, and if you enjoy authentic Indian food then make a beeline for Darjeeling Express. The staff here are charming, and Asma herself is chatty and a delightful host. 

Bonhams is a very civilised place to eat. Bang in the heart of Mayfair, its food is reasonably priced and yet of a very high standard, the menu appealing and the staff nice. There is also the best value wine list in London as a bonus. Star dishes at this meal include excellent turbot and a superb apricot frangipane tart for dessert. The sourdough bread here is also high quality.

I had my 68th meal at Hedone, whose kitchen is now purring along at a consistently high standard. Stand-out dishes at this outing were dazzling a sweetbead dish, and turbot topped with outstanding razor clams. A technically demanding chocolate millefeuille with cherries (pictured) was superb, these dishes in particular comfortably of three star Michelin standard. The single star that Michelin grudgingly allocates this restaurant is all the more perplexing given the way that they seem to be scattering stars elsewhere.

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