Dastaan

Dastaan has been packing in the locals ever since it opened in late 2016, with several senior chefs from Michelin-starred Gymkhana moving to these unassuming premises in a parade of shops in Ewell. The chefs cook more homely dishes than in Mayfair but the results are none the worse for that, and the kitchen goes to considerable lengths to impart maximum flavour: spices are ground for each service rather than in a batch at the start of the week, so the spices taste unusually distinct and vibrant here. 

Chicken malai tikka had generous chunks of chicken that had been marinated in spices and a little cream cheese, making the meat extremely tender (16/20). Tandoori lamb chops were cooked pink and again had a lovely spicy marinade, the meat having excellent flavour (16/20). Red pepper tiger prawns is one of my favourite dishes here, the very large prawns being cooked superbly, redolent of their spices. The precision of the cooking of the prawns was better than plenty of high-end restaurants (17/20). Vegetable bhajias featured a mix of vegetables including kale in the filling, accompanied by some excellent chutney to avoid any dryness (15/20).

Khumb palak is one of the star dishes here, and is all the more impressive for featuring the humble spinach, managing to concentrate its flavour and really elevate the dish. Again, when I think back on endless watery spinach at supposedly high-class restaurants the comparison is intriguing (easily 16/20). I have tried making this dish at home from the Dastaan cookbook and it works pretty well, but there is some wizardry going on in the kitchen here that lifts it to a higher level.

Methi chicken had tender meat and plenty of fresh fenugreek leaves, imparting their distinct flavour to the sauce (15/20). Butter chicken was an excellent example of the breed, rich and with carefully cooked meat and gentles spicing (easily 15/20). Pork vindaloo was terrific, the vinegar of this Goan dish very well balanced, the spicing lively but not too strong, the meat tender. I have had this dish in Goa a few times and this version is right up there with the best that I have eaten (16/20). Wild mustard potatoes retained their texture but tasted nicely of the mustard leaves and spices that they were cooked with (15/20). Both naan and paratha had very good texture, the naan light and fluffy.

Service was friendly and the dishes arrived at a steady pace even at this packed service. The bill came to £50 for more food and beer than a sensible person would consume, and to me seems a real bargain given the genuinely high quality of the cooking. The precision of the cooking of the prawns and the depth of flavour of the spinach are quite remarkable.

Further reviews: 17th May 2022 | 23rd Aug 2021 | 13th Jul 2021 | 17th Aug 2020 | 08th Oct 2019 | 05th Jun 2019 | 29th Sep 2018 | 30th Dec 2017 | 11th Jul 2017 | 30th Apr 2017