Kensington

Chakra – Review

May 25, 2016 by Adrian

Chakra Kensington

33C Holland Street, Kensington, W8 4LX

020 7229 2115/www.chakralondon.com

There are certain parts of London that continue to surprise me. Away from the retail bustle of Kensington High St there is an unexpectedly idiosyncratic posh urban village of smart flats, houses and mews and tucked away amongst the restrained elegance is Chakra, a prizewinning Indian restaurant. Chakra won Best Indian Restaurant of the Year 2014 at the Asian Business Awards, Top 11 Best Indian Restaurants in the UK 2013 – Tatler Restaurant Guide and the Best New Indian Restaurant in London 2012 -at the British Curry Awards, so clearly has some form. The restaurant has a thriving takeaway and outside catering business, a sector in which they are a major player, so I was astonished on arrival at the restaurant to see its scale as Chakra is the epitome of the small local restaurant. The interior is comfortable, smart and intimate and offers a neutral background for the food to shine rather than overwhelming it. The menu has a focus on dishes based on the traditions of the Royal Maharajah Kitchen ‘inspired by traditional recipes from Punjab and the Northwest Frontier.’ I have been invited to review and am fascinated to see if the gentility of the surroundings has crossed over to the food.First up were some crisp mini-Poppadums with the sweet-sour tang of tamarind pickle to get the gastric juices flowing. I drank a mango lassi (£6) which was thick and sweet and a glass of Sauvignon Blanc Pays d’Oc (£5.50) from Domaine Bergon which was grassy with a well-balanced acidity.Crispy avocado spheres came with a micro-curry leaf perched on top and a smear of tamarind chutney (£10.50). The outside had the kind of crunch I associate with Japanese Panko breadcrumbs with the interior being a deliciously mildly spiced and warmed avocado.Grilled chicken breast was surprisingly tender with the spiky heat of yellow chilli being cooled by a mint chutney (£10.95).Black cod was cooked in a clay oven which brought out its natural sweetness with saffron and samphire flavours adding earthiness and salinity (£19.95).Tandoori sea bass (£16.50) had that deep rich tandoori flavour that I crave. The fish had a deliciously charred skin but wasn’t overpowered by the spices.Garlic naan (£2.95) came hot and glistening from the stove and a dish of Basmati rice (£3.95) was beautifully cooked, each grain of the aromatic rice separate from the other. I ate this as a dish in its own right it was so good.Dessert was a trio of Mango kulfi, fresh mango and mango sauce (£5.75) made with top quality Alfonso mangoes which are the sweetest and tastiest.

The menu at Chakra makes innovative use of ingredients and isn’t afraid to venture across food cultures into new territories, with the avocado dish almost seems like the ultimate fusion of Nikkei with Indian. The cooking and spicing has a classical precision without sacrificing flavour. My only caveat would be the lack of vegetables on the menu. With a small terrace it’s perfect for a summer evening’s treat and the soon-to-be-opened basement will be a cosier option in winter. Chakra is well worth a visit if you want to eat refined Indian food in a civilised setting.

Zaika – Review

January 18, 2015 by Adrian 1 Comment

Zaika Kensington

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1 Kensington High Street, W8 5NP

020 7795 6533/www.zaikaofkensington.com/

I went to the original Zaika in 2001 and if I remember correctly it was at the back of a smart Chelsea shop that sold Indian antiques, perching in a couple of tiny rooms where chef Vineet Bhatia’s served up his modernist take on Indian cuisine. It gained a Michelin star, which was pretty unheard of in those days for an Indian restaurant, and then moved to Kensington. Zaika‘s only real competitor back then was a place called Tamarind which also gained a star and paradoxically it is The Tamarind group that have brought the Zaika brand back to life. About a year ago The Tamarind people stepped out of their comfort zone and opened an Italian place at number 1 Kensington High St. I was invited to the opening party which was a bit of a mess and I hated the place; the ‘Sputnik’ design lighting was far too harsh and the sound system was turned up way too loud in what was an uncomfortable room that didn’t match the aspirations of the menu.Jump cut to now as Fiona and I have been invited to review the “new Zaika” in the same space as the unlamented Italian joint…

With the addition of gentle lighting (the Sputniks have been banished to the outer edges of the galaxy thankfully) and some colonial era prints and knick-knacks, what was a bleak and barren space has been transformed into a warm, elegant and comfortable interior. It combines the clubby colonial feel of Gymkhana with the intimate grandeur of the Berners Tavern so Zaika is very on trend.

The food is an expression of the Awadhi traditions of Northern India. I don’t know what that means either but apparently ‘Awadhi is heavily influenced by the Mughal and Nawabi styles and offers preparations that are an indulgent mix of flavours and spices, creating gourmet spreads that may be described as nothing less than royal.’

So to the food and drink. For some reason cocktails in Indian restaurants are often mixed with too much sugar for me and the Zaika Margarita (£8.50) had a ‘lime caramelised sugar’ rather than a salt rim.

The Bonfire, which blended Bombay Sapphire Gin with lychee juice and spirit and chillies(£8.50), was great to look at but didn’t set my taste buds on fire.

However poppadums (£3.50) were fresh and crisp served with a duo of delicious mango and nigella seed and beetroot and fennel seed chutneys.

Jhinga Shimla-Mirch (£19.50) were grilled tiger prawns marinated with pureed red-pepper and spices. Grilled on the tandoori they were meaty and rich tasting and my glass of oaky Chardonnay stood up to the dish pretty well.

Tender chunks of monkfish (Ajwaini Macchi-£28.50) were marinated with ginger, yoghurt, ajwain and turmeric and had a deep tomato spice flavour and the recommended glass of Viognier with its apricot notes was well-matched.

A side dish of Papdi Chaat (£6)-spiced chickpeas, wheat crisps, yoghurt, mint and tamarind chutney, blueberries-was fantastic, a perfect blend of creaminess and crunch. I could eat this dish every day!

Fiona’s curry leaf, coriander and chilli crusted scallops (£14.50) were served with a smoked red-pepper chutney and were of good quality so full of flavour and very tender.I’m not one to judge but Fiona did order two main courses…

Laal Maas (£19.50), a dish of boneless lamb simmered with whole spices, yoghurt and red chilli paste, had that perfect blend of spice and heat with the meat being extra tender. The accompanying Baingan Masala (£7.50) were baby aubergine tossed with freshly ground spices that really melted in your mouth.

Gosht Dum Biryani (£21.50) was a delicious goat biryani served with Burani Raita that was worth ordering just for the theatre of its serving pot. Fiona drank a Malbec with both her mains that she enjoyed.

The truffle nan (£3.75) was warm and lightly infused with truffle. It was so good that I wanted to bury my face in it…

Pilau rice (£3.50) was authentic with really long grains and fragrant with cardamom spice. Bhindi Jaipuri (£7.50) was a great dish of sliced okra coated with lemon, paprika and gram flour that had been deep-fried and served as crisp nuggets of spicy pleasure.

The kitchen sent out a tasting plate of desserts which were consistently good; pistachio kulfi with passion fruit purée was not too sweet and the lime tart was really light and citrussy. The rum baba was full of booze but my favourite was the ‘Bounty bar’, a delicious confection of dark chocolate and coconut with caramelised nuts.

I really enjoyed my meal at the new Zaika. The reboot has a very different offer to the original, but if you are looking for a classic take on the food of the subcontinent in an evocative and stylish space then it’s a great option.

Acciuga – Review

July 10, 2013 by Adrian 1 Comment

Acciuga Kensington

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343 Kensington High Street, London, W8 6NW

020760333888/www.acciuga.co.uk

Acciuga

Guglielmo Arnulfo is a 24 years old Italian chef from Genoa with an intruiging backstory having trained as a lawyer and then playing international rugby before following his heart to spend the next few years learning how to become a chef in his native Liguria.

Guglielmo Arnulfo

He has now opened Acciuga, a restaurant showcasing the food of his homeland in that gastronomically underserved part of Kensington where the Warwick Rd bisects the High St. Fiona from London Unattached and I were invited to explore the food (there is a seasonal set lunch and a la carte menu) and it seemed like a great opportunity to investigate Ligurian cuisine.

Acciuga Dining Room

The room is cool and elegant in a northern Italian kind of way and there is a rather chic wine store /private dining/communal eating space in the basement that can be called into use if necessary.

Acciuga Basement

We started with a glass of N.V Brut Metodo Classico White Flower, Luigi Elio, Selezione Brjnda (£45.00 for a bottle). It was a sparkling white from Piedmont made by the traditional methode champenoise that was light and refined with floral notes.

Breadsticks and rolls @ Acciuga

‘Grissini’ Breadsticks and rolls were freshly baked with good texture and flavour.

Smoked duck and Rocket pesto @ Acciuga

An Amuse-bouche of Smoked duck and Rocket pesto arrived. The duck had a smoky intensity and set us up for our starters.

Crostini of smoked salmon, smoked scallop, smoked swordfish and salmon roe

We had asked for wines to match the food and with our antipasti we each had an elegant glass of 2012 Roero Arneis Le Faville, Selezione Brjnda ( £9). The notes of aniseed and fennel in the wine particularly suited our Crostini of smoked salmon, smoked scallop, smoked swordfish and salmon roe (£10). The roe were big salty globules of pleasure and the lightly-smoked trio of fish were subtly flavoured with both the fish flavour and smoke coming through.

Stuffed Courgette flowers

Stuffed Courgette flowers (£10) were deep fried with a breadcrumb coating and a delicate courgette, breadcrumb and marscapone filling.

Cantina delle Cinque Terre (£8) is a light-bodied Ligurian wine made from the Albarolo, Bosco and Vernaccia grapes with notes of Apricot and Melon. It worked well with our pasta dishes.

Trofie al Pesto

The dish of Trofie al Pesto (£14) was incredible. Trofie are a twisted and tapered pasta made with just flour and water and served with the traditional accompaniments of green beans and potato. They were coated with the most deliciously light and fragrant Pesto I have ever tasted. Both of the main elements of the dish are of Ligurian provenance with the pesto being brought in from Genoa as the quality of the basil cannot be matched elsewhere. It is the combination of the fertile soil and the sea air that gives it such character and Arnulfo won’t compromise on quality by using more local ingredients.

Ravioli di pesce bianco

Ravioli di pesce bianco (£14) was a very pure dish. Silky pasta with a white fish filling.

Polpo e Patate

At this point we were sent over a couple of glasses of wine to accompany our secondi from a lovely woman on an adjoining table who worked for the Cecchi wine producing family. Castello Montauto 2012 Vernaccia San Gimigniano is a creamy white from the picturesque Tuscan town of San Gimigniano and was an excellent flavour match with our dish of Polpo e Patate (£18) which was another revelation. The octopus had been cooked sous-vide and was incredibly tender and flavourful. The potato croquettes didn’t add a huge amount of value.

Seppie in Zimino

The second Cecchi wine was Valle delle Rose, Morellino di Scansano, a lively blend with 90% Sangiovese that was robust enough to stand up to the umami richness of the Seppie in Zimino (£18). This nourishing dish of Cuttlefish cooked with greens (spinach and borage) had a deep savoury flavour and tasted like something the Genovese mariners might have had for their dinner when returning from a long trip (Columbus was Genovese) to up their vitamin intake.

Salted Chocolate tart

We finished the meal with a Salted Chocolate tart (£8) and a Bellini sorbet (£8). The tart was bitter and rich, just like I’d like to be, and for me the sorbet, glamorous as it sounds, needed a bit more peach in the mix.

Bellini sorbet

Guglielmo Arnulfo is a serious and driven young chef who transitioned from a background in molecular gastronomy to working with his native food. If you are interested in regional Italian food or just want a really good meal you should try Acciuga.