EATING OUT
EATING OUT
Benares
12a Berkeley Square House, Berkeley Square, Mayfair, London, W1J 6BS Telephone: 020 7629 8886 Mayfair is, as everybody knows, one of the more exclusive areas of London, and within Mayfair, one of the more exclusive areas is Berkeley Square. This exclusivity dates back to the 18th Century, when the influential Kent family had their London house in the square, and other famous residents included Winston Churchill and Charles Rolls, the co-founder of Rolls Royce, and for those fans of Jeeves and Wooster, the fictional character Bertie Wooster. In addition, it has one of the most exclusive private members club, Morton’s Club, reportedly the most haunted building in London. I am not so sure of the existence of ghosts, but one place that high spirits are abound, however, is at No. 12a, where you will find Benares, the well-deserved Michelin starred restaurant. The front entrance is not flashy, in fact it is rather understated in comparison with some of the other restaurants in the vicinity, but you feel a sense of class and understated elegance which is enhanced once you scale the stairs to a low lit bar, which wouldn’t be out of place in many of the slick and exclusive nightclubs in the area. The bar flanks the far wall, and there was a pleasant buzz of patrons happily partaking of a variety of cocktails before moving into the restaurant for dinner. Cocktail lovers are well catered for here, and many of them have an Indian twist, including the Curry Spritz (gin, aperol and wine bitters with infused curry) or the Passion Fruit Chutney Martini (passion fruit chutney, vodka and fresh lemon juice). Benares, now under the skilful guidance of Executive Chef, Sameer Taneja, has thrived since it opened in 2003, and in this tough WWW.THEAMERICANHOUR.COM
environment that is a notable achievement. It also points to a set-up that moves with the times and continually updates its menus, always drawing on influences and spices from all corners of the subcontinent. Benares offers a fine dining experience where your taste buds are continually being challenged by the subtle spicing of varied and fresh ingredients, where a fusion of regional Indian flavours and spices and British ingredients create a unique modern cuisine, which, from hence forth, I will refer to as Brindian! The menu, as in all good restaurants, concentrates on quality rather than quantity, so there are 8 appetisers and only 6 main dishes, but what caught my eye was the Tasting Menu of 10 dishes for £119 per person, which showcases all that Benares can offer. Perfect. Before we set off on this tribute to fine food, we happily made our way through some delightfully light and crispy poppadoms, ably complemented by sweet chutneys, providing that sweet and sour contrast, as well as an onion oil (something I have never seen before). Our first course was mysteriously named Street Snack, and what a way to start a meal, as it clearly indicated the authenticity of what was to come. The Street Snack is a tribute to all the street traders who ply their trade on the streets of India and rest under the branches of the trees to avoid the midday sun. It consisted of two skewers of delicately fried potato fritter sheltering under the branches of a Bonzai tree. Fried potato, on the face of it, doesn’t seem that special, but in the hands of the chefs at Benares, the texture and seasoning made this probably my favourite dish of the evening. The next course was an Italian Black Winter Truffle Shorba. Shorba is an Arabic word that means a kind of stew or hot soup and was lusciously thick and creamy and packed with chicken and chestnut flavour along with the distinctive richness of black truffle. The
delights just kept coming, with a Porlock Bay Oyster and cured Sea-Bream Chaat, and then baked Malabar Hand Dived Scottish Scallop with a crispy bread podi. The small pieces of oyster and diced raw sea bream were mixed with avocado, chickpeas, peas and chilli to provide an explosion of tastes, all bathing in a delicate sweet and sour sauce, and the scallop had the slight sweetness, that Scottish scallops are famous for, and was accompanied by a delicate coconut sauce and a satisfying crunch from the breadcrumbs. The final fish dish was a Tawa Masala, wild halibut with a clam moilee and again the composition of the dish was spot on, with the fish perfectly cooked and delicately spiced and complemented by the multi-coloured moilee. The next two dishes were meat dishes of Tandori Muntjac with garlic yoghurt and chilli chutney and then the Baby Poussin Tikka Masala with lentils, rice and breads, again superb. Our final two courses, pre-dessert and the dessert, were equally delicious, consisting first of a delicate crispy fig leaf complete with veins accompanied by a sweet fig chutney, and then the actual dessert, which was an indulgent Rasmalai (literal translation is juicy cream) which was milky and creamy and absolutely delicious. The Rasmalai was accompanied by a cinnamon cookie, shaped like a flower with a small drop of a sharp raspberry coolie in the middle, which provided the contrasting colour, texture and sharpness. A visit to Benares is a true delight, with every dish being expertly constructed. Along with wonderful ingredients and textural combinations, there is just the right amount of spice to give the dish its taste without overpowering its ingredients. Very clever, and totally delicious, and it is no surprise that Benares has regained it Michelin star, and continues to go from strength to strength. www.benaresrestaurant.com WWW.AMERICANINBRITAIN.CO.UK
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