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Indian cuisine has been popular in the UK since the 1970s. It has now evolved into a significant contributor to the fine dining scene in London. Many chefs are pushing the boundaries of regional Indian cuisine. One chef at the heart of this movement is Atul Kochhar. That’s why I’m so excited to visit Kanishka by Atul Kochhur for the first time.
Mayfair has played a big part in Atul’s career, since he won his first Michelin star at Tamarind in 2001. He went on to win another Michelin star at his restaurant, Benares (Berkeley Square). Kanishka opened in March 2019.’
I do have high expectations of lunch today as in the past, I have sampled Atul’s cuisine, albeit many years ago at Tamarind and, more recently, Benares. So, for the life of me I don’t understand why it has taken me so long to complete my hat trick and visit Kanishka.
My expectatations are also boosted by Atul Kochhur’s ability to mix old with new, to surprise and innovate, and the fact I had a sneaky look at the menu beforehand.
My guest today is my wife Leigh.
1 Location
Kanishka by Atul Kochhar is on Maddox Street, right in the heart of Mayfair. Minutes walk from Regent Street, Oxford Street and New Bond Street, the nearest stations are Oxford Circus and Bond Street.
Maddox Street has plenty of dining options; across the road from Kanishka is Pollen Street, home to Pollen Street Social, Jason Atherton’s first restaurant.
I saw a quote from Atul that he is at home in Mayfair, and he regards it as his lucky charm.
2 Restaurant
A quick word about the decor: the main dining room looks light and airy, benefitting from two large windows at the back of the room and clever use of mirrors on the wall. The mirrors on the walls are framed with light blue and white borders that work well and are slightly different and break from the traditional Indian restaurant colour scheme.
3 Starters
Cromer Crab Bonda, crab fritter with grilled corn, served with an apple salad, kimchi, chill & tamarind chutney.
Chicken Tikka Pie, served with berry chutney.
Nadru Ki Chaat, Lotus stem kebabs and crisp with tamarind, cranberry, yoghurt chutneys.
The Cromer Crab fritter was served in the shell. This was a lovely way to start our meal; the subtle spicing allowed the crab flavours to shine through.
Okay, confession time: I have been looking forward to eating the Chicken Tikka pie since I first read the menu. Our waiter proudly introduced the pie by saying Atul first served this dish to our late Queen in 2006. It has been a firm favourite ever since and has featured on various Atul Kochhurs’ menus over the years and has now become a popular signature dish of Kanishka.
So, how was it?
Sometimes, big expectations can end in disappointment, but not this time. The pie was beautifully presented, cut into two portions. The pastry was perfect, and the Chicken Tikka filling was heavenly. The pie was served with Berry chutney. The best ideas are often simple and falls neatly into that category.
The Nadru Ki Chaat gave a chilli kick and was a nice contrast to the mildly spice crab & pie. As you can see by my picture below, it was such a lovely-looking dish; we both enjoyed it.
Before I move on from the starters, I want to tip my hat to the chutneys we had with the poppadoms. We were served Gooseberry, which had a background heat, lime and mixed berry. I don’t know if these are seasonal or house specials, but they made a refreshing change from the regular chutney selection in Indian restaurants.
Mains
Ahuna Gossht Curry, East Indian lamb curry with Chillies, fennel and stone flowers
Purani Dilli Ka Butter Chicken, a classic of old Delhi chicken tikka in a rich Tomato sauce
Gabi masala, spiced cauliflower
Kanishka’s signature black dal
Saffron Rice
With so many choices, we asked the waiter for suggestions, and he recommended Ahuna Gossht Curry Lamb & butter chicken along with the signature dish of black dal. We added the cauliflower Gabi masala.
The Lamb was served in a pot & lid to resemble the clay pot it is traditionally cooked in. To keep with tradition, the lid is sealed with a pastry rim. Once opened, we were hit with the aromas of the slow-cooked lamb. It’s a classic dish that we both gave five stars.
The menu said the butter chicken was served with a tomato-rich sauce; they were not joking; any Italian Nonna would be proud of the depth of tomato flavour in the sauce. The chicken was soft and succulent.
Black dal has always been a favourite of mine, and I can see why it’s such a favourite with regulars to Kanishka. I’m not sure if this is just me, but I would happily eat it as a dish on its own with a couple of chapatis.
In conclusion, our mains choices worked really well, and we requested a little break before even considering a dessert.
Desserts
Rasmalai, saffron milk poached cottage cheese dumpling topped with William pear
Chai Creme Brule, creamy custard infused with aromatic chai spice chantilly cream & chocolate tullie.
It’s pudding time, and our waiters have recommended we go one traditional & newbie dessert.
Rasmalai is a traditional Bengali sweet dish; the milk is sweet with saffron, which elevates the dumpling. The pear on top is a good addition and adds a another flavour and texture to the dish.
The cream Brule was a delight, not too sweet, and perfectly balanced.
So that was our Kanishka lunch. The good news is that looking at the menu, there are plenty of dishes we could have tried, so there are more reasons to return to Kanishka, but when I do, I might have to try the Chicken Tikka pie again.
4 Events at Kanishka
On our way out, the head waiter mentioned that Kanishka would introduce a weekend brunch menu, which sounds like a really good way to experience Kanishka by Atul Kochhar.
Finally, they also introduced a once-month Sunday supper club and invited a female guest chef to showcase her menu in the Kanishka kitchen. Details of the supper club & the Weekend brunch menu are on their website.
Review date 19th October 2023.
Address: 17-19 Maddox St, London W1S 2QH
Atul Kochhur restaurants on his own website
Kanishka by Atul Kochhur menu
Atul Kochhur recipes
