How about dining at "the most sought after table in Britain"? | |
| The Sunday Observer Monthly may have printed that; Mick Jagger, Cindy Crawford, Deepak Parekh, Kabir Bedi (among others) may have reinforced that by dining here; but ultimately you've got to experience Amaya for yourself. |
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| Is this haute, happening Indian restaurant more hope than hype? Does it live up to the staggering number of awards it has received within the first few months of its opening? Is it an experience you would want to repeat? |
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| I pointedly steer clear of Indian restaurants when I travel. So, when I say that I look forward to visiting Amaya again and again, it sounds strange to my own ears too. But it's true, the meal at Amaya is easily one of the best Indian meals I have had. Anywhere in the world. |
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| Flash-grilled rock oysters in a delicate coconut sauce, outstandingly crisp salads with Indian seasonings, lamb shanks in masala with a mild chilli kick, outstanding fat chunks of grouper served in fenugreek, I could go on and on... |
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| Kabir Bedi and I lunched non-stop here for three hours. No ethnic motifs here, no creamy, heavy curries, but no fusion or far-out weird dishes either. Just a strong grasp over the art and science of Indian cooking, brilliantly rendered and stunningly presented. Lobster in the shell, king scallops, fragrant biryani, lamb curry from Kannauj...and outstanding desserts and sorbets. Amaya's 'Sigri', 'Tandoor' and 'Tawa' cooking conjures up delightfully fresh, brilliantly spiced and unerringly cooked dishes.They also have a calorie-controlled three-course meal and an express lunch option. |
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| Superb vegetarian choices "" mushroom salad with mixed leaves, mango and pomegranate, spicy slow grilled aubergines, spinach cake stuffed with figs...ooh!la!la! |
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| We gave into temptation completely and fully. So did our friends Deepak and Smita Parekh and Naresh and Nita Goyal. "I love the open kitchen, the ambience and, of course, the outstanding food," said a delighted Parekh. |
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| Who would've ever thought that an Indian grill restaurant would not only zoom to the top of London's restaurant charts, win coveted awards over Michelin-starred restaurants but also rewrite the rule book completely? |
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| A fitting setting for this fine food too. The seductively lit restaurant uses Agra red sandstone, Kerala rosewood panels and stacked glass, but the overall effect is of luminous, contemporary chic. I loved the four-metre communal rosewood table, the spotlit kitchen and the glazed atrium.Their private dining "silver room" is a stylish 14-seater. |
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| "Amaya is a different kind of Indian restaurant," wrote the well-respected food critic Fay Maschler, pointing out that it attracted the high-end crowd that Zuma and Nobu do. |
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| Is it any wonder that Amaya has won two of the most prestigious awards "" "the restaurant of the year" and also "the new restaurant of the year" (ITV Tio Pepe) within a few months of opening? |
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| As we go to press, Amaya has also been given the BMW Square Meal Award for "best new restaurant spring 2005". This trendy nine-month old restaurant (owned by Namita and Camellia Panjabi and Namita's husband Ranjit Mathrani) is their latest offering. Namita and Ranjit are responsible for moving the Indian restaurant out of London's "curry house status" into the trendy and upmarket orbit. |
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| Namita set up the trendy Chutney Mary, bought over Veeraswamy "" the world's oldest surviving Indian restaurant "" opened Masala Zone and won innumerable awards. |
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| I never cease to be amazed and to learn from Camellia, who set up trailblazing restaurants for the Taj hotels and is now running four successful London restaurants with her sister. So, it's a double-delight when this terrific trio succeed in putting Indian restaurants on the global culinary map. |
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| Do remember to book in advance; Amaya is closed for Sunday lunch and the average meal per head is £35 for lunch, £55 for dinner. |
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