benares

an invitation to indulge in an intriguing assortment of les vignobles foncalieu wines at one of london’s haut-est indian restaurants turned out to be a memorably deliciousdining(and drinking) experience. founded in 1901 near carcassonne, les vignobles foncalieu was the first wine cooperative in france. building on a tradition of equitable winemaking, foncalieu, under the guidance of agronomist gabriel ruetsch and oenologist isabelle pangault, continues to capture the essence of the varied terroirs of its vineyards to produce a diverse range of wines.

wasn't impressed as i went with family to celebrate my dad's birthday and felt it didn't had the right flavours. also wouldn't recommend if you are veggie. i am always happy to pay top money for a topdiningexperience unfortunately this wasn't one of them.

when you think of food that best epitomises london, what dish or cuisine comes instantly to mind? could it be the traditional “fish and chips” or a homely “sunday roast”? the answer is neither of course, as you will not be surprised to know that it is indian food, which many regard to be uk’s national cuisine.
in 2001, britain’s foreign secretary robin cook stated that the “chicken tikka masala is now a true british national dish, not only because it is the most popular, but because it is a perfect illustration of the way britain absorbs and adapts external influences.”
the humble chicken tikka has come a long way since then, thanks to innovative chefs such as atul kochhar, who has been at the forefront of revolutionising the nation’s beloved fare, by transforming the archetypal curry house dishes into nouvelle cuisine.
atul kochhar is the first indian chef to be awarded the prestigious michelin star, and has won the accolade twice. the critically acclaimed chef’s contemporary cooking technique is renowned for combining indian traditions with culinary advancements, by incorporating the delicate use of spices to enhance the flavours of seasonally sourced ingredients to create modern dishes.
benares restaurant & bar, kochhar’s first solo venture, opened its doors to the public in 2003, which then went on to win a michelin star in 2007 and has retained the coveted award ever since.
located in the affluent area of berkeley square, the front facade of the restaurant is visually alluring, as it entices diners through its golden archway entrance. the elegant first floor cocktail bar, and sleek restaurant offer a blend of modern furnishings with traditional indian adornments. as you reach the the first floor, you are greeted with the mesmerising sight of a mughal style water tank, decorated with bright yellow flowers, which is a homage to the beauty and vibrancy of the city of varanasi, from where the name benares originates from.
the venue is large, catering to approximately 150 diners, with the maindiningarea seating circa 85 covers, along with a chef’s table with a full view of the kitchen and a sommelier’s table in the wine room.
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benares restaurant & bar serves a full halal menu. however, the establishment also serves alcohol. the prices are in line with other finediningestablishments.
our invitation began with mini herbed popadoms and three different types of chutneys.
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left to right, we sampled the gooseberry chutney, which was simply delicious and an unexpected taste sensation, as the flavour was a combination of sweet gooseberry imbued with asian spices. the tomato chutney, although satisfying, was subtle in piquancy and not too memorable. finally, the pineapple chutney was sharp and tangy, while infused lightly in spices, which offered a gratifying start to our benares experience.
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from the “beyond alcohol” drinks menu, which is the non-alcoholic section, we ordered the “mango wood” and “berry boost” mocktails.
the mango wood was impressive, as it takes the gustatory cells through a journey of flavours, akin to willy wonka’s everlasting gobstopper. from the initial sip, the palate is caressed seductively by the sweet syrupy taste of the mango and passion fruit, which is then washed away by the sharp, refreshing citrusy lemon juice and the final taste to end the odyssey on is the tantalising heat from the ginger, which makes the concoction so hedonistically addictive.
the berry boost, similar to the mango wood, is an eye catching spectacle, with its ice fruit basket and vivid red colour. the refreshing, cool, sweet berry flavour is boosted by the sacchariferous peach and guava, which is then balanced by the sharp lemon juice, thereby delivering an effervescent, invigorating and thirst-quenching mocktail.
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left to right: mango wood and berry boost
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for appetisers we ordered the “karara kekda aur papeeta”, which is crispy soft shell crab, green papaya salad and sour mango dressing, and “sarson chooza”, which is tandoori honey mustard poussin, tomato salad and roast garlic mayonnaise.
karara kekda aur papeeta is one of the signature dishes of benares and has been on the menu in one form or another for the past 13 years. the crispy texture of the crab was light and dainty, with a subtle moreish and appetising mustard flavour running through the coating. the crab meat was fresh, with a very subtle piquancy, due to the light use of spices, nonetheless there was no piscine aftertaste. the sweet papaya salad was a superb accompaniment to the crab, which was juxtaposed delicately with the sour mango dressing, which added an extra layer of taste.
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from the very first bite, we were enamoured with the sarson chooza. the poussin, which is a baby chicken, no older than 28 days, was salaciously supple, tender and moist, with a delectable tandoori infused honey mustard piquant. the roasted garlic mayonnaise synthesised divinely with the tomato, with some segments of the tomato softening into a lightly spiced sauce that was simply divine. however, the flavours were once again to our palate veritably delicate.
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for the “main” show, we were promptly served with “tandoori macchi aur kekda”, which was chargrilled scottish salmon, spiced vermicelli, crab croquette and moilee sauce, along with “changezi chaapein”, which was smoked tandoori lamb cutlets, spring greens with ginger and cumin, and rogan jus.
the presentation of the tandoori macchi aur kekda was striking. the bright reddish pink beetroot jus on a black ceramic plate was visually captivating. the salmon was perfection, skilfully prepared and cooked medium, similar to a steak, with a crispy outer skin and soft, moist, flakey and meaty fillet. the vermicelli added a rice like texture to the soft salmon, which was a great combination, even though the vermicelli itself had no prominent taste. the flavours overall were once again light, however the moilee elixir was simply sensational. the sauce tasted like a marriage of coconut milk, curry leaves, ginger and cumin, which conjugated to produced the most magnificent korma like sauce that set our taste buds alight. the crab croquette was also a superlative component to the dish. the sweet spices were prominent in the croquette and every morsel was a step closer to heaven.
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the changezi chaapein (lamb chops) were visually not as impressive as the salmon dish, however, the aroma of the chops were ethereally intoxicating. looks can be deceiving, as these were possibly one of the best chops we have consumed, based on the quality and texture of the meat. the meat was prime spring-time lamb, marinated for a short period, as lamb is naturally tender and does not require a lot to break down the muscle content. the chops were braised and tenderised in a raw spiced papaya rub, which provided a soft, butter-like consistency, that was sweet and savoury in taste. the lamb chops were undeniably moreish and luscious, however, for our preference, slightly more bolder spices and possibly some heat would have titillated our tastebuds to a greater ecstasy. nonetheless, the dish was still superlatively outstanding.
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along with our mains, we also ordered some side accompaniments, because haute cuisine tends to be light and not too filling for people with avaricious appetites.
the “palak paneer”, which is spinach puree and paneer, unfortunately did not meet our expectations, as the flavours were weak and the paneer itself was regrettably bland.
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the “dal”, which was tempered lentils, lacked the discernible flavours that makes lentil soup, one of my favourite dishes.
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the “lamb rogan josh”, even though flavoursome, just did not agree to my palate, but that does not mean the dish was not executed well.
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the “pulao”, which was aromatic spiced rice, was simply well cooked rice, nothing too exciting.
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and finally the “naan”, which were “plain” and “buttered” naan breads, on arrival tasted nice, but the bread turned firm and crusty quite quickly, which lessened the enjoyment.
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a climax to a meal is never complete without dessert. we were presented with “rhubarb and pomegranate bhapa doi with pistachio burfi” and “dark chocolate mousse, anise infused sour cherry with yoghurt ice cream”.
the rhubarb and pomegranate bhapa doi with pistachio burfi was beautifully presented in a glass tumbler. the bhapa doi, which is essentially condensed milk, was of a smooth and creamy consistency and the steamed yoghurt was a revelation. the silky smooth pomegranate jelly and rhubarb pieces adding fruity textures against the creamy bhapa doi, and overall providing a soothing palate cleanser.
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dark chocolate mousse, anise infused sour cherry with yoghurt ice cream was a theatrical extravaganza. this was truly a decadent dessert. the dish arrived looking modern and contemporary; nothing too usual there. but then we watched in fascination as the chocolate sauce was poured over the chocolate ball, and it started to collapse, dissolve and melt away like the wicked witch of the east. the rich chocolate, combined with the light mousse, provided the perfect balance, and the fruit segments added the desired level of contrast both texturally and piquantly.
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benares has been serving cutting edge modern indian food for more than a decade, and their success is clearly attributed to their determination to source high quality seasonal ingredients, and applying innovative, contemporary and progressive culinary techniques to their dishes.
the menu at benares, in our opinion, is ultimately designed for the indigenous british palate, who desire sophisticated dishes that are appetising but not overpowering in flavour, so not to assault the senses. however, for a majority of muslim diners, our palate is accustomed to bold and prodigious flavours, and therefore we crave for our tastebuds to be set alight.
our experience at benares was exceptional. the creativity of the dishes, the presentation of the food, the quality of the ingredients, were all remarkable. in terms of taste, the majoity of the dishes we sampled were glorious, yet for our spiced accustomed palates, we still rapaciously yearned for audaciously sapid flavours, so to deliver a euphoric taste sensation that in our assessment did not quite deliver. the flavours, even though great, were still not prominent enough and left us wanting more from the dishes. however, this could be just as a result of personal taste.
it is clearly evident, from the moment you enter benares, that the praise, accolades and awards that they have achieved over their long tenure are well deserved. so for that special occasion, why not follow their halal food journey, and experience the world of indian haute cuisine.
disclaimer: we were invited by benares restaurant and bar to conduct our review.

benares is a 1 michelin star indian restaurant in mayfair, and arguably with amaya one of the best known high end indian restaurants in london. the main chef atul kochhar at benares serves modern indian cuisine with a contemporary british twist. the décor in benares is very trendy, the restaurant is quite dark and stylish when you enter, actually a bit similar to amaya. thediningroom is quite big with tables scattered around it and there is also a bar before the restaurant. i had been to benares before but was not that impressed and always preferred amaya. however i came back to benares as they recently started doing an all day sunday brunch for £45 which included around 20 different dishes and a glass of sparkling wine or a lassi. my fiancé was super pleasantly surprised when the waitress showed us the long food menu and said that everything was included for the £45 we paid. benares is now one of my favourite value for money brunch restaurants in london. benares lunch started with small crackers and the usual indian dips restaurant serve with poppadums, the lemon pickle, a tomato one and a third one. i go to indian restaurants quite frequently and i was very pleasantly surprised when i tasted these dips to find them miles better than an average indian restaurant dip. we were brought food at this brunch during four waves, and during the first one we got small indian nibbles - masala omelette, tempered dhokla, chicken tikka caesar salad, pickled prawn and root vegetable. the masala omelette was delicious although in my view unnecessarily served with ketchup which over-powered the wonderful flavour. the dhola was a small little cake made out of fermented rice and chickpea batter. it was super light and easily broke and crumbled as you put it in your mouth. the chicken tikka caesar salad had chicken tikka pieces placed in a lettuce leaf

great tasting indian food in a finediningspace. the place is very posh and the service is of highest level. food is excellent but not your typical indian cuisine. very balanced dishes with nice plating. felt that the dishes are a bit overpriced though.

an amazing finediningexperience with great food and quick service. favourite dishes were lobster biriyani and haveki kofta. staff were welcoming and friendly. well worth the price. one of my favourite indian restaurants. recommended!

once upon a very long time ago, indiandiningin the u.k. was synonymous with the concept of a curry house, ironically often run by non-indian families (i suppose going for a “bangladeshi” just didn’t have the same ring to it). fast forwarding to present day, indian cuisine has quietly evolved to command an “on-trend” status spanning a broad spectrum from niche single-issue eateries (such as kati roll co. or dum biryani) to restaurants inspired by the vastly-vibrant cultures of india (think bombay irani cafes and more).

finediningindian fusion food
lovely service and ambience of course
most authentic - chanas
butter chicken was exquisite and so was the lamb jus dish
awesome stuffed naan
daal was disappointing
desserts .. nothing exquisite except mango kulfi

my sister and i chose this renowned michelin starred restaurant for our parents' ruby anniversary celebrations and were utterly impressed by our dealings with the staff at benares from the outset, right through to the day itself. we had utilised their private room for a sunday lunch involving approximately 25 guests and for a michelin star restaurant, it was wonderful that we were able to secure this room without needing to hand in a deposit or guaranteee a particular minimum spend, which had been the case for so many other places we enquired about.

the party menu was suggested to us and sounded ideal with a great range of dishes, varying in quantity with tempting ingredients and a range of smaller finger food to hearty main courses. we learned that having halal meat for some of our guests was no issue at all and they were able to cater for the vegetarians in our group with no difficulty either.

they offered to inclue personalised menus with no extra cost either and were flexilbe in asking us whether we wanted to pre-order wine in advance or waiting until the day itselff. they seemed so helpful in fact that we started to wonder what the catch was before rapidly realising tere wasn't one!

we were advised in advance of a few issues such as the fact that they do not permit decorations that need to be stuck down to the wall and do not allow decorations in thediningarea for health and safety reasons. we understood this completely and were quite happy when they told us they would provide a decoration table in the corner, which proved very convenient when we brought along a cake of our own and for displaying gifts etc.

they even suggested that for a charge, we could have a copy of one of atul kochhar's recipe books signed and addressed to our parents as a gift. we jumped at this ofer and my parents loved it, suggesting that all the guests could sign at the back, as a lasting memento of their special day.

we found the food on the day to be so fresh and delicious and i especially loved the finger food served as starters, particularly the fried fish and mini burgers. by the time main courses i arrived, i was unable to try each dish as i was already so full. again, they had absolutely mastered the art of feeding a crowd, with everyone leaving full and everyone complimenting the quality of the food.

throughout the meal, they had small interruptions to deal with from us due to guests moving around, speeches being made etc and they dealt with this with grace, patience and workd around us, showing true professionalism throughout.

at the end of the meal, highlights for us included the masala chai being served in pots that look just like those that we remember from the streets in india to accompany the delicious trio of desserts, which included a lovely rose flavoured milky pudding as well as kulfi.

my parents received a little surprise in the form of petit fours on a plate with an iced happy anniversary message.

if i absolutelyl had to think of any constructive feedback, it would perhaps just be that on just one or two occasions, there was a bit of a delay in one end of the table receiving their dishes compared to the other, such as the desserts, but i can completely understand that this can be the way in large groups and we were all having such a good time that this really did not bother us in the slightest.

i think if i did another party like this here, i would probably bring takeaway boxes for the slices of cake to give to guests as the staff were able to provide the one or two that we asked for but again, as it was not a restaurant cake as such, they were not offering them out spontaneously per se and i would recommend just bringing some containers if you do plan a private party where you may have a similar issue.

we were thoroughly impressed with the food at benares and for 45 / head for the party menu (whihc included either one glass of sparkling wine or one lassi), i thought this was absolutely fantastic value for the level of service, range and quality of ingredients and dishes and use of the elegant private room.

i would now love to return to benares to experience the a la carte menu and to dine in the main area of the restaurant but for a private party with outstanding, modern indian food and utterly professional service, i cannot recommend benares highly enough. a huge thank you to all the staff who made it such a memorable and wonderful occasion for our parents.

benares is a stylish michelin star restaurant in mayfair which serves modern indian cuisine with a contemporary british twist. a short uber ride away from the office, a colleague and i decided to try the set lunch menu and see whether it lived up to our high expectation. we were politely greeted and shown to our table. a wooden box of mini poppadoms were accompanied with three chutneys; gooseberry which was amazing, a tomato chutney and pineapple. the dark restaurant interior was sophisticated and glamourous. the only other diners were male and in suits, so i can only presume it attracts a particular clientele.the cocktail menu was very impressive boasting classic martinis to alcoholic lassies. we opted for lassie mocktails, i chose a date lassi which came with a pretty flower on top and mydiningpartner went for a mango and ginger one.we both chose the mini tandoori platter to start which really was mini. a spiced lamb cutlet sat next to quail supreme, decorated with green leaves and a little jar of mint chutney. the lamb cutlet was insanely flavoursome, the meat was kept on the bone which meant it remained beautifully juicy. everything was great but i could have eaten double – in my opinion it was a tad on the stingy side.all main courses are served with lentils and tandoori bread and rice which is a nice touch. mydiningpartner chose the curry leaf and black mustard tempered plaice which i wish i’d also chosen. i tasted a little and thought it was delicious, served with sugar snap poriyal (poriyal being a tamil word for fried or sauteed) and malabar sauce, which is a coconut sauce that’s tinted with turmeric and lifted with lime juice.i went for the grill smoked kashmiri chilli chicken supreme “caesar salad” with quail eggs and naan croutons for my main course. all the elements of the dish complimented one another well, the chicken was so juicy and the addition of tiny berries, which tasted like sweet tomatoes, were nice.

benares is the brain child of celebrity chef, atul kochhar, the first indian chef to be awarded a coveted michelin star, whilst head chef at tamarind, and is located in the heart of mayfair. he's renowned for combining his heritage with his love for traditional british ingredients in order to create a unique and interesting indian cuisine.

on arrival, we were greeted by the doormen who opened the doors into a dimly lit reception area which was more reminiscent of a spa than a restaurant. the maitre d' took my name and a hostess led us upstairs to the restaurant, passing a beautiful, calming still water pond filled with exotic flowers at the top of the stairs. whilst the low-lit bar area was vibrant and stylish, the square shapeddiningroom itself was rather minimalist and lacked personality. our table was located in a smallerdiningarea towards the back of the largerdiningroom and unfortunately lacked any sort of atmosphere.

we were asked if we'd like to have a drink at the bar first, but given we were both famished, opted to have drinks at our table instead. as it was a night of celebrating, we headed straight for the drinks' menus so we could get to toasting my good news. the cocktail menu at benares is truly tantalising, taking inspiration from chef kochhar's innovative cuisine. indy ordered a rendezvous, a delicious blend of coconut cream, fresh passion fruit and lychee juice (he's tee-total at the mo!), whilst i went for a glass of one of my favourite champagnes, laurent perrier brut. we were also presented with a box of crispy poppadoms and a trio of dips, followed by an amuse bouche of cauliflower fritters and spicy mint sauce; a nice touch but a bit bland for our tastes.

as mentioned, atul kochhar's take on indian cuisine is a combination of his indian heritage and british ingredients and at benares he has created a menu marrying indian tastes with traditional english fare. opting to dine from the a la carte menu, we headed straight to the starters and were impressed with the variety on offer, ranging from pan-roasted scallops (we don't cook these at home!) to aloo chaat.

we decided to keep starters simple and started with the aloo kachaloo chaat, a warm salad of potatoes, crispy sweet potatoes and yoghurt foam. aloo chaat is one our favourite savoury snacks and we were looking forward to seeing kochhar's take on this traditional dish but unfortunately, we were left underwhelmed due to a lack of flavour and spice.

starters devoured we moved onto ordering our main course dishes. again we were impressed with the variety on offer which ranged from innovative seafood dishes to traditional tandoori chicken. as soon as indy spotted the tandoori murg, nothing else got a look in. an old classic, the tandoori murg was cooked to perfection; the chicken was succulent and the portion size was good. the mint chutney and summer salad were the perfect accompaniments to counter the spice.

also wanting something tandoori based, i went down the seafood route and ordered the tandoori macchi aur kekda, a dish comprising of baked organic salmon, scottish crab croquette, spiced vermicelli topped with a coconut and curry leaf sauce. the salmon was so tender and literally melted in my mouth with every bite. the coconut and curry leaf sauce was flavourful but not overbearing and didn't detract from the salmon's taste. i wasn't a fan of the croquette and found the flavours to be quite overpowering, but overall i really enjoyed my food.

we also ordered a side dish of punjabi chole - chickpeas cooked a spicy, tomato based sauce which was rich - and a side of garlic naan. in hindsight, given how the cuisine is contemporary indian, we didn't really need the naan as an accompaniment to our dishes and it ultimately went to waste.

by the end of mains we were well and truly stuffed with absolutely no intention of ordering dessert...until we saw the dessert menu that is. my eyes were immediately drawn to the dark chocolate mousse with passion fruit and hot chocolate sauce and having eyed it up on our neighbour's table, i knew exactly what i was ordering. not wanting to share with indy, i coaxed him into ordering the guanaja truffle with eve strawberry ice cream, another chocolate based dessert which i was convinced he'd enjoy.

the desserts arrived and i was presented with a plate of chocolate truffles with a congratulations message and a congratulations from our waitress - a really nice touch from the restaurant. the presentation of the other desserts was immaculate. the dark chocolate mousse was essentially a chocolate bomb which melted away when our waitress poured the hot chocolate sauce over it to reveal vanilla ice cream inside. the chocolate was deliciously rich and the strawberries and passion fruit jelly cubes helped to counter the richness. indy and i were literally fighting over this dessert and it was most certainly the highlight of our evening! (you can see a video of this dessert over on my instagram). the guanaja truffle with eve strawberry ice cream was also delicious. a truffle cake, made using guanaja, a dark, aromatic chocolate with a subtle coffee taste. the strawberry ice cream was a great accompaniment and helped to balance the cake's richness.

it's easy to see why atul kochhar maintained his michelin star when he opened benares. the cuisine is a blend of traditional indian flavours, anglicized to create unique tastes. however, i'm inclined to say that in some instances, the strength of the indian flavours are unfortunately lost.

the a la carte menu itself is quite pricey, with starters ranging from £13 - £23 and mains from £24 - £36. however, the restaurant does have a variety ofdiningoptions, including a two course (£29) and a three course (£39) set menu, giving you the chance to experience michelin starreddiningfor a fraction of the price. various otherdiningoptions include the chef's table, which gives an intimate view of the chefs and kitchen during the service and the sommelier's table, where guests are surrounded by some of the world's finest wines and champagnes.

whilst we really enjoyed our food and felt the service from our waitress roxanne was impeccable, the atmosphere of the restaurant was really lacking for a mayfair restaurant on a friday evening. it was great that we managed to snag a last minute booking, but somewhere more upbeat may have been more suited to the occasion. that said, i'm happy we've ticked benares off our restaurant bucket list and recommend it to those who like contemporary and innovative indian cuisine.

if you are looking for a finediningexperience, benares definitely offers this with an excellent choice in indian food. it is expensive but you are paying for fine dining.

you can not possibly go wrong with benares. if you're looking for an amazingdiningexperience with fabulous ambience and great indian food, and you're not afraid to spend a little, benares is the place to be! every dish that i've had here--including, believe it or not, the khichdi--is excellent. worth a lot more than the 5 stars that zomato lets me give it!

finediningin mayfair – curry for change at benares: my guilty secret – when i was first asked to get involved with curry for change, the restaurant that i really wanted to visit was benares.  i have been before, several years ago and loved it then.  now, with a slightly better understanding of indian fine dining, i really wanted to return and try some of the dishes.  and, since atul kochar is one of the longest standing supporters of curry for change, it seemed like the perfect opportunity.  if you chose to go during june you’ll be invited to leave a donation to curry for change.  and, if you want arriving in the lounge bar, everything seemed very familiar.  although benares is a michelin star restaurant it manages to seamlessly blend excellent service with a relaxed and friendly atmosphere.  i probably shouldn’t have tried one of their cocktails, but i have absolutely no regrets   in the maindiningroom we started to look through the menu.  as my companion, simon from by-invitation

looking a bit tired, the venue is not exactly overwhelming. a unappealing staircase leads down to a lounge bar, with thediningroom on the right hand side. the decor is not up to the standard that you would expect to see in a restaurant of this level. you might be forgiven for thinking that you had arrived in an airport restaurant.