David Ellis reviews Vatavaran: the name means atmosphere. If only it had any

Review astatine a glance: ★★★☆☆

The Himalayas — I’m not a regular. But 13 years agone I was being bounced astir similar crystal successful a shaker successful a Land Rover scrambling to Darjeeling, wherever muzzy photographs suggest I spent astir of my clip either posing by steam trains oregon drinking larboard successful a section bar. Hard to accidental I made the astir of it.

Pleasing news, then, to perceive of Vatavaran, a restaurant from Rohit Ghai promising “a sensation of the Himlayas” — presumably thing beyond ember fumes and Taylor’s. Ghai’s CV is simply a mag of hits: clip with Atul Kochhar astatine Benares; a stint arsenic JKS enforcement cook overseeing Trishna and Gymkhana; the celebrated determination to Jamavar, wherever helium became the world’s archetypal Indian cook to triumph a Michelin prima wrong a year. Then came the going-it-alone, archetypal opening Kutir, past Manthan. Lately helium has ventured globally, done a spot of telly, picked up a fewer 100 1000 Instagram followers. Not what you’d telephone tiny fry.

With concern spouse Abhi Sangwan, he’s chosen Beauchamp Place for Vatavaran, 1 of those Knightsbridge streets that’s some celebrated (shopping these days; utilized to beryllium chock-a-block with brothels) and amazingly annoying to get to. Not that this matters successful SW1, the lone portion of London wherever achromatic cabs inactive hunt successful packs. It’s not the astir Himalayan setting. But past the Himalayan happening is muted. How muted? No 1 mentioned it astatine all. The paper says nada. It’s each online: whoever persuaded Ghai to bash the upland merchantability determination did him a disservice, and diners too: the expectations it sets volition not beryllium met. Besides, the website is simply a compendium of guff. Reads 1 emetic line: “Each crockery is crafted with ingredients that talk to the bounty of the land, charred to perfection to evoke the rugged yet fertile tone of the Himalayan ranges.” What, food chicken? Behave.

A barroom sits astatine the entrance, earlier the edifice rises implicit 3 floors. Things amended connected ascension. The precise apical is simply a beauteous enclave of wood polished to a shine, for either drinks aft supper oregon backstage parties. Below that is simply a moss green, clubby eating country with tablecloths, bully creation and beauteous panels of orangish blossom wallpaper. It is romantic. The cornflower bluish abstraction beneath is bleaker. Beneath the extortion lantern runs a abdominous grey and achromatic ribbon that mightiness correspond mist, oregon rain, oregon possibly a printing error.

Menus are the aforesaid throughout. They’re keen connected drinks archetypal — cocktail lists get agelong earlier the nutrient menus. Skip these £16 mixes (one was acrid, the different feeble). Plenty of fantabulous wines, though, offered by glass, carafe and bottle, with galore grouped astatine a akin price, truthful diners whitethorn take by penchant alternatively than cost.

Lamb chops were cashmere brushed and arsenic pinkish arsenic a Seventies bathroom

To eat, determination is allegedly a tasting paper — obscurity to beryllium seen for this reappraisal — oregon à la carte wherever prices look just but tot up vertiginously. Much is excellent; Ghai is not lone an accomplished cook but an assured one. Lamb chops were cashmere brushed and arsenic pinkish arsenic a Seventies bathroom; beautiful, too, acknowledgment to a achromatic cumin and ginger rub. Prawns were fixed a overgarment of peanut and sesame and ghati masala, fried until they felt similar snacks to descend successful beforehand of a crippled with a pint. Misfits for the remainder of the menu, perhaps, but addictive.

Later, achromatic lentil dal dense with food was scooped up devotedly alongside lobster successful ginger and fennel-heavy Nilgiri condiment (named for mountains a specified 50-hour thrust from the Himalayas). We ate it greedily, arsenic if starved. Perhaps we were bare from different disappointments, similar indifferent duck successful a tousle of halved Roscoff onions and tomato, oregon scallops successful a grey puddle of who-knows-what, not improved by the achromatic truffle shaved astatine the table. But past the truffle couldn’t person improved things, fixed astir of it ended up connected my lap.

“Atmosphere”, the sanction means successful Sanskrit; we didn’t person overmuch of that. I’m convinced there’s a amended edifice present than the 1 experienced; 1 that comes live astatine night, erstwhile the barroom has a DJ and radical enactment late. One wherever the unit are much astatine ease, with Ghai successful the kitchen. And 1 that softly drops the Himalayan shtick. Though I’d instrumentality much port, if they had it.

Meal for 2 astir £220. 14-15 Beauchamp Place, SW3 1NQ, vatavaran.uk