Kahani – A Story of Contemporary Indian Fine dining
Kahani is located on a quiet street off of the bustling Sloane Square, its discreet entrance immediately gestures to exclusivity and opulence. The front of house greets you at ground level before sending you down mood-lit stairs, to the sound of soft jazz music. Whilst making your way downstairs, you’ll notice a private dining area, which looks perfect for those more intimate special occasions. Once underground the space becomes an open plan layout, with an impressive wine cellar on display.
We began with cocktails at the bar; we tried the Tandoori Anana’s and the Gulab Martini. These cocktails were both aromatic and fragrant with traditional spices of Indian flavours. We would recommend trying both of these, they’re up there with some of the best cocktails we’ve ever had. If you wish to visit for more casual dining, you could also order food up to the bar, to accompany your drinks.
We were seated in a cosy corner of the restaurant next to a fireplace, restoring the original features of the building. This was a lovely touch; to bring the fusion of London’s architectural history into the contemporary Indian dining experience. The restaurant is decorated with chandeliers, floral arrangements and gold accents; all of which appear as nods to a traditional Indian aesthetic of luxury.
Kahani offers a range of tasting menus; including those for vegetarians and vegan diners. However, we chose to order from the A La Carte menu, which is set out in a similar way; we recommend choosing two dishes from each section to gain the true Kahani dining experience. We started with the Berry Papdi Chaat; spiced chickpeas with sweetened yoghurt, wild berry & tamarind chutney, alongside a samosa platter. This was a perfect combination to start with to get a balance of spice and cooling, creamy flavours. However, our must-try recommendation is the Trio of Chicken Tikka. It tasted as though it had come straight from the grill; succulent, smokey and each piece was packed with a new flavour. We also ordered a Kerala Chicken curry and a Paneer Saag. Again, this was a great choice, as it created a balance of a hot spicy curry to pair alongside a milder creamy Saag.
The setting, service and food presentation all remind you that this is a Michelin-starred chef experience. Chef Peter Joseph has brought a lightness and fresh spin on traditional Indian cooking, that thankfully leaves room for dessert. Each dessert comes with a wine pairing, so we were spoilt for choice and decided on the dessert platter. This is a great sharing option to try a little bit of everything and is also perfect for a date. There was something for everyone; tarte, sweet, creamy and fresh flavours. We loved it all but we have to give the medley of Kulfi’s an honourary mention; we highly recommend it to all ice cream lovers.
Kahani is guaranteed to impress on an anniversary, birthday, first date or special occasion. It is a perfect example of fine dining, whilst not compromising on culture or authenticity. We will definitely be back!
Location
1 Wilbraham Place, London, SW1X 9AE
When’s best go?
Evenings for dates, family birthdays and special occasions
Price
£50pp for three courses (including dessert)
Find out more – www.kahanilondon.com