Benares

Atul Kochhar, the Chef/Patron of Benares is one of the most critically acclaimed chefs in Britain; he was the first ever Indian chef to win a coveted Michelin Star and has received numerous awards and accolades during his career.

He has been instrumental in changing the perception of Indian food in Britain with his boldly flavoured contemporary cooking; this is strongly reflected in the menu at Benares, which demonstrates Atul's extensive research as it incorporates dishes from all parts of India.

Benares has achieved quite some distinction in the short time that it has been open; it was nominated as Best Indian Restaurant at the Hotel and Restaurant Magazine Awards in 2003, as well as best designed restaurant by FX magazine.

It is named after the spiritual city of Benares in Northern India, and Atul has taken great efforts to translate that reverberating beauty and vibrancy into his restaurant. Hand crafted Indian furniture and water pools scattered throughout help in imbuing a sense of mysticism that is revered as much as it is admired.

This pleasing marriage of traditional and contemporary leads the way for dishes such as karara kekda, crisp soft shell crab with squid salad or spice crusted Scottish scallops with grape and mint dressing amongst the starters. Other delightful options could include tandoor roasted rabbit in a mildly spiced creamy yoghurt marinade while the lamb, chicken tikka and king prawn kabab platter is an excellent choice if you can't seem to make up your mind.

Moving down the menu, you can spy a distinct inspiration from South India with the pan fried sea bass with tomatoes and tamarind or the roast duck with star anise and cinnamon spiked sauce. Other regions of India are also given their due consideration with the macchli Amritsari, batter fried black bream with crushed garden peas and tomato chutney or the lagan ki biryani, fragrant, slow cooked basmati rice with lamb leg.

Vegetarians will be a happy lot, considering that they are not considered the poorer cousin of their meat eating counterparts at Benares, as there's a superb range of dishes to choose from, such as potato cakes with ginger, cumin and pepper hummus amongst starters or aubergines with onion and tomatoes in a piquant combination that's called chettiyar baigan. Main courses also attract attention with the subz kofta, sage infused vegetable dumplings with caramelised onion sauce or Savoy cabbage dolmas with fenugreek flavoured concassé and soured cream.

For dessert, feast your senses on the coconut cheesecake with passionfruit sorbet and Malibu syrup or dark chocolate mousse with caramelised hazelnuts and praline ice cream.

They also have a selection of private dining rooms: The Bruton Room (seating 22), The Dover Room (capacity 10) and finally The Berkeley Room (26); while the whole restaurant can be made available for private hire. These rooms are also suitable for small drinks parties, theatre style conferences or product launches; their stand alone bar area can also accommodate 40 seated and approximately 100 standing.

Jan Moir in The Telegraph said: "Benares is notable for the outstanding quality of the ingredients that the kitchen uses and the abundance with which they are served."

In 2007 Benares achieved the distinction of gaining a star for the first time in the Michelin Guide, which it retained in 2008 and 2009. For more information, view their Website.