Benares Restaurant Review

I was keen to visit Benares restaurant for a long time. Finally, I took the plunge and decided to visit this gorgeous restaurant tucked in the heart of London in cosy Mayfair.

My first impressions of the restaurant was that the décor and ambience were amazing. It had a lovely welcoming reception area and very helpful staffs. There was a selection of books written by Atul Kocchar on display and stairs leading to the restaurant seating area.

I tried their lunch time set 3 course Menu. While I waited for the order to come through, I was given mini poppadum's with three delicious chutneys to munch on, which was complimentary.

For starter, I had Crispy King Edward Potatoes and Baby Corn Chaat, Chickpeas, Date and Tamarind Relish. The presentation and flavours were awesome. I particularly liked the idea of using fried baby corn in this dish, and the fried potatoes tasted just like you would find on the busy streets of India from a renowned chaat vendor.

For the Main course, I had: Curry Leaf and Black Mustard Tempered Plaice,

Sugar Snap Poriyal, Malabar Sauce. Again, the presentation was simply awesome, true to its Michelin standards, and tasted great too. What I particularly liked about the dish was that it wasn't overly spiced, the balance between the spicing and the flavours were just perfect. The fish was skinless that made it extra succulent and tasty to eat. The sauce had a lovely orange colour without too much heat. There was also fluffy naan bread, perfectly cooked Pilau Rice and home style dal with robust flavours.

For the dessert, I went for: Masala Chai Brûlée, which was just the perfect ending to an extra ordinary meal. There was a gorgeous complimentary platter of fresh petit fours provided after the meal which again was delicious.

The staff ensured that I was comfortable and was enjoying the food without being overbearing which was great.

The meal costed £43 with £1 donation to a worthy UK charity 'Find your Feet', which is doing exemplary job of supporting under privileged women in developing countries. And a discretionary service charge of 12.5%.

I would highly recommend Benares. It is a great place to have a fantastic meal out for a special occasion. I will certainly visit again to try more of their wonderful food.

Location:

12a, Berkeley Square, London W1J 6BS
020 7629 8886

www.benaresrestaurant.com


Overview:

Food: 4.5/5

Service: 4.5/5

Ambience: 5/5

Value: 3/5

Disclosure: I haven't received any incentive to write this post. I am a supporter of Find Your Feet and Curry For Change charity.