Review: Lotus London

kiri | 7th August 2015

10

By Tom Gatehouse
@tragatehouse
tomgatehouse.com

I may have been to my fair share of fine dining institutions, but have never come across a female sommelier, as I told my boss a few days back. He gave me the challenge, shocked that I’d not found a fairer wine expert in a London restaurant yet. I suppose it was fate then that at Lotus in Leicester Square, I not only found one, but also one that doubled as host, controlling the front of house from top to bottom.

But Lotus, as I soon discovered, not only held the answer to my search, but also an array fascinating dishes that apparently can be found nowhere else in London. It was an eye-opening evening.

All tinkling glass and light grey upholstery, and roped off seating out the front; Lotus looks as though a birth as a bar would not have been beyond them. We took a spot at the back, surrounded by mirrors and wood, and took part in a happy birthday song coming from the party to our left. Debbie Henriques, our sommelier/host for the evening, eagerly took us through the hardback menu, not before a cool glass of cava delivered on a silver platter. Literally.

Lotus Interior-43 (1)

Executive chef and owner Bhaskar Banerjee, a twenty year man with stints with Marriott, Sheraton and Le Meridien among his past glories, has created what can only be described as a sensual menu of luxurious yet traditional Indian dishes.

It became harder and harder for my dinner guest and I to fix on starter choices as Debbie went through the menu, with Lotus boldly filling her boots with the obscure and wildly tempting. I’d never seen a starter of Pigeon Masala Dosa (£7.75), with or without Coconut Chutney. But I couldn’t overlook the Rabbit Kheema with Green Pepper Corns and Missi Roti (£9.75). My guest, meanwhile, chose to dabble with a Masala Prawn, Duck Egg and Green Lentil Wrap (£8.75).

Still in their soft opening period of one month, no expense has been spared in the creation of Lotus. The word ‘epicurean’ is an early favourite of theirs, and everything from the crisp collared white shirts of the waiters to the space age toilet facilities downstairs serve to back this up.

Crucially, while waiting for the first course, I didn’t feel stiff at the table. The mood was relaxed, the air conditioning sociable. A superb site, a naan’s toss away from the National Portrait Gallery on the Charing Cross Road; Lotus have all the ingredients to make a real impression. But what of the food?

Lotus Restaurant Food-96 (1)

The rabbit arrived in a clay pot, much like tagine. Considering the protruding green chilli in the centre, I expected it to be highly flammable; but I’ve rarely had such a soft Indian offering, well paired with a glass of Izadi Rioja. Flavourful and petite, Bugs went down a treat, with my guest’s galette-esque wrap proving to be equally as quenching. She’d never had a duck’s egg, let alone in an Indian dish; and there was plenty more quack to come.

Duck kebabs (£12.75), with Pickled Onion and Orange Dates, and a glass of the Spanish Garnacha came next. I did somewhat object to over-herbing embedded in the meat; but this was a solid attempt, and certainly a good conversation starter.

Chef Banerjee came out with my guest’s main of Lamb Shanks Khorma (£20.75), having draped it in 23-Karat gold leaf, telling us, “Over the years, minerals from metals have been a subtle part of Indian cooking. The gold, often given to kings and the wealthy, provides strength and vigour.”

It was a princely sight, the lamb with its golden gilet; and it was clearly the star of the evening. Falling away like snow on a Tibetan mountain, the meat was gloriously tender, and competed for my affections with my own main, another Lotus exclusive, a Venison Roganjosh (£18.75).

I do rather like my Indian experiences traditionally sloppy in nature, covering myself in sauce and bread bits. But I thoroughly enjoyed my evening at Lotus. This went beyond a curry, and certainly takes aim at the wallet. But this is a cultural exchange on the part of Chef and his team. The Indian food available on the daily in London is clearly just a drop in the ocean, and here you get a glimpse of something rarer. And golden.

Lotus London
Address: 17 Charing Cross Road London WC2H 0EP
Phone: 0207 839 8797
Twitter: @lotusLDN
Website: lotus.london

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