Dum Biryani team set for second London restaurant

Lucknow Social is billed as a neighbourhood Indian restaurant, with a menu inspired by the slow-cooking style of Awadhi cuisine - native to the city of Lucknow in Northern India.

It will open seven days a week in Mayfair, serving kebabs, curries, biryanis and a quick lunch menu.

This is the second restaurant project for Mittal, who trained at Cordon Bleu and worked in the kitchens at The Fat Duck and Restaurant Sat Bains, before launching Dum Biryani in Soho in late 2016.

He says: “Awadhi cooking is a slow process, with most dishes taking days to prepare - it’s a real labour of love. Spending time cooking in Agra and travelling around Lucknow, I was blown away by its multi-layered flavours and cooking techniques.”

Dishes at Lucknow Social will include kakori kebab spiked with clove, black pepper and cinnamon grilled over coals; yakhni pulao, a white rice dish made with 16-hour simmered lamb stock; and taar gosht – meaning ‘sticky lamb’ – which sees spiced lamb leg rendered down for several hours to create a thick sauce.

There’ll also be quick lunch bites such as kulcha flatbreads with a choice of chicken or lamb kebabs, and a small biryani to takeaway.

Writer and wine consultant Zeren Wilson has created a short wine list designed to pair with Lucknowi cuisine, and the restaurant is teaming up with Hackney Brewery to create its own beer.

Lucknow Social is expected to open on 4 March.