What: An ambitious Indian restaurant on Knightsbridge’s Beauchamp Place. Meaning ‘atmosphere’ in Sanskrit, Vatavaran’s look and menu is said to be inspired by the Himalayas.
Who: Vatavaran is the third London restaurant project from Rohit Ghai. He is among the capital’s most high-profile Indian chefs having cooked at Gymkhana, Benares and Jamavar (he won a Michelin star in under a year at the latter). He struck out on his own with business partner Abhi Sangwan to launch Kutir in Chelsea in 2018 and followed up with the more casual Manthan in Mayfair in 2021. The pair are also involved with a number of restaurants overseas including Rivayat in Morocco, Aangan in Oman and Iksha Iksha in Qatar.
The food: The comms around the restaurant might say that the menu is inspired by Asia’s largest mountain but Vatavaran’s launch menu is pan-Indian. Dishes on the a la carte menu include shami kebab made with goat meat paired with roasted plums and black cardamom; grilled hispi cabbage with sesame, garlic and pomegranate; lamb chops with black cumin, mint chutney, ginger and yoghurt; and a textbook butter chicken. A shortish £75 tasting menu and a £25/£30 two/three course set lunch menu is also available. Vatavaran does an unusually thorough job of catering for dietaries, offering separate vegan, nut-free, gluten-free and dairy-free menus.
To drink: As you’d expect given the post code, the largely Old World wine list is not short of premium options topping out at £2329 for a 2005 Château Cheval Blanc. Still wine starts at £12 for a 175ml glass and £40 a bottle. Paying homage to ‘the spices of the Indian mountains’, cocktails are around the £15 mark and include the Kala (rum, gulab jaman, spices, pistachio, cream); and the Sehar (tequila, tamarind, passion fruit, ginger).
The vibe: On the former site of Geode Restaurant and Bar, Vatavaran has four distinct areas that reference different aspects of the Himalayas (the idea is that each floor takes guests on a journey upwards through the mountains). Representing ‘the peak’ of the Himalayas is Shikar, a summit-themed bar on the top floor with deep red hues, velvet textures and low lighting.
And another thing: Move over Kutir - Sangwan says that Vatavaran is now the group’s flagship.
14-15 Beauchamp Place, London SW3 1NQ
www.vatavaran.uk
