Review on Amaya
Billed as 'the Indian Bar and Grill', Amaya is the latest addition to the Veeraswamy/ Chutney Mary/Masala Zone stable. It struts its stuff in a prime chunk of Belgravia real estate overlooking Halkin Arcade, and trades on a celeb version of modern Indian cuisine. It's unashamedly ambitious and has quickly been lauded by the guides (a Michelin star in its first year), although the whole package comes wrapped in plenty of PR gloss.
The interior is dominated by a vast triangular dining area, extravagantly decorated with a riot of colourful murals, Indian statues, glittering chandeliers and coloured spotlights, plus a dazzling open kitchen where the chefs do their work. It oozes sleek, sexy glamour, and the aromatic, heady perfume of cooking wafts through the air.
An amazing array of dishes designed for 'gourmet grazing' are arranged in the centre of the table for everyone to share: eating with the fingers is expected. The cooking is based around three styles – tandoori, (clay oven), sigri (charcoal grill) and tawa (cast-iron skillet) – and the idea is to work you way through several items before finishing with a curry.
The kitchen doesn't care much for convention or clichés, so you might find rock oysters grilled with coconut and ginger alongside Vietnamese-style parcels of minced chicken in lettuce leaves with shavings of apple and coconut, or narri bara (a kind of lamb osso buco) rubbing shoulders with spotted grouper wrapped in pandan leaf with peanut and chilli sauce.
Biryanis, cooked in a pot with a bread seal, are as genuine, rich and comforting as you could wish for, vegetables fascinate at every turn and desserts include some crossover gems including 'chocolate heaven' (River Café's 'nemesis' with a twist) and grilled mango with passion fruit fool. Well-chosen wines, but Belgravia price tags.
Amaya is also featured in: Michelin Guide, Good Food Guide, Hardens, AA Guide
Rate this RestaurantCuisine
Indian / Grill
Chef
Karunesh Khanna
Restaurant Opening Times
Lunch: 12.30 - 2.45pm
Dinner: 6.00 - 10.45pm (10.15pm Sun)
Accepted credit cards
Visa, Master Card, American Express