RENOWNED for their ability to enchant guests with a vibrant window into Indian culture, Kanishka in Mayfair focuses on unexplored dishes from the so-called “sister states” of Northern India, named for the similarity, geographically and politically, between them albeit the great ethnic and religious diversity. Head chef Atul Kochhar was the first to be awarded a Michelin Star for Indian cuisine and is, therefore, an expert in the craft. Under his direction, Kanishka has built menus that are driven by the compelling flavour of rich spices and hearty ingredients. As a Masterchef addict, I was familiar with Kochhar’s work and became curious to try his vegan and vegetarian menus at Kanishka.
The interior of Kanishka
Opulent interior design paired with lush greenery greeted us on arrival, and upon taking our seats we were treated to Kanishka’s Lemon and Ginger royale cocktail, which is vegan and consists of a light melody of dried lemon-infused Jin Dea gin, ginger syrup, champagne, and lemon bitters. It was a fitting introduction to the meal ahead, which we purposefully kept predominantly vegan with the addition of a couple of vegetarian dishes to provide the scope on the difference between vegetarian and vegan – incredibly subtle and innovatively similar. You truly are spoilt for choice at Kanishka, the vegan menu alone ranges from grilled aubergine to cauliflower in a San Marzano sauce to roasted root vegetable in an onion & ginger gravy.
For starters, we selected the Kathal Shapta, consisting of lahaas inspired jackfruit and wild garlic stir fry with bok choi and spring onions – a punchy and aromatic dish that keeps your tongue tingling with anticipation for the next bite. And the Gangtok mamo, which featured steamed dumplings of seasonal vegetables served with tomato and chilli chutney, and fermented pounded vegetables – light and bouncy in texture but heavy and rich in taste. Together, they were the perfect marriage of heat and explosive tomatoey and peppery flavours.
Grilled aubergine, masala kale and coconut korma sauce, vegan dish at Kanishka
As soon as I spotted the words “paneer” and “gravy” within the Dad’s Paneer Makhani dish, chargrilled paneer tikka simmered in a san Marzano and fenugreek gravy, I knew that I had found my main for the evening. Not only were the tikka marinated ingredients eye-catching, but the name was too. I assume it is a gentle reference to a family recipe that Kochhar has adopted for the restaurant, which I particularly enjoy for its demonstration of cultural traditions and authentic character. I opted for a Saag Aloo side, a creamy concoction of potatoes and spinach, as well as their paratha, which is a lighter and thinner version of naan bread and the perfect accompaniment for all the gravy and spinach cream dipping that commenced.
To celebrate World Vegan Month, Kanishka has brought one dish in particular to the forefront, the Grilled Baigam, grilled aubergine and masala kale with coconut korma, which we, naturally, had to try. A unique take on the classic korma, this dish has pushed the boundaries to reinterpret the curry with a coconuty East Asian flare. Delicately presented to celebrate the aubergine in all of its glory, the dish was a circular creation that drew you eyesight to the centre where an aubergine disk lay glistening under the warm lighting.
Head chef Atul Kochhar
The interior of Kanishka
To finish, we enjoyed the silky peanut butter pave with salted caramel chikki, caramelised banana and 24-carat gold leaf, washed down with vegan expresso martinis – specially made for us with coconut milk replacing the dairy. As if our evening had not been decadent enough…
“Across India, almost a third of the population is vegetarian and the variety of exceptional vegetarian and vegan dishes across the country is mind-blowing. Vegan food should not be about creating replica ‘meat’ dishes but [about] celebrating the beauty of fresh vegan ingredients and making something beautiful with them”, Kochhar says. And I couldn’t agree more. If you’re skeptical or know of someone who is skeptical about the power of vegan and vegetarian dishes in Indian cuisine, then visit Kanishka, the restaurant with the ability to reconceptualise what we have come to understand as a classic Indian meal.
by Lily Rimmer
17-19 Maddox Street, London W1. 020 3978 0978
To browse all of their menus, visit here