Restaurants

Oxblood-red walls, crisp white linen, black leather seating and outstanding service Atma is upmarket, and sophisticated enough to take some risks with its stylised cooking. Generally, the results work beautifully. Even a dish with the dubious name a great drowned death is delectable, consisting of crab koftas, all silky and softly spicy in a creamy coconut and cinnamon sauce. A dish that would be mere butter chicken in an average curry house, showed the difference careful sourcing and a bit of soul (atma) makes to a simple recipe. Here the blend of tomatoes, pungent paprika and fenugreek was vibrantly fresh, and the dish came with a raita ice-cream that was a clever, perfectly complementary touch. Lamb chops dusted with crushed coriander seeds was another winner, marinated to total tenderness. A couple of dishes didnt quite come off: dull, forgettable spiced liver, and a dryish venison main course. The venison dish was a complex affair involving tandoori spicing, a truffle sauce, and rice noodle cakes that sat atop the plate like a trio of crazy black wigs (they were made from squid ink, and this was, finally, a flavour too far). Nevertheless Atma is almost there as a destination restaurant.

Time Out Eating & Drinking Guide 2008