Restaurants

When Chutney Mary opened in 1991 it was the smartest and most ambitious Indian restaurant in the UK, serving proper regional cooking from across India. It continues to update the menu regularly and introduce innovative dishes, as well as keeping the look fresh. The most recent makeover has added wall hangings studded with crystals, glamorising an otherwise slightly fuddy-duddy conservatory, and etchings evocative of the Raj era. Service is smoother than a moghul’s turban, but the dishes remain the main attraction. Halibut in mustard sauce is inspired by a Bengali dish, chingri malai, with a cross-section of meaty halibut replacing the traditional shrimps; the coconut cream and mustard seeds are a perfect blend, while a garnish of shiso cress helps produce a western-style presentation. Many dishes show off the skills of the kitchen staff, such as the duck galouti. This dish, usually of finely minced lamb patties, should be very tender; here they’ve pulled it off despite using tougher duck meat, unusually pairing it with blueberry chutney. Not every dish has the same wow-factor (there’s chicken tikka masala on the menu, after all), but at Chutney Mary you’re guaranteed an excellent, memorable meal.

Time Out Eating & Drinking Guide 2009