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In the centre of Elephant and Castle, amid the concrete jungle of building works, gentrified tower blocks, and that weird silver cube that people used to say was Aphex Twin’s house, is a surprisingly lush and tranquil oasis. Streams bubble up around verdant shrubs. Lone benches are hidden among jungly foliage. On a humid summer’s day the Elephant Park development feels almost tropical. Here is where you’ll find Kachori, a new Indian restaurant helmed by Brinder Narula, ex-head chef of Michelin-starred Gymkhana.
Kachori’s extensive (and arguably too long) menu features a cast of dishes from Rajasthan, Uttar Pradesh, Delhi and the Punjab. Plus, some playful but unnecessary fusion plates – there’s a whole section for burgers. I was overwhelmed by the abundance of choice, but given the chef’s CV, expectations were high.
A prawn rasa, with thick, juicy shrimp in a silky, sweet sauce was lip-smacking, going fabulously with a tangy, garlicky marwari gobhi
Overall, Kachori was a mixed bag. As the restaurant’s namesake, we had to start with the raj kachori. Hoping for a delightful puff of crispy and flaky pastry, what arrived instead was slightly baffling. Sadly the shell was tough, almost stale, and cracking into it felt like hard work. Inside, the chaat-style sweet potato filling, with yoghurt, pomegranate and mung beans tasted fabulous, but was oddly cold. But then a plate of smoky, succulent tandoori chicken wings really hit the spot.
The rest of the food followed in a similar suit. A bowl of basmati rice and quinoa would have been better as just rice. But I will say: the curries were seasoned impeccably. The prawn rasa, with thick, juicy shrimp in a silky, sweet sauce was lip-smacking, going fabulously with a tangy, garlicky marwari gobhi – a dish of spicy cauliflower and mung beans with generous amounts of cumin. However, portions were small and the prawn curry only had four (four!) prawns. For dessert, a chai crème brûlée served in a cute teacup was tasty, but not mind-blowing.
The vibes too, were a bit, well, vibeless. This joint really wants to be stylish and cool, with house music gently pumping out in the bathrooms, chic dusty pink walls, and cosy corner booths, but it doesn’t quite have the chutzpah to pull it off.
Staff were lovely and provided heartfelt menu recommendations, but service was very slow. Perhaps if I had been passing time on the sunny terrace outside I wouldn’t have minded, but after an hour and half we weren’t even on to our mains, and I was just hangry.
Kachori is just getting started but it’s got potential. With a little grease on its wheels it will go on to do great things.
The vibe A nicely-decorated, muted modern Indian restaurant that could do with a bit of a buzz.
The food Ambitious small plates inspired by Rajasthan, Uttar Pradesh, Delhi and the Punjab.
The drink Tasty classic cocktails with an Indian twist and a decent wine list.
Time out tip The terrace outside looks pretty nice. Try to time your visit with a sunny day.