|
Babur,
London's hardest-working Indian restaurant, is about to celebrate its
23rd anniversary with a tasting menu made to match five exceptional
wines. The 23rd baburthday celebration begins 17 July and runs until
31 August.
Since opening, Babur has always
highlighted the varied regional cuisines of the subcontinent. Along
with a bright but warm and open interior, the redesign of 2006
included a totally new kitchen, now led by head chef Jiwan Lal
(ex-Oberoi Hotel Cecil, Simla), and assisted by sous chef Praveen
Kumar Gupta (ex-Oberoi Rajvilas, Jaipur). While continuing to
wholeheartedly present the best of regional cooking, Babur's kitchen
acknowledges the fact that India's cuisines continue to develop from
this base of tradition by also presenting the contemporary cooking of
the subcontinent.
The 23rd anniversary tasting menu
has been made to match:
Shaw and Smith, Adelaide Hills,
Sauvignon Blanc 2007
Shaw and Smith, Adelaide Hills,
'M3 Vineyard' Chardonnay 2007
Vignetto delle Terre Rosse,
Petroso Merlot 2002, Colli Bolognese
Black Sanglain Cabernet, Setanta,
Adelaide Hills 2005
Rieslaner Auslese Weingut
Weegmuller Rheinpfalz 2003
The 74-seat restaurant recently
celebrated Punjabi New Year with food from the head chef's home
region. Earlier in the year, the restaurant celebrated the 525th
birthday of Babur, the first Great Mughal Emperor of India, with a
menu of Afghan cooking. For the 2007 festival of Rajasthani cooking.
owner Emdad Rahman travelled through Rajasthan with sous chef Praveen
Kumar Gupta to research the food and culture of the region.
Over the years, Babur has become
a firm local favourite - the sort of restaurant area residents point
out with pride. As well as an a la carte menu at both lunch and
dinner, there is a light summer lunch menu with all dishes available
in both small and large portions; there are always specials to
supplement the a la carte. The keenly-priced wine list was selected
by Peter McCombie MW and the strong cocktail list features bespoke
house drinks.
The redesign by the architectural
practice of glas features exposed brick and duct work, stone floors,
sandstone walls, subtle lighting and a significant kalamkari (textile
art) by Ajit Kumar Das. Leather banquettes and chairs are stylishly
minimal but designed with the diners' comfort in mind.
top |
