Indian Kachori in London’s Elephant Park impresses

This recently opened Indian restaurant isn’t just located in “one of the largest new green spaces in central London for over 70 years”, but also has some big names behind it.

Launched by the accomplished restaurateur Sorowar Khan and hospitality consultant Humayun Hussain, Kachori is situated in the exciting multi-purpose development of Elephant Park in south London.

Indian Kachori in London’s happening-place of Elephant Park

What is more, the kitchen is headed by Chef Brinder Narula who was formerly the Executive Chef at both Michelin-starred Benares and Gymkhana in Mayfair, London.

With a line-up such as this, we were, it should go without saying, incredibly excited at the prospect of trying a menu that’s been inspired by the ingredients of the North Indian regions of Rajasthan, Haryana, Delhi, Punjab, and Uttar Pradesh.

Seating for 36 is also available outside

Although a large alcohol bar is situated on one side of what is otherwise a spacious restaurant that can accommodate up to 96 guests, there’s more seating available outside for an additional 36.

Green Nile – Kiwi, apple juice, mint vanilla, lemon, £10.00; Revival – Red grapes, guava, white peach puree, lemon; Tropical Passion – Seedlip, passion fruit, mango, lime agave – £9.00 each

An attractive assortment of beverages with the mixed-berry concoction known as Revival being the most memorable.

While the Green Nile was a sour fruity affair, with the kiwi combining pleasantly with the mint; the lightly fragrant Tropical Passion had the zingy-sweetness of the passionfruit coming through nicely. All decent drinks, though nothing outstanding.

Bikaneri Raj Kachori – Puffed lentil & wheat sphere, sprouted mung beans, sweet potatoes, yogurt, tamarind, pomegranate, sunflower seeds, aloo bhujiya, £8.95

While this Bikaneri Raj Kachori was an intriguing one, it could have been even better had the hollow spherical casing been more crispy.

Nevertheless, the interplay of textures, which included chunks of soft potato, was the most impressive thing about this dish, with all the flavours that define a kachori being accounted for.

Sticky Chicken Wings – Tandoori chicken wings, sweet & spicy pepper glaze, green onions, £7.50

This trio of Sticky Chicken Wings, while enticingly charred and covered in a reasonably sticky and mellow sweet and spicy glaze, were relatively small given their price point.

Bhatti Guinea Fowl Tikka – Boned guinea fowl leg, cinnamon, clove, stone moss, peppercorn, Kashmir chilli, tempered curd rice, £8.95

The charring on these Bhatti Guinea Fowl Tikka, which lended that hint of smokiness, in addition to the punchiness of the spicy marination, which needed the cooling nature of the sticky mound of curd rice to help temper things, ensured a tasty plate of food.

Bhutta Ribs – Jodhpur podi spiced tossed corn ribs, masala hummus, £7.95

This simple Bhutta Ribs was thoroughly engaging. This was essentially corn-on-the-cob that’s been grilled, before being covered in a light and spicy masala rub, with perhaps a touch of zestiness coming through, and paired with a creamy masala hummus. To be sure, it’s better without the sauce.

Dilli Chicken Butter Masala – Tandoori chicken thigh tikka, ginger, green chilli, smoked butter, fenugreek, £15.50

They’re made in different ways, with some being sweeter than others, and others being more tomato-based; but Kachori’s version of a butter chicken was somewhere in between.

This Dilli Chicken Butter Masala was quite delicious actually, with a creamy base that had just the right level of heat, and contained tender pieces of poultry. Definitely recommended.

Ghee Roast Goat Varuval Bhuna – Goat meat, cumin, cloves, pickled ginger, turmeric, crispy curry leaf, coconut flakes, £17.50

Cheese Chilli Naan, £4.95

And this Ghee Roast Goat Varuval Bhuna made things clear that Chef Brinder’s curry game is extremely strong.

With robust spicious flavours, plenty of good chilli heat, and a piquant tomato-based curry, this was another stonking plate we just couldn’t get enough of.

Just be sure to order a portion of naan, as we did, to really enjoy this one.

In fact, we ended up ordering something left-key with this Cheese Chilli Naan, which serendipitously worked surprisingly well.

Chaas Chicken Burger – Buttermilk chicken fillet, brioche bun, mango chutney, gem lettuce, coleslaw, beef tomato, tikka masala sauce, masala chips, £15.50

Do not be deceived by its apparent simplicity, because this Chaas Chicken Burger absolutely floored us, with an astoundingly good buttermilk chicken fillet made even better by the mango chutney smothered on top.

Not only was this incredibly moist on the inside while being lightly crispy on the out, but simply adding the side of coleslaw to the burger before swiping it through that blood red tikka masala sauce will send your taste buds into orbit.

Honestly, while this may be one of the best chicken burgers we’ve had in some years, it’s definitely the most surprising, given our initial perception. Extraordinary!

Add to that crispy fries with a dusting of light chaat masala, and this burger will probably be considered for our end of the year awards.

Sarson Sea Bream – Bream, turmeric, carom, mustard, tamarind bhel, £16.00

Their Sarson Sea Bream was a terrifically executed fish dish, with an earthy-cum-mustard based marination that was applied to a bream whose skin wasn’t just delicately crisped to a perfect finish, and whose flesh beneath was moist and tasty.

Jodhpuri Chicken Tikka – Yellow chilli, ginger, lemon, mint chutney, £16.95

This Jodhpuri Chicken Tikka had everything going for it, including a dreamily soft malai-like texture and a beautifully chargrilled exterior, except for the fatal flaw that this was over seasoned. Had it been otherwise, we can imagine this being pretty darn good.

Salted Caramel, Jaggery & Peanut Parfait, Glazed Banana, £7.50

A wonderful dessert this, with the jaggery and peanut parfait – the latter coming through strongly – boasting an exceptionally good texture which, though smooth, was solid enough to pleasantly dissolve on the palate.

Add to that the drizzle of caramel sauce, the crunchiness of the brittle on top, and the cleanliness of the glazed bananas, and we really enjoyed this one.

Masala Chai Brulee with summer berries, £7.50

This Masala Chai Brulee was light and silky smooth, superbly infused with the taste of cardamom, and delivered on that crispy top, before being topped with fresh juicy berries to give that touch of fruity tartness.

Alphonso Mango & Cardamom Kulfi, Falooda & Chia Seeds, £7.50

With the subtlety of the cardamom in the background, the mango kulfi was creamy while being covered in a mango sauce.

As for the chia seeds and noodles served, then these served as the falooda element in this average dessert.