Veeraswamy
Veeraswamy
(Previous Award Winner)
99 Regent Street
London
W1B 4RS
Tel: +44 (0)20 7734 1401
Web: www.veeraswamy.com (www.veeraswamy.com)
Hours: 1200-1430 (Sun to 1500) and 1730-2330 (Sun to 2230)
Set dinner: 1730-1830 and 2230-2330; £11.00 two courses; £13.95 three courses.
Namita Panjabi and Ranjit Mathrani, owners of Chutney Mary (SW10), bought Britain’s oldest restaurant (founded in 1926) in 1998. The entrance is on the aptly named Swallow Street. The restaurant seats 130 guests. The wine display is a work of art. The walls are painted in vibrant glowing earth colours: aubergine, saffron, garam masala, coriander leaf. A few carefully selected pictures remind us of the Veeraswamy heritage. New chef, Ghopal Kochak has brought in a new menu, reflecting his style, while maintaining the Veeraswamy ethos (high quality gourmet food as expected by the discerning diner). His brigade of specialists from different Indian regions continue to offer a sophisticated range of items from bhel, to dosas and lamb shank to lobster from Hyderabad. Try the two-course light lunches, Monday-Saturday, which offers tandoori or grilled chicken, duck, prawns, fish and lamb, £11.00. Or on Sunday, it’s a 3 course eat-as-much-as you-like, served at the table for only £15.00. A la carte is interesting, of course. Mr Mathrani is a connoisseur, and its shows in this restaurant.