Savouring food from India’s desert state of Rajasthan
Rahul Bhatnagar
London can be an exciting adventure for the foodie. A few friends and I recently started an epicurean club, where we visit a new restaurant every month. The idea is to explore new cuisines from around the world at affordable prices. Aptly called The Epicurean Club, our group looks for places that are unique, not established and already popular chains. The idea is to savour new dining experiences at reasonable prices.
We’ve had some very interesting visits already.
For our first visit we went to a Nepalese place called Kailash in the village. We also visited a Nigerian restaurant called Chukus in North London. We tried a Venezuelan restaurant in South London, a Georgian spot called Abara in Brick Lane, and a Uyghur restaurant near Russell Square in Central London.
The Chokhi Dhani treat
The latest this month was a restaurant that offers repast from India’s desert state of Rajasthan. It’s called Chokhi Dhani, which recently reopened near the newly developed Battersea Power Station. It’s a nice development in that area. The restaurant itself is located in the 9 Elms area, SW11, just a 5-minute walk from Battersea Power Station.
Indian food in London has seen a tremendous surge in popularity over the last 10 to 15 years. We have seen numerous fine dining restaurants sprouting up all over the city, showcasing not only the usual North and South Indian cuisines but also regional variations like Bengali, Gujarati, and Rajasthani. Chokhi Dani is a prime example of a restaurant that focuses on Rajasthani food.
Chokhi Dani was chosen because it showcases Rajasthani food. It’s a fine dining restaurant, or at least that’s what they proclaim. We went inside, and the décor was beautiful. They used traditional Indian elements like brown statues of elephants and traditional Rajasthani decorations, creating a sort of Maharaja-style atmosphere.
Now, let’s talk about the food.
The restaurant offers both traditional Rajasthani dishes and more common North Indian food. We were keen on trying Rajasthani food, so we went for some classic dishes like dal kachori, mukhwas, dal bati churma, gatte ki sabzi, and kari pakora. All of them were very, very good. They also offer the concept of a Rajasthan thali, which we ordered to try a variety of dishes in one meal. The food was well-presented, especially the Rajasthani items, and the vegetarian dishes were exceptionally tasty.
Exploring a new palate
Having had Rajasthani food in Rajasthan itself, I can say that the dishes at Chokhi Dani felt quite traditional and authentic. They probably toned down the heat a bit compared to the spice levels in Rajasthan, which worked well for my palate, and I was quite impressed with the overall taste.
Would I say that this eating place is more suited for Indian clientele, or is it aimed at a completely different palate, one that isn’t familiar with Indian food? There is certainly a section of people in the UK who are already very comfortable with Indian food. I think the restaurant is targeted at those who are ready to experiment with different flavours. There are plenty of people in the UK who are open to that, so I would say it doesn’t only target an Indian audience, although that might be their primary customer base. It’s for everyone.
The fare
One thing I must mention is that they have a good selection of drinks. The cocktails were quite interesting, with an Indian twist. We tried something called Haratapu, which was made with Midori, coconut water, and cinnamon. It was quite unique. We also had the Mumbai Mockingbird, which was made with tequila, raspberries, lime, and mint. They’ve definitely brought in some fusion Indian flavours into their cocktails.
As for the meat dishes, we tried Jaipuri murg and the traditional Rajasthani Lal Maas. Jaipuri murg is a rich chicken dish, cooked in a tomato-based gravy, while Lal Maas is a traditional mutton dish from Rajasthan, quite spicy but delicious.
On the dessert side, we went for the traditional Gulab Jamun. They also had the churma with dal bati – the lentil preparation with balls of dough cooked over a fire and loaded with clarified butter. If one can stop counting calories for a moment, it was very delicious indeed. By the time we had tried everything else, we were satisfied and content.
The verdict
In terms of rating, I would give-
The décor is a 5/5, the food a 4.5/5, the presentation and service a 4/5, and the drinks probably around a 3.5/5.
Overall, I would say the value for money is about 4/5.
