{"id":22739,"date":"2026-01-08T10:00:00","date_gmt":"2026-01-08T10:00:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.mostlyfood.co.uk\/?p=22739"},"modified":"2025-11-27T09:21:31","modified_gmt":"2025-11-27T09:21:31","slug":"kahani-for-comfort-and-innovation","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.mostlyfood.co.uk\/index.php\/kahani-for-comfort-and-innovation\/","title":{"rendered":"Kahani for Comfort and Innovation"},"content":{"rendered":"<h3 style=\"text-align: center;\">Polished Indian Dining.<\/h3>\n<p>This was bound to be good. I knew, as I had visited before. The chef of Kahani, Peter Joseph, is from a Michelin-star Indian restaurant, so I knew to expect more exciting tastes.<\/p>\n<p>Kahani Indian restaurant is in a side street just a stone\u2019s throw from Sloane Square Underground station. Its entrance could be that of a very smart townhouse, with ironwork, pillars and a warm welcome. The dining area is found downstairs, passing a gorgeous private dining room on the mezzanine floor along the way.<\/p>\n<h4>Confident cooking<\/h4>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-15215 aligncenter\" src=\"https:\/\/www.mostlyfood.co.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/07\/kahani-kitchen-web.jpg\" alt=\"Kahani kitchen\" width=\"854\" height=\"512\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.mostlyfood.co.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/07\/kahani-kitchen-web.jpg 854w, https:\/\/www.mostlyfood.co.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/07\/kahani-kitchen-web-300x180.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.mostlyfood.co.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/07\/kahani-kitchen-web-768x460.jpg 768w, https:\/\/www.mostlyfood.co.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/07\/kahani-kitchen-web-150x90.jpg 150w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 854px) 100vw, 854px\" \/><\/p>\n<p>One finds oneself in a sumptuous space which isn\u2019t overtly Indian. The ceiling is high, allowing the restaurant to feel spacious yet still cozy. There are a few decorative nods to the ethnicity of the dishes one is about to enjoy, but the restaurant speaks more of confident cooking to impress discerning guests. There is an open kitchen which offers a little culinary theatre, although it\u2019s likely that the dishes on the table will grab all the attention.<\/p>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\" wp-image-22773 alignright\" src=\"https:\/\/www.mostlyfood.co.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/Kahani-Cocktails.jpg\" alt=\"Kahani Cocktails\" width=\"276\" height=\"303\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.mostlyfood.co.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/Kahani-Cocktails.jpg 583w, https:\/\/www.mostlyfood.co.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/Kahani-Cocktails-273x300.jpg 273w, https:\/\/www.mostlyfood.co.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/Kahani-Cocktails-137x150.jpg 137w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 276px) 100vw, 276px\" \/>The raised wine room will captivate those who appreciate great vintages chosen by a rather able sommelier. There are a good number of wines-by-the-glass at Kahani so one isn\u2019t expected to push the vinicultural boat out at every visit, and particularly at lunch. The attractive and well-stocked bar offers both classic and house cocktails.<\/p>\n<p>The menu tempted with innovation and flair but nothing intimidating or glaringly pretentious. This was good cooking writ large and it just happened to be Indian. We had previously tasted chef\u2019s inventive dishes but now we were looking for some traditional comfort as well \u2013 the classics which have made Indian food so popular in the UK.<\/p>\n<p>We ordered a brace of cocktails to enjoy whilst reading the menu. Tandoori Ananas was my guest\u2019s choice. It was a bold concoction of homemade spiced rum, tandoori-cooked pineapple, lime, cinnamon and honey. The caramelised fruit added so much character and flavour. A well-balanced drink.<\/p>\n<p>I was tempted by a non-alcoholic libation in the shape of a little bottle with a kick! Tiger Tales is a brand of India-inspired soft drink.\u00a0 Jungle Fire Mango is a still drink of ripe mango with a fiery hit from chilli. One really doesn\u2019t miss alcohol when one is sipping a mocktail with attitude. It\u2019s well worth trying.<\/p>\n<h4>The Menu<\/h4>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\" wp-image-22774 alignright\" src=\"https:\/\/www.mostlyfood.co.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/Kahani-food.jpg\" alt=\"Kahani food\" width=\"283\" height=\"263\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.mostlyfood.co.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/Kahani-food.jpg 640w, https:\/\/www.mostlyfood.co.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/Kahani-food-300x279.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.mostlyfood.co.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/Kahani-food-150x139.jpg 150w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 283px) 100vw, 283px\" \/>Pani Puri with spiced guacamole and shallots with guava passion juice was my somewhat traditional starter, but Chef Joseph elevated the Pani element by using fruit rather than the more usual tamarind. These crispy hollow puris were light as a feather and they should be consumed in one bite, or you\u2019ll regret wearing your best silk shirt! Delicious.<\/p>\n<p>My companion ordered Mangalorean Scallops, and these were indeed a fine-dining starter in both presentation and flavour. The sweet scallops were dressed in coastal spices, in a creamy coconut moilee with salmon roe and lumpfish caviar. The plate was delicate and refined yet full of tastes of seafood. Outstanding!<\/p>\n<p>My main course was Chicken Makhani which was lick-the-plate good. Chargrilled chicken in creamed tomato sauce with fenugreek leaves was soothing, and perfect with some naan bread for mopping that sauce. Honestly it is rare that I finish a whole dish at any Indian restaurant but this one shone. If you are new to Indian food or enjoy milder spice, then this is the one for you.<\/p>\n<p>Lamb Seekh Kebab was my guest\u2019s main dish and this didn\u2019t disappoint either. A trio of meaty and well-seasoned kebabs worked well with Kahani\u2019s Duo Dal, which was indeed a double serving of warming lentil dals. Dal Maharani was dark and rich and best suited for meat dishes. It is a must-try here. It is a slow-cooked preparation, and it is addictive. The lighter tadka dal marries well as a side dish with almost anything you choose from the menu.<\/p>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\" wp-image-22775 alignright\" src=\"https:\/\/www.mostlyfood.co.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/Kahani-dessert.jpg\" alt=\"Kahani dessert\" width=\"272\" height=\"293\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.mostlyfood.co.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/Kahani-dessert.jpg 595w, https:\/\/www.mostlyfood.co.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/Kahani-dessert-279x300.jpg 279w, https:\/\/www.mostlyfood.co.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/Kahani-dessert-139x150.jpg 139w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 272px) 100vw, 272px\" \/>Desserts in Indian restaurants are often predictable but once again Chef Joseph and his able team produced another stunner. Palm Jaggery and Coconut Brul\u00e9e was served with pineapple sorbet, caramel glaze and two spoons. Yes, we intended to share but my advice is to order your own as it avoids unsightly fighting at the dinner table. It\u2019s a must-try at Kahani and should be a signature dessert.<\/p>\n<p>Yes, dear reader, it\u2019s all a matter of taste. There are still those who don\u2019t consider Indian cuisine to be a classic and respected gastronomic entity, like French or Italian, for instance. Restaurants such as Kahani will continue to reshape and elevate our expectations, and in delicious fashion. Chef Peter Joseph should be proud of his restaurant, which is a worthy showcase of his talents and his delightful dishes.<\/p>\n<p>Kahani<br \/>\n1 Wilbraham Place<br \/>\nLondon<br \/>\nSW1X 9AE<\/p>\n<p>Phone: 020 7730 7634<br \/>\nEmail: reservations@kahanirestaurants.com<\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.kahanilondon.com\/\">Visit Kahani here<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Polished Indian Dining. This was bound to be good. I knew, as I had visited before. The chef of Kahani, Peter Joseph, is from a Michelin-star Indian restaurant, so I [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":15215,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[19,7],"tags":[58,3020,3569,2714,4727,4809,3358,4810],"class_list":["post-22739","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-asian","category-restaurants","tag-curry","tag-indian-food","tag-indian-restaurant","tag-kahani","tag-london-restaurant","tag-peter-joseph","tag-restaurant-review","tag-sloan-square"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.mostlyfood.co.uk\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/22739","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.mostlyfood.co.uk\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.mostlyfood.co.uk\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.mostlyfood.co.uk\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.mostlyfood.co.uk\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=22739"}],"version-history":[{"count":2,"href":"https:\/\/www.mostlyfood.co.uk\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/22739\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":22776,"href":"https:\/\/www.mostlyfood.co.uk\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/22739\/revisions\/22776"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.mostlyfood.co.uk\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/15215"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.mostlyfood.co.uk\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=22739"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.mostlyfood.co.uk\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=22739"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.mostlyfood.co.uk\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=22739"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}