When opening Kahani back in 2018, Michelin-starred chef Peter Joseph was trying to bring a more relaxed (but equally swanky) vibe to Indian fine dining. Now, his Sloane Square restaurant is taking that up a notch by introducing bottomless brunch to its menu. Anyone close to me knows that food from India is second to none in my eyes. The spicy sauces, the aromatic flavours, the dunkable breads; I just can't get enough. So, when I was promised all that combined with my favourite boozy weekend pastime? Well, I was practically foaming at the mouth.
Dreamy drinks and dashing decor come up trumps here.
As we walked down the stairs into the dining space at Kahani, I have to admit, I was a little in awe. From the gorgeous exposed stone walls and plenty of teal, to eye-catching floral displays, this venue offered a whole lotta luxury. Yet, it still had a warm feel, thanks to cosy cubbies complete with a fireplace and gold accents throughout. Plus, being able to spy into the kitchen and see vast wine racks through huge glass windows was a nice touch. A bejewelled den of wonders to match such vibrant cuisine, these interiors had given me high hopes for the upcoming food.
Featuring in the brunch menu (£38 per person)? A generous list that includes restaurant favourites, signature dishes and twists on street food, all washed down by unlimited prosecco (£55 each). But to really get us in the mood, cocktails were a must. For me, a gulab martini (£14) - made of vodka, lychee liquor, lychee juice, lemon and rose syrup - since I'd been reminiscing about my love of Turkish delight recently. It hit just the spot, with delicate floral hints and sweetness, which were balanced by the different fruits. As for my other half, the tandoori ananas (£15) proved a big hit too, having been whipped up from homemade spiced rum, pineapple juice, lime, cooked pineapple, a touch of cinnamon and honey water. Despite loving my own drink, I still couldn't help being a bit jealous of him sipping on that warming, tropical number.
An Indian street food classic, the papdi chaat was one of my highlights.
Onto the main event - brunchin'. Kicking things off were two sharing starters: spiced green pea cake topped off by a cranberry chutney, and aromatic chickpeas smothered in sweetened yoghurt, pomegranate, mint, tamarind and crispy flour rice crackers, a dish otherwise known as papdi chaat. Both offered a glorious start to the afternoon, the crunchy-coated former being rich with cumin and ginger, while the latter had all the flavours of poppadoms at my local curry house, but included a welcome chilli hit from the legumes alongside its bursting fruit seeds.
The main event proved to be a big one, with five offerings (plus sides) making their way over to our table for this course. Think juicy tannour-grilled chicken, keema naan fronting a deep lamb flavour and smoked tomato chutney for dunking, coriander-spiced paneer covered in sweet peppers... the list goes on. My favourite, though, was the tender chicken thighs simmered in coconut and curry leaf, while the tandoori broccoli, one of the restaurant's most popular plates, was the biggest surprise of the day. I'm not usually a fan of the veggie, so to be happily tucking into it smothered in spices, honey and nigella seeds was a true compliment. On the side, yellow lentils, pulao rice and roti were happily polished off too.
Yes, Kahani's food tastes just as good as it looks.
To finish, the kitchen created a gorgeous carrot fudge with vanilla ice cream. There was a subtle hint of clove and cardamom to it, topped off by sweetness, amaretto from the biscuit crumb and a succulent strawberry. Mwah. Yet another part of the meal that unexpectedly blew me away, this dessert was the ideal, light end to proceedings.
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One thing's for sure, you won't go hungry with this sharing feast at Kahani. Nor will you be disappointed by the taste, as each dish offers a swoon-worthy blend of spices, classic combos and new flavours. Thanks to cocktails delivering just as much punch as the food, and glasses of fizz filled up quicker than you can drink them, this bottomless brunch is total a winner.
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💰 The damage: £186 for food and bottomless prosecco between two, plus service charge. 📍 The location: 1 Wilbraham Place, SW1X 9AE. 👌 Perfect for: A Michelin star standard of bottomless brunch. ⭐ Need to know: For the amount you get, the food here is excellent value for money. |
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