Kate Kare, in Old Brompton Road,
is a new Indian restaurant, for a new generation of curry-lovers.
It throws all you associate
with Indian restaurants out the window. The dining area is
light and airy with clean, fresh, white decor and huge expanses
of white walls. No flock wallpaper and tacky furnishings.
The music is between Middle
Eastern and club classics. Upstairs has the bar and most of
the tables, while the downstairs is a bit more private for
parties. There is also a cosy chill-out area - all dark red
paint, low tables and comfy seats - for pre- or post-meal
drinks and relaxing.
And they take relaxing so seriously
here. Manager Shankar Rayamajhi wants you to take time over
a meal, so you enjoy every minute of it. There's no sweeping
round your feet or looking at watches after closing time. |
He said: "We are happy to stay open
as long as there are people here. No pushing you out the door
at closing time. Customers pay to be treated well and have
a good experience. We appreciate that and are happy if they
are happy."
This relaxed attitude to management
might be a reflection of the personality of the owner - keen
surfer Salim Ahmed. He had the idea of combining flavours
from all parts of the Indian ocean while catching the waves
at his favourite beach - Kare Kare in New Zealand, in 1996.
Six years later the restaurant opened, serving "contemporary
Indian with a fusion of classic Nepalese flavours".
The menu is superb and extensive,
but Salim told me that he wants additional ideas and suggestions
from customers who have travelled in Asia. We were 30 minutes
imagining what they would all be like. |
Luckily, while deliberating, we had
plenty of papadums to keep us going. They were served with five
unusual and delicious fresh chutneys and pickles.
To start, I had gandaki crab -
moreish little crab cakes served with their speciality yogurt
and tamarind sauce. My friend chose monkfish sekuwa - chunks
of smoked and marinated monkfish which melted in the mouth.
For main course, I went for a
"contemporary fusion" option of Namche Jhinga - king prawns
in a tasty spicy sauce, served with basmati rice and a generous
salad of more than the standard few slices of tomato and iceberg
leaves.
My friend sampled a more traditional
option, kasmiri korma. It tasted very different to the kormas
we are used to. This was fresh, creamy and coconutty. Both meals
went down with a crisp, cold white chardonnay.
|
We enjoyed our meals
so much we left no room for dessert, but the options looked
good. As well as the classic kulfi Indian ice cream, there
were traditional Indian sweets like Gulubjaman, and - for
the less adventurous - a selection of sorbets, ice creams
and teas.
We left full, and impressed.
Kare Kare is not what you might expect from an Indian restaurant.
The great setting, atmosphere and food make for a memorable
night out.
It's all you love about going
for a curry, without the things you hate. Filling and tasty,
but fresh and healthy. A winning combination of everyone's
favourite traditional takeaway and the fresh unfussy food
of the new millennium.
It will change the way you look
at your high street balti house.
Source:
Angela Treherne - Kensington Times, 22/05/02 |
