Chatora City – When I reviewed the original Chatora restaurant in Richmond, some two and a half years ago, I remember thinking that owner Jamshed Rahman was running a little culinary goldmine. But little was perhaps the operative word, as the restaurant was quite cosy with table space somewhat limited. Jam has had the sense to relocate to the City and now Chatora City is tucked down a side alley just minutes from Mansion House underground. With Executive Chef Imamuddin Khan, formerly of The Cinnamon Club and Kahani, at the stove, it’s really obvious that this was the right move…the place was buzzing on a Thursday evening when we visited.
At the centre of the menu is a balance between old and new, modern tandoor dishes sitting alongside comforting regional curries and street-food-inspired plates, all rooted in bold flavour and proper technique. Everything is freshly made in-house, from breads and sauces to chutneys and yoghurt, with carefully sourced ingredients including organic vegetables and Launceston lamb. The decor is modern, but with design touches that reflect the colours of the peacock, India’s national bird, and warm golds to create a sense of opulence. A clever central open screen breaks up the room and there is a mix of opulent leather banquette seating and comfy chairs. The tables are ‘wipe clean marble’ topped and it was nice to have quality fabric napkins. The restaurant is on top of an underground line, so there are occasional rumblings below the floor to remind us of that, but to be honest, it isn’t at all intrusive. We also noted that there were many Asian families dining there, as well as the City workers, so it has clearly become a destination restaurant.
I enjoyed a Negroni and my husband had a 00 Kingfisher lager with our Assorted Papad And Crisps (Garlic tempered yoghurt, mango & lime, wild berries chutney). Reader, these take the usual poppadoms into another stratosphere. This is a range of ridged, wholemeal, puffed rice and more. to enjoy with the delicious sauces.
To start, we ordered a portion of Ragda Patties Chaat (Potato cumin cake, spiced yellow peas, Indian vermicelli, wild berry chutney), and Shami Kebab (Smoked minced lamb patties, tempered yoghurt, beetroot gel). Both dishes had two central features, so are ideal for sharing. The chaat: wow! It packed a real flavour punch and was swimming in a delicious sauce, with a gentle heat that builds slowly. The portion was very generous with the two potato cakes and was almost a light meal in itself.
The kebabs were gently warming patties on a beetroot sauce base. The lamb had melt in the mouth softness, and a delicate citrus yogurt topping. My delicious Negroni paired surprisingly well with both dishes, offsetting the heat build up perfectly.
For our mains, I ordered Lamb RoganJosh (Boneless lamb, ruby red onion, Kashmiri chilli, dry ginger, alkanet root). Again, the meat was incredibly tender, and there was a generous amount of lamb. It had two ‘chillis’ on the menu, and the level of heat was just right, without being too fierce. It was a really good example of a classic Indian dish. My husband had already earmarked the Alleppey Halibut (Halibut chunks simmered in coconut malai, fresh turmeric) and from the small amount he allowed me to try, it was sublime. Good sized portions of halibut were served skin on, surrounded by a delicately creamy and citrus sauce; a veritable ‘symphony of flavours.’
Remembering Jam’s signature Chatora Black Dal (Slow-cooked lentils, burnt garlic, home-churned butter), and knowing how incredibly good it was in Richmond, we had a portion of this as well as a Peshawari Naan and a Tandoori Roti. That dal: what can I say? It certainly lived up to expectations with so much umami depth that in fact, my husband thought it must contain meat as it was so tasty.
The wines are reasonably priced, ranging from £34 a bottle to a £230 Puligny Montrachet and there is also a ‘Private Collection’ available for real vinous cognoscenti. There is an extensive menu of wines by the glass, starting from £6.50.
Needless to say we were pretty full, butJam suggested we share a portion of kulfi to finish our meal. These delicious Indian ice creams were beautifully presented – in mango, pistachio, and betel leaf flavours. The betel leaf was a new one to me, but it was really interesting and tasty.
In addition to the a la carte menu, there is a great value set lunch one (2 courses for £19.95 or 3 for £24.95) as well as a 6 course tasting menu at £75 per head.
With National Curry Week taking place from 5–11 October, chef Khan has created Rajasthani Laal Maas – a fiery Scottish venison curry with root vegetables and a warmly spiced sauce of Teja chilli, cardamom, cinnamon, garlic and cloves, finished with roasted parsnip and served with truffle naan.
Knowing how many locals work or regularly visit the City, I really want to put Chatora City on their maps. Jam has taken his original culinary goldmine to new heights. And it’s an easy trip on the District line from Richmond to Mansion House!
The Seasoned Gastronome