London - Trishna
Frank's view 
'There is no finer Indian food in London'
Earlier this year, Uday Rao, the General Manager of the new Four Season’s Hotel in Mumbai, booked us into a restaurant called Trishna. He declared it the best fish restaurant in the city and we were not disappointed.
Located on a seedy Mumbai back street, Trishna was packed and bibs were essential in what was a sauce splattering fest of splintered crabs, lobsters and other cracking crustaceans.
Fast forward six months to Marylebone, London and slick, minimalist decor with the words ‘Trishna London – Mumbai’ dangling above the door.
Is this really related to its Mumbai namesake?
Intending to follow, perhaps, in the lucrative footsteps of Nobu, which has its origins in a slightly sleazy Beverly Hills diner, but now has designer restaurants around the globe, Trishna has, cautiously, stepped out.
The menu does not mirror its Mumbai parent, which offers ‘Crab, Lobster or Prawn cooked any way you like’. The London menu is for the sophisticated western market.
Options include a ‘Set Lunch’ menu (which does actually offer choices) at £17.50, the ‘Koliwada Tasting Menu’ with seven courses, a variety of breads and vegetables + ice cream for £34.50, and an a la carte selection.
The a la carte suggests that each diner chooses one dish from three sections, Pakora (tempura), Charcoal Grill and the Trishna Special dishes. Our choices included Squid, fried in spiced rice flour with lime zest and chilli. The squid was very dry and would have benefited from a light dip.
The Hariyali Bream (with mint, coriander and green chilli masala, charred tomato kachumber) was excellent but a disappointingly sized tiddler.
Both the Market Fish Curry (sea bass) and Costal Lamb Curry were superb, with both portions respectable.
Trishna has assembled a formidable team, with a kitchen under the guidance of Ravi Deulkar, formerly head chef at the fabulous Rasoi Vineet Bhatia .
Trishna has been brave with its choice of location in what is essentially a shopping area, close to Marylebone High Street. The site previously belonged to Verbanella, a family owned Italian pasta bar which had been there for ever and did a roaring trade at lunch times but not so well in the evenings. Perhaps Trishna’s nervousness is reflected in its ‘Post Shopping (6 -7 pm) menu’.
The Boadicea and Genghis Khan of London restaurant critics reviewed Trishna recently. She was unfairly harsh, he uncharacteristically kind.
The ambience is bland, but that can be rectified.
There is, however, no better Indian food in London.
Trishna
15-17 Blandford Street
London W1
020 7935 5624
http://www.trishnalondon.com/
Special Offer for all Trishna Guests
Trishna has kindly offered all ArsyCamel readers who make a reservation a complimentary Prosecco based cocktail on arrival, to a maximum of six guests. Simply mention the ArsyCamel offer when you make your reservation. (ArsyCamel.com receives no benefit or commission from Trishna restaurant.)
Located on a seedy Mumbai back street, Trishna was packed and bibs were essential in what was a sauce splattering fest of splintered crabs, lobsters and other cracking crustaceans.
Fast forward six months to Marylebone, London and slick, minimalist decor with the words ‘Trishna London – Mumbai’ dangling above the door.
Is this really related to its Mumbai namesake?
Intending to follow, perhaps, in the lucrative footsteps of Nobu, which has its origins in a slightly sleazy Beverly Hills diner, but now has designer restaurants around the globe, Trishna has, cautiously, stepped out.
The menu does not mirror its Mumbai parent, which offers ‘Crab, Lobster or Prawn cooked any way you like’. The London menu is for the sophisticated western market.
Options include a ‘Set Lunch’ menu (which does actually offer choices) at £17.50, the ‘Koliwada Tasting Menu’ with seven courses, a variety of breads and vegetables + ice cream for £34.50, and an a la carte selection.
The a la carte suggests that each diner chooses one dish from three sections, Pakora (tempura), Charcoal Grill and the Trishna Special dishes. Our choices included Squid, fried in spiced rice flour with lime zest and chilli. The squid was very dry and would have benefited from a light dip.
The Hariyali Bream (with mint, coriander and green chilli masala, charred tomato kachumber) was excellent but a disappointingly sized tiddler.
Both the Market Fish Curry (sea bass) and Costal Lamb Curry were superb, with both portions respectable.
Trishna has assembled a formidable team, with a kitchen under the guidance of Ravi Deulkar, formerly head chef at the fabulous Rasoi Vineet Bhatia .
Trishna has been brave with its choice of location in what is essentially a shopping area, close to Marylebone High Street. The site previously belonged to Verbanella, a family owned Italian pasta bar which had been there for ever and did a roaring trade at lunch times but not so well in the evenings. Perhaps Trishna’s nervousness is reflected in its ‘Post Shopping (6 -7 pm) menu’.
The Boadicea and Genghis Khan of London restaurant critics reviewed Trishna recently. She was unfairly harsh, he uncharacteristically kind.
The ambience is bland, but that can be rectified.
There is, however, no better Indian food in London.
Trishna
15-17 Blandford Street
London W1
020 7935 5624
http://www.trishnalondon.com/
Special Offer for all Trishna Guests
Trishna has kindly offered all ArsyCamel readers who make a reservation a complimentary Prosecco based cocktail on arrival, to a maximum of six guests. Simply mention the ArsyCamel offer when you make your reservation. (ArsyCamel.com receives no benefit or commission from Trishna restaurant.)
Be Frank: agree or disagree? What do you think?
