Tucked away on the corner of a quiet street near Marble Arch, the small and unassuming entrance to La Porte Des Indes does nothing to prepare you for its magnificent interior. Established in 1996 and housed in a former Edwardian ballroom; the restaurant spans two floors, adorned with antique Indian artefacts and exotic plants and flowers, and boasting a striking white marble staircase and waterfall. The restaurant seats 350 people but is divided into small seating areas to create an intimate and relaxed atmosphere, which the neatly attired staff tend to with seemingly effortless charm and energy. On the lower level, guests can enjoy delicious and unusual cocktails at the Jungle Bar – a haven filled with palm trees, tiger skin rugs, hurricane lamps and jungle scenes painted on the walls.
The menu, best described as modern Indian cuisine with a French twist, is home to familiar Indian dishes like lamb rogan josh, saag paneer and chicken tikka massala - but these are unlike anything you will have ever tasted. Flavours are strong but delicately balanced, and there are none of the ridiculously hot dishes served by curry houses across the country to drunken lads eager to impress their friends. The Gallic influenced dishes are representative of Pondichery, a former French colony in south India, include dishes like Cassoulet de Fruits de Mer - a rich seafood stew simmered in ‘vindai’ spices - and Poulet Rouge - shredded chicken marinated in yoghurt and red spices served in a creamy sauce. The seafood is particularly good with highlights like Demoiselles de Pondichery - juicy grilled king scallops with a mild saffron and garlic sauce - and soft shell crabs with garlic, black pepper and ginger and green mango sauce.
Unsurprisingly, this level of quality and culinary expertise doesn’t come cheap, but few guests will leave La Porte Des Indes feeling hard done by. Eating à la carte works out quite expensive, while the set menus and lunchtime deals - £10 for two courses - are good value for money. On Sundays and holidays, their jazz brunches combine musical entertainment with a sumptuous four-course buffet for only £22, so check their website for the latest events listings.
On the last Friday of every month, the restaurant hosts a cookery demonstration which allows guests to learn how to cook three dishes from their menu. The £22 fee includes a welcome drink; a tour of the impressive, and reassuringly spotless, kitchens; a basket of fresh spices and recipe booklet; and a three-course buffet lunch. When we visited in May, we sipped our tropical fruit cocktail while Executive Chef, Mehernosh Mody, and his assistant showed the group how to cook spicy vegetable samosas, fragrant Bombay potatoes and ‘ lasooni murgh’ – chicken with garlic, dry red chillies and rich kadai sauce. The chefs are happy to give guests expert advice on the numerous herbs and spices used in Indian cooking, as well as how to prepare them correctly - the successful basis of any Indian meal.
After whetting our appetite with a taster of the dishes prepared in the demonstration, we took our seats in the main restaurant for the buffet. After a starter of smoked red pepper and tomato soup; we enjoyed creamy saffron chicken, fiery lamb kashmiri and crunchy chard pakoras, and still found room for chocolate and star anise mousse for dessert. We enjoyed all the delights of the extravagant buffet, safe in the knowledge that cooking Indian cuisine at home would never be the same again!
La Portes Des Indes is a few minutes walk from Marble Arch station (Central line) and located one road behind Oxford Street, so guests can enjoy lunch and then spend the afternoon exploring the many shops and department stores. Bargain hunters should head for the enormous new Primark store to join the masses of Londoner’s hunting for good deals, while those with a taste for luxury can spend their time and money in Selfridges. If the crowds of shoppers get too much, walk to the quieter New Oxford Street and relax in the huge Starbucks or see some of London’s best new bands at The Fly bar.
