Amaya

Valentina Sutto Myvillage   28-02-2008

Located at one of London???s most prestigious addresses, between Knightsbridge and Sloane Square, Amaya Bar & Grill boasts a minimalist, polished, open plan interior, with the kitchen taking centre stage.Focusing on three main Indian grill methods, the Tandoor (clay oven), Sigri (char grill) and Tawa (hot griddle plate), the chefs at Amaya have taken their direction from the roots of Indian cuisine and in doing so have created master cuisine aimed at the modern palate.With the menu divided into salads, fish, poultry, lamb and vegetarian, the dishes are served in modest portions, with the idea being that six to eight portions provide a delectable mix for two people. The theatre style kitchen gives the venue an exciting buzz, and as soon as we had placed our order we saw the chefs start work behind the grills.The first dish to arrive consisted of two king scallops served on their shell. The velvety meat of the shellfish had the perfect consistency, whilst the chilli, coriander, lime and lemongrass sauce offered a sublimely delicate but decisive taste. To follow, some incredibly tender black pepper chicken chops and a whole serving of Madagascar king prawn. The crustacean had a sweet meat that bore resemblance to both lobster and king prawn, whilst at the same time retaining a distinctive flavour.To keep our taste buds dancing the waiter served Tandoor cooked broccoli in a mild yogurt sauce and a selection of Naan Bread, which was amazingly crisp and still warm from the grill. Last but not least, we finished our imperial meal with a royal lamb kebab. Created for an Emperor, who despite not having any teeth still wanted to eat kebab, the dish is created from finely chopped lamb, complimented by a delicious selection of spices. For dessert, we opted for the chargrilled mango and lemon tart with Limoncello jelly, the perfect companion to a meal that had provided an amazing explosion of tastes.Since opening in late 2004, Amaya has won several accolades, including the Tio Pepe award for Best Restaurant, Best New Restaurants in London 2005, and a Michelin Star. It takes a great team of people to create the perfect interior, atmosphere, service, menu and quality of food and I truly believe Amaya has got it all. 11 stars out of 10

Leanne Baker   21-03-2006

"This is a great choice for a special night out. The dishes are ideal for sharing and everything is delicious. The open kitchen is great to watch the chefs cooking with the tandoori and it makes your mouth water before the food arrives. A really beautiful restaurant to take someone special. "

Sarah Jacobs   21-03-2006

"This is a really amazing restaurant with open kitchen and delicious food. The dishes are great for sharing and all are so tasty. This is a great place for a special night out."