"Indian with a modern twist"

Added Wed 28 Apr 2010 by Leila

Maharani Soho has been open since 1971. The Berwick St eatery seems inconspicuous from the outside - in fact I hadn’t paid much attention to it before visiting. We stepped in to a clean, polished interior with decoratively placed serviettes on the tables, and plonked ourselves down by a window whereby we could observe passers by rushing home.

Flicking through the menu I noted cuisine from different regions of India is featured, however upon closer inspection the description of each dish revealed very modern combinations of ingredients; think marinated venison chops or whole white pumpkin stuffed with Indian cheese, raisins and coriander.

As we turned the pages incessantly unable to decide between the many choices on offer, we wondered why this Soho restaurant might be so empty. We were the only people there, however it was after all a Monday evening, and this is definitely not your average Indian takeaway.

While we debated what to order we nibbled on poppadoms accompanied by a selection of homemade chutneys: a refreshing beetroot, cooling mint, and a very sweet pumpkin. We also sipped a full bodied Rioja Conde de Valdemar (£24.90).

We decided to be experimental with our food and order the most exotic sounding things on the menu, starting with broccoli paneer tikka (£5.95), two portions of paneer marinated in spices, served with pieces of roasted broccoli with melted cheese on top. The broccoli was peppery, and a salad with pitted black olives, bean sprouts, asparagus, and tomato came on the side.

Our other starter was anjiri kumkum (£5.95), button mushrooms stuffed with figs and melted cheese. A rather curious choice for an Indian restaurant - it reminded me a little of the entrees you get at American fast food eateries. The figs and paneer cheese however, make this a different experience altogether.

For our main course we ordered the Goan fish curry (£14.95) and the highly tempting venison chops (£19.95). Another unusual choice, we were curious as to how venison would translate in an Asian restaurant, but it was a surprisingly good marriage. Two chops, marinated in herbs and sweet chilli remained tender and with a robust, spicy flavour, yet without being overpowering.

The Goan fish curry on the other hand was very fiery for my gentle palate. Large chunks of halibut swam in a sauce that consisted of coconut milk and spices, though the coconut was barely perceptible over the seasoning, and I ate nearly an entire bowl of rice to cool my mouth down. Having said that, I admit to being something of a weakling when it comes to very piquant flavours.

For dessert we were brought Indian ice cream (£3.95), a milky concoction with cardamom and a sprinkling of pistachio, not overly sweet; and a beetroot variation of gajar halwa, the popular carrot sweet often consumed on special occasions. Beetroot is a surprisingly good alternative to carrot, with a velvety texture which seemed to melt in the mouth. Not an ounce remained of either dessert.

The food at Maharani is sophisticated, and each dish deserves time with which to be savoured and enjoyed; the prices reflect the care that has gone into their preparation. Despite having wandered into an empty restaurant to begin with, groups of people began to arrive at around 8pm and proceeded to order wine and starters, clearly at the start of a long feast. It’s no wonder Maharani has been going for almost 40 years.