Pravaas Kensington, Where Every Bite Tells A Story
Pravaas is a boutique Indian restaurant found on a South Kensington side street, where making your way through the menu is to follow a story unfolding.
Head chef Shilpa Dandekar takes traditional recipes from various Indian regions and uses authentic ingredients to create modern twists on culinary classics. From the poppadum basket using fenugreek and chilli in fried flour as well as a crackling sabu bani rice cracker, to the Taste of Mumbai pani puree platter, we’re off to a good start with crisp and flavoursome appetisers accompanied by a refreshing Indian beer.
Our waiter Aniket explained that the Pravaas menu pays homage to the rich roots of Indian cuisine. It draws inspiration from diverse regional flavours and cherished recipes passed down through generations. The team’s commitment is a celebration of the culinary heritage that weaves a tapestry of tastes within Indian food. Each dish can be traced back to a member of the team’s roots, and they can tell tales of childhood meals whose ingredients are incorporated in the dishes served today.
Pravaas’ Indian inspiration
Our selection of starters included dahi sev puri wheat puffs which were down-in-one, and an incredibly innovative Indian twist on colcannon in the form of a pannice topped with chickpeas and chutneys. We also enjoyed a delicious seekh kebab from the clay oven.
The Mangalorean chicken cooked with coconut, chilli and tamarind was tender and tangy and oh-so moreish, and the sides all came with tiny tweaks on traditional flavours. The dal makhani has a flavour refined over years of experimentation. The fenugreek leaves in the Lasooni Palak serve to give a flavoursome twist to the creamed spinach dish.
For those with room for dessert, you won’t be disappointed. We recommend you finish up with the shahi tukra, made of crispy brioche bread, reduced saffron milk, stewed apple and rose and pistachio whipped cream.
Service at Pravaas is friendly and informal. Families enjoyed tapas style meals, sharing food and soaking up the atmosphere, while a couple by the window enjoyed a date night. It’s a small space but beautifully furnished with the feel of a trendy friend’s front room rather than formal Kensington restaurant.
Prices are also reasonable for the area. And there is a 12-course tasting menu available for just £69pp if you’re feeling adventurous and would like to try some lesser known or untraditionally-tweaked Indian delights.
- Find Pravaas at 3 Glendower Place, SW7 3DU or visit www.pravaas.com to check out the menu and book a table.
