Pravaas opens in South Kensington

Chef Shilpa Dandekar has officially opened her second restaurant, Pravaas, in South Kensington, following the success of her first bricks and mortar site Pure Indian Cooking in Fulham. 

Pravaas is a place that embodies “a deep respect for the roots of Indian cuisine” whilst broadening culinary horizons with new takes on tradition.  

Situated near South Kensington station, Pravaas’s 30-cover establishment, complete with subterranean private dining room, features a décor with tactile textures in a “serene” colour palette. 

The emerald grasscloth wallcoverings are offset by industrial lighting and black steel elements, softened by soft grey tub chairs and larger, curved, velvet banquettes.  

In the restaurant’s 20-cover private dining room there is a large chef’s window providing unobstructed views into the kitchen. An interactive Moonflower wall installation by ceramist Colin Johnson enhances the space with a mix of lights and forms.  

Dandekar first learned her trade with India’s famed Taj hotel group before arriving in the UK and working with chef Sriram Aylur at Michelin-starred Quilon and Raymond Blanc. 

The tasting menu takes diners through eight curated courses that weave together to create one “unforgettable dining experience”.  

Other a la carte options include pre-starters of traditional naan breads, papadums or the Taste Of  Mumbai – a selection of wheat puffs filled with tangy chutneys and sweet yoghurt – pani poori, colcannon ragda pattice. Other starters include fried squid, vegetable tempura, smoked beetroot tikki, and lamb galouti. 

Main courses feature wasabi chicken tikka, venison dalcha, barberry duck, malvani chicken, and red snapper and palourde moilee. 

Signature cocktails include a kaffir lime margarita, tulsi mojito, black spiced old fashioned with homemade burnt orange syrup, and the punchy passion and fire complete with kashmiri chilli hit.