When it opened its doors to the public of Gurgaon near New Delhi in 2014, Farzi Café
created a sensation. They described themselves as “a sensory adventure of the traditional fused with the futuristic”. For the first time, traditional Indian and global classics were transformed by cutting edge molecular techniques, with a healthy serving of flair, panache and style on the side. It was a culinary offering for Millennials.

Now, five years on, there are no less than nine hugely successful sites across India
and one in Dubai. Most exciting of all though is that Farzi Café has now launched its first London restaurant at Number 8 Haymarket.

What makes this place exciting is that it’s daring enough to challenge the capital’s dining dynamic and preconceived ideas about Indian food – a cuisine that we’ve taken to our hearts in this country.

Farzi Café London is overseen by the award-winning chef Saurabh Udinia. One of India’s most acclaimed young talents, he has brought experimental Indian cuisine to the city for the first time, with the help of molecular gastronomy, state-of-the art equipment and food theatre unlike any seen before.

Signature dishes include concoctions such as Dal Chawal Arancini (Sicilian arancini balls made with dal & chawal served with aachar, papad & chutney), Raj Kachori (mini shells with sweet & sour pumpkin topped with chutney foam, crisp okra salad) and Tandoori Wild Mushrooms, Truffle & Walnut Dust.

The most exciting thing here though are the orders from the roasts and grills. The Tandoori Goat Shoulder is wonderfully tender, while the Grilled Baby Back Ribs Rogan Josh have a lovely sweetness to them. The standout dish for me though by some margin was the Wagyu Seekh Kebab. So good I wish I’d ordered double of it!

The presentation of all these dishes – and indeed everything on the menu – is of course
an impressive element of Farzi Café, but it is not until you have tasted these unique
creations that the whole experience is complete.

Farzi Café London has also joined forces with Dare Hospitality to offer a post-modern, lab-style bar serving a range of unique drinks playfully inspired by India’s ancient Hindu past. Each cocktail on The Vedika Menu (Sanskrit for “restoring knowledge”) has been created using the latest equipment including centrifugal machines and a sonic homogeniser. The result is a collection of drinks – among them the Harmonised Mithuna, a heady mix of dark rum, pecan orgeat, toasted sesame oil, ashwagandha, jasmine, holy basil tincture, clarified lime and sugarcane crystals.

There’s also a selection of small producer wines, with fine vintages available by glass using the Coravin system. These are served at the perfect temperature from the in-house EuroCave. Rounding off this offering are beers from the celebrated Indian craft brewery, White Rhino.

Plush stylish decor across a two-floor Soho setting coupled with Farzified British classics (deconstructed Tawa Aloo and Wagyu Shepherd’s Pie, Masala Scotch Eggs and Amritsari fish & chips) hardly makes this the type of fare you would find at your average Indian fine dining restaurant. But then Farzi Café isn’t your average Indian fine dining restaurant.

For more information, visit www.farzilondon.com