Nirvana Kitchen

Nirvana Kitchen

61 Upper Berkeley Street

London

W1H 7PP

It was a pleasure for the Gourmet Girls to dine at Nirvana Kitchen on the first warm spring evening in London. My guest and I were greeted by welcoming staff before we were led off to the well-appointed dining room, located in an 18th-century townhouse with large floor to ceiling windows.

The name of the restaurant, Nirvana, is misleading as one might expect heavily spiced dishes from the Indian subcontinent to be served. Instead, the menu featured "a pan-Asian odyssey". A variety of dishes inspired by the flavours of China, Thailand, Japan, Korea, Malaysia, and India made our choices difficult. Assured that all dishes at Nirvana Kitchen are prepared from fresh ingredients, we wanted to sample a variety.


My decision finally rested on Scallop Ceviche to start and charcoal grilled Beef Bulgogi as the main course. My guest chose Softshell Crab Tempura followed by Lobster Curry. Asian fusion dishes can easily end up as odd concoctions but this was not the case at Nirvana Kitchen. My Scallop Ceviche was perfect. Served in a clear green glass dish, it contained thinly sliced fresh scallop, tiny pieces of fresh vegetables and small slices of yuzu (Japanese lime), coated with a peppery citrus marinade. My guest's Softshell Crab Tempura was cooked and presented outstandingly. Flaky crabmeat, lightly battered and fried, was artfully piled into a bamboo box and served with ponzu, (a thin soy and citrus dipping sauce) and a sour mango dip. Coupled with a cold beer, this dish was a treat.


Next came the Beef Bulgogi which was delightful. Thinly sliced beef, marinated Korean style, was charcoal grilled and tossed with toasted sesame seeds. This was served with an interesting purple potato mash and tiny sliced carrots, rendering the dark, sticky beef slices visually appealing. I did not intend to order a side dish but I was convinced otherwise to try the Roti Canai. This divine moist, flaky Malaysian bread came hot out of the oven on an earthenware plate.. My guest had Lobster Curry, served in a coconut bowl, and decorated with a lobster tail. This curry was very much akin to curries I have eaten in Malaysia- the spicy heat was turned up high, with plenty of seafood, coconut milk, lemongrass, and pineapple.

If I have any complaint at all, I would have liked to see more of the extensive wine list be available by the glass. Overall, however, we enjoyed a beautifully cooked and visually appealing meal at Nirvana Kitchen, and I wouldn't hesitate to recommend dining there.