Vaasu by Atul Kochhar

Atul Kochhar was among the first generation of chefs to reinvent Indian cooking for the modern age. At his second Marlow address (he also runs Sindhu by the riverside), a gentle atmosphere is created by means of muted woodland colours, a sequence of matching framed pictures and festoon lighting across the ceiling. However, there is plenty to excite the imagination on a series of resourceful menus that might feature tandoori broccoli with tomato chutney and pomegranate to start, or perhaps baked spiced scallops with cauliflower purée and herb-scented ghee. Spicing is generally found to be on the mild side, so don't expect to be blasted with chilli – certainly not when lobster cooked in the tandoor comes with caramelised tomato and coconut korma alongside a grilled pineapple salad. A knowledgeable reader was particularly impressed by what Kochhar makes of traditional dishes like dhal makhani and saag gosht, but it is the more speculative ideas such as muntjac venison with aubergine, celeriac purée and a sauce of berries and chocolate that will tantalise a novelty-hungry crowd. By the time desserts are offered, the influence of Subcontinental cooking may have receded to a dot on the Indian Ocean horizon – or so it seems with carrot cake and walnut brittle, or chocolate fondant with berry salsa. Prepare your palate with an apposite cocktail such as a fragrantly fizzy jaggery and coriander mojito, before moving on to full-bodied wines with bags of tang.

1 Rosette Award for Culinary Excellence