An Indian Accent Feast at Benares

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Hold onto your naans, London!

From 7th to 10th July, the legendary Michelin-starred Benares  – a name that needs no introduction – is set to host a culinary cage fight of Indian gastronomy, as Chef Sameer Taneja joins forces with Chef Shantanu Mehrotra of Indian Accent fame.

This isn’t just a pop-up; it’s a full-on flavour invasion, reuniting two culinary titans for a four-night feast that promises to tickle your tastebuds – and possibly make you question your life choices.

Indian Accent, the Delhi-Mumbai darling that’s been Asia’s culinary poster child since 2008, waltzes back into London after a five-year hiatus, swaggering into Benares like a prodigal son with a spice rack. The result? A tasting menu that’s less a meal and more a transformative journey through India’s regional riches, tarted up with British ingredients and enough modern flair to make your gran’s korma blush.

It kicks off with snacks that sound like they were dreamt up in a feverish foodie fantasy: Bird seekh kebab, Oyster chaat, and Bread pakoda – because nothing says “fancy” like a pakora with a posh postcode.

Starters like Dahi Aloo with purple potato and Goat’s Cheese Dabeli keep things quirky, while the Scallop Malabar, a hand-dived Scottish scallop swimming in coconut curry, might just have you whispering sweet nothings to your plate. Meat lovers, brace for Hiran Ki Boti (fallow deer with a moringa-green chilli kick) and Meetha Achaar Pork Spare Ribs, which sound like they could start a riot in a butcher shop.

The main event? A slow-braised lamb shank in prune and mulberry korma, served with black dairy dal and Indian Accent’s signature kulcha; after all, why settle for one showstopper when you can have three?

Desserts are no less decadent: a Banana halwa tart with Kentish cherries and a Doda burfi treacle tart that’s basically a love letter to sugar. Oh, and a Daulat Ki Chaat, because who doesn’t want to end their meal with a dish that sounds like a Bollywood villain’s catchphrase?

Chef Shantanu and Chef Sameer

Chef Sameer, clearly still buzzing from his Indian adventures, calls this a “full-circle moment,” while Shantanu, ever the poetic one, says it’s about “making the familiar unfamiliar.” Translation: they’re going to blow your mind with flavours you didn’t know could coexist. At £135 a pop, it’s not cheap, but for a front-row seat to this culinary bromance, it’s a steal. Book now, or risk weeping into your supermarket korma.

The Indian Accent dinner is available at Benares, 12a Berkeley Square, London W1J 6BS, from 7th-10th July, priced at £135pp. For more information, and for bookings, please visit www.benaresrestaurant.com. Don’t forget to wear your stretchy trousers.

Photos by Nandit Desai

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