Imran Mansuri, who has spent over twenty years working in the kitchens of some of London’s most renowned Indian restaurants, including Michelin-starred Benares and Jamavar, as well as Tamarind and Kolamba, plus Annabel’s, has launched his own venture, RAAZ, in Putney, south west London.
Meaning “secret” in Hindi, Chef-Patron Mansuri aims to bring something more personal than the fine dining Indian establishments of Mayfair, “Shaped by the flavours of his childhood, sharpened by years in London’s top kitchens.”
As part of a new wave of Indian chefs bringing ambition and polish to local dining rooms, Mansuri will offer signatures inncluding his an overnight nihari rib- traditionally made with lamb, but reimagined with beef, falling from the bone and finished with marrow; Cornish lamb chop served with kadai mushrooms and a soft-yolk quail egg; wild garlic chicken is charred and paired with broccoli, or Malabar fish curry with seabass simmered in a coconut broth with a Keralan influence.
Vegetarian options feature Essex pumpkin stewed with southern spices in a coconut-rich moilee, while Malai broccoli comes with cauliflower purée and pickled onion in a dish that is as layered as any of the grills.
The classics that define Indian cooking at its most comforting and familiar: chicken tikka masala, prawn Chettinad, palak paneer and more. The balance at RAAZ is deliberate: food that feels both authentic and ambitious, never straying too far from the dishes diners love most.
A cocktails list includes turmeric gin and tonic arrives bright gold; a guava rani of chilli infused tequila infused in-house with chillies; a lychee royale with sparkling rosé, and a coastal old-fashioned of bourbon fat-washed with coconut and coffee, then stirred with a touch of maple.
The interior boasts a long bar running through the centre of the restaurant with stools for eating and drinking; a glass-roofed dining room; plus a small six-seat nook. A mix of heritage and modern touches makes the space feel both polished and relaxed, while a sharp sound system keeps the energy going well into the evening.
RAAZ
113 Lower Richmond Rd, London SW15 1EX
Author: George Shaw
Former BBC journalist and founder and CEO of an award-winning London advertising and PR company for 20 years, providing restaurant consultancy services. Spent a decade as the director of communications of the Asian Catering Federation in the UK and lead judge for its various restaurant and chef awards programmes. Now returned to journalism, specialising in food and travel and currently the Editor-in-Chief for Taste London, Taste Asia, the Good Curry Guide and CEO of International Culinary Guides.