The latest addition to the Putney dining scene, RAAZ, has picked up three restaurant awards in as many months. The modern India establishment, which opened in September, has added ‘Best Newcomer – Fine Dining’ at the Asian Food & Drink Awards [AFRA] held at the iconic Dilly Hotel in the West End in December, to its haul.
RAAZ also received similar accolades from the Good Curry Guide (Best Newcomer London) and International Culinary Guides (Best Asian Newcomer – UK) at the end of last year.
The Lower Richmond Road venue, which has been wowing SW15’s foodies since it launched in the Autumn, brings a standard of south Asian cooking rarely encountered outside Mayfair’s highend Michelin-starred Indian restaurants.
The menu featuring classic chaat, modern small plates, tandoori grills and “punchy” curries will includes Cornish lamb chops with kadai mushrooms and quail egg, wild-garlic chicken chop with charred broccoli, and Malabar fish curry with wild sea bass.
Signature dishes include 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.
The drinks menu offers Indian-accented cocktails of turmeric gin and tonic and jalapeno-guava margaritas, alongside a wine list that ranges from ‘accessible pours’ to ‘special occasion’ bottles.
Cocktails includes turmeric gin and tonic, 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.
“At Raaz, we invite guests to explore India’s rich culinary roots through a modern lens, refined, balanced, and bright with the kind of elevated, nuanced food you’d expect in Mayfair or Soho, right here in Putney.”” said a RAAZ spokesman, “To receive one prestigious award is an incredible achievement for the team – to win three is truly incredible.”
Meaning “secret” RAAZ, is a modern Indian restaurant in Putney, which brings to life secret recipes passed down through generations — reimagined through the lens of contemporary gastronomy, with a bold fusion of India’s rich regional flavors with innovative, modern techniques.
The impressive interior features a long bar running through the centre of the restaurant with stools for eating and drinking, a glass-roofed dining room, plus a small sixer-seat nook. A mix of heritage and modern touches give a polished yet relaxed feel, while a sharp sound system keeps the energy going well into the evening.
The Asian Food & Restaurant Awards [AFRA] is an annual black-tie gala dinner dedicated to recognising excellence across the Asian food and hospitality sector. The awards celebrate outstanding achievements among restaurants, takeaways, chefs, food and drink brands, catering companies, retailers, and suppliers that have made an indelible mark on the eating habits of the British public.
Attul Haq, AFRA’s CEO, said: “The British-Asian food and hospitality industry plays a significant role in the UK economy and contributes greatly to the country’s cultural and economic growth.”
RAAZ
113 Lower Richmond Rd, London SW15 1EX
T: 020 4568 7467 E: info@razzlondon.com W: www.raazlondon.com
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.