Gymkhana

Rating: *****

Inspired by Raj polo clubs during days of empire.  Spread over two floors, the ground-floor dining room booths and bar, with leather upholstery, ceiling fans, prints and hunting trophies from the Maharaja of Jodhpur lends itself to entertaining business clients.  While the rich red basement is more has a more is better suited to intimate dinners.  The superlative cooking is mostly Northern Indian: grills, game and chops with modern reimaginations.

Having quickly won widespread acclaim after its 2013 opening, this senior member of Mayfair dinning royalty a regular haunt of A-list celebrities and power lunchers.  But it was forced to close for 8 months following a major fire, which forced its closure for 8 months allowing the owning Sethi family to recreate the home of some of London’s hardest to book tables.

Recommended dishes:  guinea fowl pepper fry served with a Malabar paratha, pork cheek vindaloo, tandoori lamb chops with walnut chutney, wild muntjac biryani.

English sparklers now enjoyed a much-deserved inclusion on the drinks menu alongside a specially commissioned 4th Rifles Pale Ale.

42 Abemarle Street Mayfair London