La Porte Des Indes, London 4.92

Established in 1996, literally translated La Porte des Indes means Gateway to India. Housed in a former Edwardian ballroom, the restaurant is a versatile space spanning two floors adorned with antique Indian artifacts and boasting a stunning white marble staircase, 40ft Mogul waterfall, Jungle Bar and private rooms. Exotic plants and flowers fill the light and airy interior with their alluring scent and provide a visually stunning display.

The mainstay of the menu is the Gallic influenced dishes representative of Pondicherry, a former French colony in India dating back to the nineteenth century. Mehernosh Mody (Executive Chef at La Porte) and his wife Sherin, spent several months in Pondicherry researching the traditional cuisine of French-Creole communities, and persuaded them to part with some of their closely guarded family recipes. These “grand dames” of Pondichery gave them a unique set of original recipes; some very French, some Tamil and some typically Creole. The resulting menu gave birth to a unique culinary experience, a taste of the traditional cuisine of the Indian sub continent and specialities of Pondicherry.