London’s hardest-working Indian restaurant celebrates 23 years

Babur, London’s hardest-working Indian restaurant, is about to celebrate its 23rd anniversary with a tasting menu made to match five exceptional wines. The 23rd baburthday celebration begins 17 July and runs until 31 August.

Since opening, Babur has always highlighted the varied regional cuisines of the subcontinent. Along with a bright but warm and open interior, the redesign of 2006 included a totally new kitchen, now led by head chef Jiwan Lal (ex-Oberoi Hotel Cecil, Simla), and assisted by sous chef Praveen Kumar Gupta (ex-Oberoi Rajvilas, Jaipur). While continuing to wholeheartedly present the best of regional cooking, Babur’s kitchen acknowledges the fact that India’s cuisines continue to develop from this base of tradition by also presenting the contemporary cooking of the subcontinent.

The 23rd anniversary tasting menu has been made to match:

Shaw and Smith, Adelaide Hills, Sauvignon Blanc 2007
Shaw and Smith, Adelaide Hills, ‘M3 Vineyard’ Chardonnay 2007
Vignetto delle Terre Rosse, Petroso Merlot 2002, Colli Bolognese
Black Sanglain Cabernet, Setanta, Adelaide Hills 2005
Rieslaner Auslese Weingut Weegmuller Rheinpfalz 2003

The 74-seat restaurant recently celebrated Punjabi New Year with food from the head chef’s home region. Earlier in the year, the restaurant celebrated the 525th birthday of Babur, the first Great Mughal Emperor of India, with a menu of Afghan cooking. For the 2007 festival of Rajasthani cooking. owner Emdad Rahman travelled through Rajasthan with sous chef Praveen Kumar Gupta to research the food and culture of the region.

Over the years, Babur has become a firm local favourite – the sort of restaurant area residents point out with pride. As well as an a la carte menu at both lunch and dinner, there is a light summer lunch menu with all dishes available in both small and large portions; there are always specials to supplement the a la carte. The keenly-priced wine list was selected by Peter McCombie MW and the strong cocktail list features bespoke house drinks.

The redesign by the architectural practice of glas features exposed brick and duct work, stone floors, sandstone walls, subtle lighting and a significant kalamkari (textile art) by Ajit Kumar Das. Leather banquettes and chairs are stylishly minimal but designed with the diners’ comfort in mind.

For further information and full menus, visit Babur.info.