India has the world’s largest population and is the seventh biggest country globally when it comes to land mass. Given its size, it is only reasonable to expect huge variations in its cuisine. Most Indian restaurants in central London tend to embrace the food of Mumbai (Bombay), with a few nods to Gujarat and Delhi. Chourangi is therefore a very welcome addition to the London scene. Its mandate is to showcase “unexplored flavours of India”, with a specific emphasis on food from western Bengal.
Do not be put off by the venue’s location. It is located on a side street close to the Marble Arch end of Oxford Street, tucked close to a casino and a pub this reviewer would not feel happy entering. The backers behind the venue are an Indian restaurant group with over 100 outlets, primarily domestically. One can only think that Chourangi represents a foothold into the UK market. If the intention is to develop a chain, then bring it on. Despite the large number of covers that Chourangi can handle, the quality of the cooking demonstrates that this venue can comfortably hold its own versus other rivals serving up Indian fare.
Kolkata (formerly Calcutta) sits in the heart of western Bengal. Its culture is multi-faceted and the cuisine draws not only on traditional Indian influences but also the relative proximity to China. Both the British and the Portuguese were historically present in the region. Their presence is felt too. If there were a London precedent for Chourangi, then it might be Fatt Pundit. At both, there is an emphasis on sweet and sour, as well as spice.
The menu at Chourangi fits comfortably onto an A4 page with around 20 mains as well as dedicated tandoor grill and biryani sections. Pricing is reasonable with no dish above £30 and the majority priced at £20 or lower. A set lunch menu (3 courses for £27) or a five-course tasting menu (at £55) both constitute appealing options for other occasions. We kept it simple and ordered a handful of dishes off the menu. It was evident from what we sampled that Chourangi excelled in its preparation of both meats and vegetables. Clear thought has gone into dish composition: a judicious coating of coriander and other spices on our grilled chicken balanced by a touch of coconut-imparted sweetness would be one example. Another could be the slow cooking of an aubergine to the extent that its flesh disintegrated and melded with the accompanying mustard seed aromas. Again, there was a certain genius in choosing to finish this dish with an offsetting sweet tang, this time of mango. We need to explore more!