By Angela Green
Empire Empire is opening in Notting Hill next month taking inspiration from the late 1970s Indian disco era.
The new restaurant will have music and art at its heart, with a custom-made Marshall jukebox, Bollywood bangers will be the score to service. Walls will be adorned with works by two of the 20th century’s most respected Indian artists, Jogen Chowdhury and Rabin Mondal. Alongside Chowdhury and Mondal will be vintage LP covers that epitomise India’s groovy ‘70s scene.
The 40-cover restaurant will be lined with tables on one side, dressed with crisp white linen covered with paper cloths, reminiscent of India’s old-school curry houses. On the other side of the restaurant, guests will find a bar stocked with natural wines, beers, and ciders from 40ft Brewery, alongside a concise selection of pre-batched cocktails and a considered wine list curated by Mattia Bianchi of Berber & Q and Carmel.
The menu at Empire Empire is predominantly inspired by northwestern cuisines stretching across the old Punjab Empire, from Bihar across to Afghanistan. Dishes such as the Lasooni Tangdi Kebab, Nizam Chicken Kebab and Bihari Boti Kebab will be made by slowly charring the meats over hot coals – some of which will then be combined with rich sauces, such as in the Chicken Malai Curry.
Other main dishes and sharing plates will include vegetarian options like Malai Methi Matar, made with whole garden peas; and the showpiece signature of Lobster Dum Biryani – complete with the crustacean’s head emerging from the pastry lid. Marking a shift from Gunpowder, which seldom serves breads, Empire Empire will offer perfectly prepared naans and roti, as well as rice as a classic accompaniment.
Empire Empire will open on June 15th 2023
Empire Empire, 16 All Saints Road, London, W11 1HH
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