Masalchi by Atul Kochhar modern Indian dining within Wembley Park

In London alone, apparently there more Indian restaurants in the city than within Mumbai and Delhi combined according to the Times of India. In fact within the UK there are over 10,000 Indian restaurants to dine at. Indian dishes usually consist of spices, herbs, vegetables and fruits.

However with there being so many Indian restaurants within London and the UK in fact it can be quite hard to know which to dine at but have you ever dined at one which is run by a Michelin-Star Chef?

I was lucky enough to be invited to visit twice Michelin-Star Chef Atul Kochhar newest restaurant Masalchi, which has hit London’s Wembley Park.

Atul Kochhar comes from Jamshedpur in East India, and has changed the way people perceive and experience Indian cuisine in the UK. With eight restaurants within the UK (and more to come) he has been the forefront of the culinary industry for over 25 years. Now he brings to London his ninth restaurant Masalchi.

Atul serves up dishes which are a combination of traditional and regional Indian recipes, along with quality spices and other ingredients from India and locally bringing a British flair to the plate.

Masalchi by Atul Kochhar

Atul Kochhar award winning Michelin Star chef has recently opened up his latest restaurant within London’s Wembley Park bringing modern Indian dishes to the table.

Hungry diners can enjoy hearty and rustic homely cooked food within a relaxed and sociable setting. The pan-Indian menu features dishes discovered by Kochhar at provincial markets during his back-street travels and street food experiences. Masalchi brings an authentic carnival of spices in a selection of fragrant curries, juicy grills, satisfying half plates and Handi, Masala & Kalia dishes all from the heart.

Modern Indian dining within Wembley Park

As mentioned before there are over 10,000 Indian restaurants across the UK. No wonder some high streets within the UK has more than one Indian restaurant to choose to dine at or grab a takeaway. However if you are looking for that something a little special then there are plenty of award winning restaurants to choose from such as twice Michelin-Star Chef Atul Kochhar’s restaurants.

Atul Kochhar has an array of award winning restaurants under his belt and he has now opened up another Masalchi, which can be found in Wembley Park.

Having eaten at Atul Kochhar’s restaurant before, Indian Essence in Petts Wood I knew that his latest restaurant was going to be equally as good and it sure was.

Masalchi is all about bringing a traditional spice blend of India’s spices in a relaxed and sociable setting, with a Pan-Indian menu of healthy and hearty dishes which Atul discovered at provincial markets during his back-street travels and street food experiences with family, friends and colleagues.

The restaurant is large and spacious making it the perfect setting to together with families and/or friends. As Atul wants people to be able to just sit back and enjoy a range of Indian sharing platters or dishes.

There are several menus to choose from but all dishes are designed from his back-street travels and street food experiences. There are dishes which are loaded with a carnival of spices, juicy grills, half plates, Handi, Masala and Kalia dishes to choose from. As Atul wants to serve up dishes which are hearty, colourful, fragrant and flavoursome.

I was invited down to enjoy the delights of Atul’s Spice Masters menu which is a set fixed menu and contains a variety of vegetable, meat and seafood dishes.

Everything that came to the table looked amazing and was all so fragrant and delicious in taste.

Here is a breakdown of what I and my husband enjoyed on the evening.

Poppadoms – tomato sauce chutney & mango chutney
Poppadoms are always a great way to start off any meal. They were not greasy, golden in colour, and had a great bite. The chutneys worked beautifully with the poppadoms. The tomato chutney punchy and the mango one chunky, very fruity and had that hit of spice, yummy.

Chicken 65 – chicken tossed with curry leaves and chilli
The slices of chicken was gorgeous but what really made this dish exceptional was the creamy, butter sauce which had a nice hit of heat thanks to the chilli within.

Miyaji Sheekwale – lamb seekh kebab
The lamb kebab was well put together and the sauce however loaded with spice and so was a little too spicy for my liking.

Aloo Kachori – spicy and fragrant bread & potato curry
If you love potato then you’ll love this potato dish. Bit like a eating naan bread with mash.

Machhi Masala – fish in a spiced sauce
The fish used within this dish was cod. It was fresh, white and flaky, literally melted in my mouth upon eating it. The sauce worked beautiful with the cod as well and the spices used within did not overpower the fish. One of my favourite dishes of the whole menu.

Mutton Keema Aloo – Ground mutton & potatoes
This dish to me was a little like eaten a bowl of porridge which was made from mutton and potatoes instead of oats. It was a little too stodgy for my liking and too lamby in flavour.

Chicken Makhan Palak – classic butter chicken with spinach
This chicken dish was my favourite. The chicken was succulent and the butter creamy sauce was heavenly so flavoursome and the spinach gave it extra texture and bite.

Peeli Daal
Creamy lentils.

Pulao rice & Naan
The rice white and fluffy with that extra crunch from the fried onions and the Naan fluffy and bready.

Gulab Jamun – cheese dumpling in rose syrup
To end the night I enjoyed a very unusual dessert of a cheese dumpling in rose syrup and I was pleasantly surprised. Does not contain cheese but made from flour, milk and yoghurt mainly. It tastes a little similar to a doughnut but more soft, sweet and sticky thanks to the syrup. A real sweet kick.

What I particularly loved though about this set menu is how it provided a real nice sharing experience as most of the dishes came within mini bowls and you all then dive in and serve up your own portions.

Apart from the food whilst at Masalchi you can also enjoy a nice glass of wine, beer, or a delicious cocktail be it at the bar or at your table. I enjoyed one of their non alcoholic cocktails of a Berry Delight which was colourful and ever so fruity. So if you love fruit you’ll love that.

So if your looking for a tasty Indian where you can easily socialise and enjoy a tasty meal then I highly recommend Masalchi as they serve up great tasting food as well as tasty drinks.

Verdict

Masalchi is a wonderful new addition to Wembley Park and a must visit for anyone who loves Indian cuisine.

The restaurant itself is very spacious with an open kitchen and bar in the centre. I personally love that you are not sitting practically on top of each other like other restaurants but it was perhaps a little too spacious and tables spread out too much making it feel more like a food hall.

However saying this the actual experience at Masalchi was a delight. The food was outstanding in particular the Chicken Mahkan Palak. The chicken was succulent and the sauce ever so flavoursome, buttery and creamy. Plus the cocktails were absolutely delicious and looked stunning.

So if you are looking for a great social dining experience where you can enjoy a range of sharing platters then I highly recommend Masalchi. A great restaurant for a get together with family and friends.

Masalchi by Atul Kochhar book your table

Masalchi by Atul Kochhar
2 Wembley Park Boulevard
Wembley
HA9 0HP

Monday to Thursday: 11am – 10pm
Friday to Saturday: 11am – 10:30pm
Sunday: 11:30am – 9:30pm

Telephone: 01494 728 126 or 020 8634 8181
Email: reservations@masalchi.co.uk

Latest menus:

• Masalchi Menu
• Festive Lunch
• Festive Dinner
• New Years Weekend
• New Years Eve
• No onion or garlic
• Desserts
• Cocktails & Drinks

Thanks to Masalchi for the invite. All views are my own honest opinion.