db Drinks: The Lounge at Benares

Atul Kochhar’s Michelin-starred Indian restaurant has been something of a foodie mecca for years, but it is also a venue that can delight the fastidious imbiber.

The concept: Sitting nonchalantly among some of London’s star venues, Benares does not necessarily have the glamorous magnetism of, say, Sexy Fish, or the inconspicuous allure of celeb favourite Nobu. But that hasn’t stopped it becoming a destination dining experience for Londoners and tourists alike.

The restaurant, which was first awarded a Michelin-star in 2007, may not be widely known as a drinking hotspot, but an innovative cocktail menu and impressive wine list available in The Lounge certainly make it worth a visit, with or without dinner (NB: dinner is certainly advisable).

The décor: Sleek black and grey interiors are brought to life with cleverly placed bright fabrics and patterns, reminiscent of the venue’s inspirational motherland. While some Indian restaurants can bombard the senses with colours, shapes and textures, Benares keeps it classy with a modern, minimalist look.

Recently revamped, The Lounge in particular is very well placed – far away enough from the hustle and bustle of the main restaurant that guests can enjoy a cocktail peacefully, but close enough that delectable kitchen smells waft through, making mouths water and tummies grumble.

Chocolate Monk, one of The Lounge’s decadent cocktails

The drinks: Glimpse The Lounge’s cocktail menu and it becomes clear that it has been designed to enhance the full dining experience, reflecting the wonderful flavours of the restaurant’s dishes.

Many of the cocktails have been created in collaboration between the kitchen and bar teams, with some serves taking on the role of palate cleansers, while others act as exposure therapists – offering an abundance of unctuous fruit flavours and fiery chilli heat.

Twists on classics such as the Martini, Manhattan and Negroni feature heavily, elevated with bold flavours of Indian fruits and spices.

Signature sip: The Passion Fruit Chutney Martini, created with input from Kochhar himself, is a must. Containing passion fruit chutney, Wyborowa vodka, fresh lemon juice, sugar and a dash of passion fruit juice, the cocktail manages to walk the taste tightrope of sweet and mouth puckeringly tart.

The food: Then main culinary event is, of course, the restaurant menu, but The Lounge boasts a decent Indian street food bar list, which is reasonably priced – the five-dish Tasting Menu costs £30.00.

If the smells of the restaurant are too good to resist, try the Crispy Tikka Naan, Smoked Tomato Dressing dish or the Pickled Prawn with Crispy Rice Pani Puri.

Who to know: Head bartender Stefano Marchetto is the man to satisfy your exotic cocktail desires.

Don’t leave without: Trying one of the decadent chocolate-based dessert cocktails – but perhaps skip pudding if you do.