An authentic Indian restaurant. Brilliant service, nice environment. Their food was delicious. They don't have names like vandaloo, korma, jalfrezi on their menu that's because there is no term such as vindaloo, korma, zalfrzi in Indian food for real. They have food names what would have appeared in the menu if you ever visit any restaurant in India. I recommend anyone to have a party or get together at this restaurant. I am sure you would thank me for the recommendation.
Absolutely love dining here whether it's with family, a larger group for a special occasion or just with friends. Jitindar and his team are always very welcoming and always appreciate your repeat custom. The food is exceptional and the menu choices never disappoint. The special evenings where Atul Kochhar collaborates with another chef are definitely worth attending. If you haven't been, you must go as you're missing out!
Great meal, (tasting menu with matched wines ), we were well looked after by the staff , good service and complimentary post meal drinks , would definitely recommend.
Great food and wonderful service thank you for a wonderful afternoon on Sunday. Lovely restaurant great table setting lovely clean table cloths beautifully polished glassware. Food very good excellent wine selection and drinks menu. One of the best Indian restaurants we have been to we would recommend it to anyone.
hi there, without a doubt this was the best indian meal i have ever eaten! highly recommend the MURG MAKHAN MASALA, naan, pomegranate raita ... :)
Delicious Easter menu, I had crispy fried squid with chilli & lime for starters and spiced crusted romney marsh rump of lamb, masala egg with chettinaad spices for main, I really enjoyed the Fusion Indian cuisine. Great wine menu to compliment the lovely food. Friendly service and we were also lucky enough to have a singer who created an uplifting atmosphere.
Fantastic food, and the place just smells gorgeous the moment you walk inside. Everything was so fresh and aromatic, and cooked to perfection. Staff are polite and helpful too.
Fantastic service with very friendly staff. The drinks are great and the food is absolutely delicious. We thoroughly enjoyed the experience and will be coming back. Was a lovely experience!
Celebrated 3 of our birthdays here yesterday for Sunday lunch. The eight of us ordered from the set menu. Everyone loved the food and ambience and will certainly be returning again. Beautifully cooked fresh food, looked so appetizing. Attentive staff. Very highly recommended.
Their food is exquisite, and the service is excellent. Would highly recommend it.
Undoubtedly the finest Indian restaurant I've ever been to! Delicious food with excellent service.
Nice atmosphere, nice drinks list and amazing food. Will be back again - lots of times !
Best Indian food I have tasted west of the Arabian Sea
Been so many times now and the food has always been beyond our expectations also the staff are 1st class.
Excellent delicious food atmosphere great can’t wait to come again thank you 😊
Lovely food.Friendly staff! Would recommend.
Indian Essence is an unpretentious Indian restaurant that is easy to find from the Nottinghill Gate tube station. The food was spicy yet delicate, and very tasty. Service was professional, friendly and unhurried. You get good value for the money you pay. Recommended!
Came here with my husband and we went straight into mains: biryani, goat curry, paneer, potato, dhal and a kulcha to share. Dessert was chocolate fondant and carrot pudding(halwa). Food was excellent and we polished the lot! Our only gripe - the bread was a bit oily on the surface. My husbands favourite was the goat curry, mine the carrot pudding. At first look portions seem small but by the end of it we could hardly move. Staff were polite and attentive. Service well paced. At £90 altogether which included a cocktail and one soft drink it’s not a cheap night out, but a treat you would want to repeat. Thank you for a lovely evening.
Atul Kochhar is a busy man, he quickly came to the attention of the foodie community when he was head chef at Tamarind where he was awarded a Michelin star. In 2007 he opened the highly acclaimed Benares and a second Michelin star soon followed. Since then he has opened restaurants across the globe and he is one of P & O Cruise’s Food Heroes, responsible for the Sindhu restaurants on the ships.
Our search for high quality restaurants in and around Orpington received a massive boost after our visit to Indian Essence. The exterior and location are rather unassuming but do not be fooled by that - the quality of the food is exceptional, befitting the connection the restaurant has with Benares. The Daal Makhani and the Tandoori Murg dishes were particular favourites and the overall experience was enhanced by the complimentary amuse-bouch.
However, on the downside the restaurant was practically empty and lacked any atmosphere at all - although this could be due to the post Xmas blues. It will also put a pretty significant hole in your pocket, but would say it is certainly worth it for a special occasion. #zomatoday #restaurantsinorpington #indianessense #thebenaresconnection #atulkochhar
Indulging in the culinary tapestry of Indian Essence was an exquisite journey into the heart of authentic Indian flavours . Each dish, a harmonious blend of spices, transported my taste buds to a realm of gastronomic delight. The kaleidoscope of aromas and nuanced tastes showcased the culinary prowess embedded in every creation. Beyond the delectable fare, the staff's attentive service elevated the experience to a symphony of hospitality. Their genuine warmth and knowledge of the menu added a personal touch, making the dining sojourn truly exceptional. A culinary haven where impeccable flavors dance in tandem with impeccable service – Indian Essence is a gem in the realm of gastronomy.
It's not every day you get to spend a Tuesday afternoon with lovely friends celebrating my birthday in the company of your amazing restaurant. Food was amazing every single flavour that was listed on the menu I could get from every single dish.
The fantastic birthday celebration cake that they made for me and the 5 Star service received really made today a special day.
The good was truly delicious, we had the 3 courses weekend meal deal. With a bottle of wine shared in three the final price was £50 each. Great selection of wine for reasonable price. It’s expensive for a small town but worth it for the food and atmosphere. The only reason I’m not giving 5 stars is because the staff seemed untrained and confused.
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Busy, tight seating to the extent neighbouring tables can easily listen or glance into your evening but as I play tennis I shut that out and focused on my sister's great conversation and the meal. Some might struggle though.
The tasting menu looked fantastic and had a paired and unpaired option that was reasonably priced for the quality on offer. However, I went for the mixed Kebabs and my sister had the Street Food Bubble Wheat which looked and was reported as delicious my starter was too.
We had a goat curry, mushroom rice, charred aubergine and a Naan basket and it was all excellently presented and the taste lived up to that. The Coconut Creme Brulee for dessert didn't disappoint. I am AF and th Salted Lassi was great although the second was over salted. The art of a a good restaurant is the experience as a whole bur also ensurinf that enquiring minds will wish to revisit and try something else on the menu. I would.
As a reasonably frequent visitor to Michelin Star restaurants, mostly in Asia, I would say the service is a little bit quirky. As siblings we were wished a Happy Anniversary and a waitress made a very long job of the crumb scrape with a strange smirk at the end which seemed a bit odd. The jacket collection at the end was also framed with in jokes between the staff at the end of their shift which also seemed a bit out of place when customers hadn't left yet.
Overall I would go back for sure and the menu has been well designed. I enjoyed the evening for a variety of reasons with the food and company being the foremost.
An excellent night out. We had Maharani set meal - vegetarian set meal. Lovely starter.
We had an alternative dessert to the one on the set menu.
Food was presented well and delicately spiced. The female who showed us to our seat was very matter of fact when asked questions. However, all the male staff were very amicable. Otherwise, it would have been 5 stars.
Great food, we had 2 courses from the lunchtime menu, will visit again.
Had a lovely birthday dinner at India essence. Great ambience, wonderful staff and great Indian food .
Delicious food, friendly staff and would come back again for some more food. Live music to celebrate was an extra treat. Not forgetting the Mumbai sour (my favourite drink right now) and the masala chai for gorgeous dessert. Thank you.
It was quite a long drive for us to go there, but it was worth it. The staff were super nice and made sure that everything was just right.
We went at lunch time and had the set 3 course menu with prosseco which was absolutely amazing. The down side is that other Indian restaurants that we always thought were good have now gone down a notch. However this is a restaurant owned by a Michellin star chef (Atul Kochhar} - and it shows.
We went away very happy.
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