"We got dishes from the East, West and South. So we put the whole blend together.”
Having opened its doors in London, Flavours is an Indian restaurant with an exotic fusion twist.
Led by Director Ashok Modi and Head Chef, Anil Panchal, Flavours aims to provide customers with an enriching experience.
Their philosophy is to deliver both high quality cuisine and pure relaxation every single time.
Following his very successful restaurant, Malabar Junction, in Central London, Modi explains that the idea of Flavours was born out of desire to cater to a wider audience.
In an exclusive Gupshup with DESIblitz, Director Ashok Modi says: “We wanted a venue for North London, We already have a venue in Central London and we were always looking for a venue in north London.”
They eventually settled on Burnt Oak in Edgeware and spent the next three years designing a perfect oasis of social comfort and ease for diners.
So, dishes aside, what makes this restaurant any different to others? The characteristic interior.
In this restaurant, you will find comforting alcoves fitted with tea lights, allowing an open area to relax with friends or family. With exposed bricks on the inside, there is also an Outdoor Area, with a designated Shisha section, where parties can mingle and unwind after dinner.
When asked about the interior design, Ashok said: “We wanted something unique. So we interviewed quite a few interior designers then we hit up on one who was able to translate our ideas what we had in our head onto paper. Three years of hard work has gone into it.”
What perhaps makes Flavours restaurant standout even more is a Play Area for the lively game Carrom. Carrom is a board game which is popular in Asian countries like India. So customers with a passion for Carrom will be able to both eat and enjoy a friendly match.
Another unique aspect of this restaurant are the Carrom tournaments hosted for both adults and children.
Interestingly, there are no booths or private dining areas. This is so all the customers can enjoy eating in the open space without feeling closed off. The purpose is to get everyone sharing the same experience, the same openness and feel of a warm ambience.
One of the most striking interior pieces is the yellow chesterfield couch. It looks luxurious, stands out and defines the restaurant with its originality.
The different blends of colours such as purple, black and white compliments the different mix of dishes.
The vibrant bar also offers diners and guest a variety of intriguing and fusion inspired drinks and cocktails including Strawberry lipstick, Tokyo Iced Tea and Virgin Colada.
From Mumbai, Head Chef Anil Panchal looks after the kitchen with his worldwide culinary experiences. Panchal, whose skills add the magic to Flavours’ menu, says: “In the last twenty years or so, I worked in so many places around the world.”
He is also the founder of the first Indian restaurant Ustav on Jolly Beach, a well-known resort in Antigua, and has experience working in 5 star hotels such as Centaur and Oberoi group.
Panchal has created a winning menu with original dishes that are difficult to find anywhere else. Some of these exotic Indian dishes include:
- Dragon Paneer: Indian cheese cooked with peppers and onions in a spicy chilli garlic sauce and flavoured with Thai basil.
- Fish Koliwada: Fillets of king fish marinated with carom seeds, chillies, garlic and chick pea flour and deep fried and seasoned with lemon juice.
- Masala Dosa/Ghee Roast Dosa: Pancake filled with potato masala, served with a lentil sauce (Tamil: Sambhar) and chutney. This is a South Indian dish.
- Mogo Chatpatta Lasooni: This is a Traditional Kenyan cassava dish cooked with garlic and spices and fresh coriander.
- Vegetable Manchurian: Vegetable dumplings cooked in black bean sauce with chillies, garlic and spring onions.
- Chowpatty Chaat Ki Tokri: Crispy baskets filled with rice puffs and vermicelli and served with assorted chutneys and spiced with green chillies.
On the Flavours menu, Ashok tells us: “We have fusion of Indian dishes themselves. We got dishes from the East, West and South. So we put the whole blend together.”
“Anil is well experienced in Kenyan cooking so we tend to provide loads of Kenyan dishes because North London is infested with people from East Africa and they love East African food.”
“From Kenya, we have the Masala Mogo which is a Cassava dish which is very popular with the East Africans and then we have the Manchurian dish which is also very popular with the East African people. And then on the fish side, we have masala green fish which again is very popular in the East Africa.”
“Eighty to Ninety dishes we can serve in one hour,” admits Head Chef, Anil.
The menu really does burst with different flavours. As both a restaurant and bar, there is nothing lacking to satiate customers’ needs.
Whether it is watching live sports with friends, listening to Bollywood music during dinner, or getting competitive with others at Carrom, Flavours restaurant will always serve you extraordinary food with a lasting experience.
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