Chef and foodwriter Ravinder Bhogal is to open a second branch of her restaurant Jikoni this weekend at the stunning new V&A East Museum in Stratford, east London.
Ravinder opened the original Jikoni in Marylebone 10 years ago, winning high praise in this year’s Harden’s Guide for her “delicious and original Indian-fusion cooking”.
She and her husband Nadeem Lalani Nanjuwany are in an expansive mood this spring, and will also open a vegetarian restaurant called Karam’s in the former MEATliquor site inside Bloomsbury’s Brunswick Centre. Named after Ravinder’s grandfather, it will showcase the food of the couple’s Indian ancestors.
Previewing Cafe Jikoni at the V&A East, they say: “We’re excited to be in the heart of the Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park on East Bank, with a project that will speak to the depth and breadth of the culturally rich and diverse communities in East London. Beyond serving nourishing and delicious food, our intention is inclusivity, collaboration and connectivity.“
The 120-cover venue will serve Ravinder’s take on sausage rolls, crumpets and cakes, long with plates such as a Bombay sandwich with green chutney; Prawn toast Scotch egg; Turmeric and ginger chicken pie and Lamb merguez flatbread with fennel, tahini and pickled chillies.
