An unusual and eccentric take on Indian dining is coming to the Old Brompton Road next month in the form of Flora Indica, a new restaurant, bar and lounge opening on 15 July. The ground floor will comprise a 30-seater cocktail lounge, while the lower-ground floor dining room can seat up to 70. Private dining is also available, with banquettes under the vaults available for group hire.
On the menu: 63c duck egg, smoked mayo, crisp nest & kalonji seeds and Tuna tartare, pomegranate, sesame, citrus, spring onions, coriander & chilli dressing. Onto the mains and standouts include Sea bass, sea spinach, chilli coconut & parsnip purée & dill and Smoked venison, burnt onion salt, fennel, beetroot textures & masala spiced potato whilst desserts are of the calibre of Beetroot doughnuts and Rosemary & ginger heaven sent & rhubarb sorbet.
The dedicated Punch & Gin bar serves up creative Indian punches, Victorian-inspired shrubs and small batch spirits such as Tarquin’s Cornish gin. An array of premium quality teas and bespoke infusions from Tea Palace are also part of the line-up of libations.
On top of that there’s a unique collection of fresh botanical cocktails, among them Orchard Garden (gin, elderflower liqueur, pear & bay leaf shrub, lime juice, egg white) and Flora Eden (flambé fresh sage & rosemary in Green Chartreuse, gin, orange juice, lime juice, lemon juice, Earl Grey & lavender syrup), together with a fine selection of malt whisky and craft beer specially made by the Portobello Brewery.
Designed as a tribute to the Scottish botanists who travelled through the Indian Empire on a voyage of discovery; the exponents of 19th century surreal and fantastic literature, from Lewis Carroll to H.G. Wells, and other heroes of the neo-Victorian Steampunk movement, Flora Indica’s eclectic interiors almost, say its marketeers, defy description. But here’s an attempt: ‘An eccentric mix of Kensington residential elegance, Victorian fantasy and postmodernist design.’ The mind fairly boggles! We look forward to a visit with interest.
