A bit of posh spice

Michelin inspectors are a notoriously sniffy bunch. Their criteria have, until recently, demanded a rigidly reactionary adherence to classical French cuisine, fully accessorised by formal service, amuses bouches, petit fours, proper linen and crystal and, for all we know, napkins knitted from foie gras.

So it was a real coup for Mayfair's Tamarind when it prompted Michelin to recognise 'ethnic' restaurants for the first time (Zaika and Nahm also felt the embrace of Michelin condescension). And Atul Kochhar's dazzling cooking, honed in the kitchens of the marvellously opulent Oberoi Hotel in New Delhi, was justifiably acknowledged. OK, so Tamarind was hardly your local flock palace, but still - a move in the right direction and all that.

Now Kochhar's got his own place, Benares, in what used to be Cassia Oriental in Berkeley Square. And it's brilliant: a gorgeously camp setting - intricately carved darkwood screens and a collection of flower-scattered ponds, for goodness sake - for some seriously great food. From a collection of poppadums served with exquisite chutneys (date, kumquat and gooseberry) to utterly perfect boiled basmati rice, we had the kind of meal that has the capacity to turn the most urbane of urban sophisticates into a dribbling curry monster. That's not to say that there was anything unsophisticated about what we ate, simply that it was mostly so good that it pressed a number of primeval buttons.

The drooling starts over the menu. The skilful maitre d' spotted our hesitation over which 'kebabs' to order and suggested a selection of all of them. We jumped at it. We got a plateful of the most sensational meat and seafood cooked in the tandoor.

Each was marinated in an individual way: almost unnaturally tender lamb chop in fennel and cardamom; fat, fresh king prawn spiky with ginger; salmon and swordfish perfumed with saffron and fennel; and a viridian chunk of chicken oozing basil, garlic and a gentle blast of chilli heat.

After this, main courses had the capacity to disappoint: perhaps a 'curry fry-style chicken' didn't quite light the blue touchpaper, but this may have been because we asked for advice and were steered towards a safer option. The chicken bore a strong resemblance to that great national dish, chicken tikka masala. It was superior, admittedly, but ran the risk of bathos by comparison.

But truly gorgeous was a jhinga tawa masala, more of the perky prawns in a dense, sweetish sauce, thick with onion, tomato and ajwain (or carom - a relative of caraway with a pungent thyme-like fragrance). And a lentil dish with a name far too lengthy to replicate showed why vegetarians love Indian food. Crispy little dumplings with an interior of delicious squidge swam in an aromatic stew of waxy new potatoes and spring onions. Naan bread was stunning: toasty, slightly burnt, wholly fluffy and delicious. Puddings were out of the question.

Immediately after we left, I wanted to go back. I wanted to order the things I'd missed, like scallops, prawns, pomegranate and pumpkin seeds in a grape, mint and ginger dressing or pan-fried chicken and chicken livers with mushrooms in a spicy sauce. Benares has got all the trappings for the kind of totally posh night out that would satisfy the most pinched of Michelin inspectors - the tablecloths, the flotilla of solicitous waiters for every course, even a kind of mango smoothie amuse bouche - but who cares? It offers excellent food in entertaining surroundings at reasonable prices (starters about £4.50, mains £12). So it deserves success, stars or no stars.

Our meal for two with water, wine and service was £91.13.

Benares, 12 Berkeley House, Berkeley Square W1. Tel: 020 7629 8886. Tube: Green Park

Marina O'Loughlin