Vaasu by Atul Kochhar — Restaurant in England

A very good experience with friendly staff and delicious food. We ate here for lunch and had a voucher for a 3-course set menu with a complementary drink. We let the staff know about the voucher upon arrival, and although there were a few hiccups with codes, it was sorted without too much hassle.

Now for the food:

we had vermicelli-crusted fishcakes, a cured watermelon salad with pickled grapes, and ordered some venison samosas as an extra. The fishcakes were light inside and crunchy out, but a little lacking in dimensions of flavour, and the chilli jam served with them was hot and sweet but a little overpowering, especially considering it was covering much of the plate. A slight moderation of the heat in the chilli jam would have improved the dish, likewise a more aromatic note to the fishcake. A tasty and pretty dish, but unremarkable.

Venison samosa was not particularly good. Pastry was a little on the tough side and the filling had neither strong flavour of venison nor assertive spicing.

Cured watermelon was phenomenal. Dense, sweet, and refreshing, with little pops of brightness from the grapes and a deeply savoury dust that resembled blender-grated parmesan. A perfect point of contrast and something I would be happy to eat alongside almost any rich, savoury food.

Mains were a Kolhapuri lamb curry and a stuffed aubergine (with an order of peshwari naan and roti on the side). We were also served rice and a daal of what looked like a beluga lentil.

The naan was excellent - soft and fresh, with a nice balance of sweet and savoury, whilst the roti was undoubtedly a good incarnation of roti, but just not a bread that excites me.

The aubergine was a really competent dish - a small aubergine delicately stuffed with vegetables and served with a tamarind and peanut sauce. The sauce was well spiced and nicely balanced, quite sweet, but that matched the aubergine well and was excellent with the breads. The skin of the aubergine was dense and chewy, which whilst not desirable in all dishes, gave good contrast to this and made an otherwise light dish feel more substantial on the palate. The lamb curry has room for improvement - the sauce was impeccable, beautifully smooth and fragrant, but the lamb was tender but a little dry, as though a leaner leg cut had been used in place of something with more fat and connective tissue. A change here would have made this place much closer to 5 stars in my opinion.

The lentil dish that accompanied the lamb was rich and flavourful, but a little too close to marmite in flavour.

Desserts were spectacular - mango and saffron yoghurt was light and delicate, with a slight tang and a much clearer and cleaner flavour of saffron than was experienced in a rose and saffron ice cream a few nights prior. Pieces of fresh fruit on the side gave a pleasant brightness to the dish. Chocolate choux bun was stupendous - the craquelin on the bottom had sogged up a bit, which was disappointing, but the nuggets of caramel on the top gave sufficient texture, and the inner cream was a chocolate lover's heaven. The berries on the side were tasty but inconsequential - a business selling just these choux buns would be great.

The restaurant also brought out a small piece of cake with a candle and 'happy birthday' written in melted dark chocolate which was a very nice touch (they had asked if it was an occasion when I booked), and they served a charming pâte de fruits and very short shortbread as petits fours.

The bill came to around £80 including service, most of which was covered by the voucher. At that price, I would say the place is worth it - competent cooking with good flavours and some standout dishes. The reason for 4 stars and not 5 stars is a little inconsistency between dishes - the highs were high but not sustained. No matter how good the watermelon and choux dishes were, a place serving a lamb curry with dry lamb doesn't merit 5 stars.

The staff were really friendly, and the overall experience very positive, so I wish you well, and hope your restaurant has...

Disgraceful customer service with inedible food. conversation via email below. From: Anita Sent: 09 September 2021 14:15 To: Vaasu Restaurant Subject: RE: Fwd: PA enquiry from Atul Kochhar's website

Hello Saurabh,

That is no problem, You could have addressed it on the day but instead just chose to ignore the problems, and then you want me to not write an accurate review as the customer? I have no intention of coming back but I will be posting this conversation on the Review just to show the total contempt you have for customers.

Anita

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From: Vaasu Restaurant Sent: 03 September 2021 19:44 To:Anita Subject: RE: Fwd: PA enquiry from Atul Kochhar's website

Hello Anita

Our apology was sincere, and we held our hands up to our errors. I am sorry you did not find this good enough, we thought it was very fair. I now however have to reverse this offer, and is no longer an option for you, due to the review on trip advisor you left, before we had even discussed with you, and for the inappropriate language you used in the review.

Kind Regards Saurabh Narnag General Manager On 03/09/2021 13:13 Anita wrote:

Thank you for your response, there were 3 guests at the time and I do feel a little insulted that you want to offer us food we have already paid for but have to pay for drinks and non-existant service charge again. Win, win for you! Not really an apology is it? May I recommend a restaurant for you to actually advise Mr Kochhar to visit to see what attentive service should be for a good restaurant. My local Thai restaurant in High Wycombe, Eat Thai in High Wycombe.

Anita

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From: Vaasu Restaurant Sent: 27 August 2021 12:50 To: Anita Subject: Re: Fwd: PA enquiry from Atul Kochhar's website

Dear Anita Thank you for the feedback, and of course our sincere apologies There were clearly many issues here which were just not good enough, and as you said nowhere near our usual standard.

Chef Atul is aware of your email, and of course is disappointed, and addressing the issues with the team. We would like to invite you back to Vaasu, based on the same Tasting Menu for two people with our compliments, to enjoy as you should have done. Drinks would have to be charged, we would be delighted to welcome you back. You are welcome to book this offer in up to 30th November, please do let me know.

Kind Regards George

First meal we had for 2 on the 18th August 2021, was so impressed with the food I decided to go back today 25/8 and ordered the same things, what a difference!!! fish starter was very greasy and tasted off, presentation was awful compared to the week before, I asked if it was the same chef to which your manager said yes, still we decided to preserver as I had invited a friend after telling them how good your food was from the week before. Ordered the prawns which now has a £5 supplement for a dish of potato and broad bean with 2 prawns, and 1 prawn less than I had the previous week! had not been peeled properly, was burnt and chewy, and the samphire was so woody I could have made matchsticks out of it. Showed it to the waiter, who just advised me he was going to tell the chef but chef was really busy. Seriously I could have make it better at home, at least offer to replace or refund half chewed food when you can obviously see the errors. I had high hopes but would not bother going again, and would encourage other to give this hype a miss. It has gone downhill so quickly, what happened? I have had excuses from you manager but would like to know from Mr Kochar as I have just wasted £109 and then had to go out for a...

I still remember the unforgettable experience I had at Sindhu in 2016, and ever since then, I have been eagerly waiting to return to Marlow. Atul Kochhar is known to be a true genius in the world of Indian cuisine, and after having dined at several fine Indian restaurants in London, including Benares, Trishna, Gymkhana, Jamavar, Brigadiers, and Kutir, I can confidently say that Vaasu is the best I have ever experienced.

From the moment I stepped into the restaurant, I was impressed by its elegant and contemporary decor, which blended traditional and modern elements beautifully. As I perused the menu, my mouth watered at the thought of the sumptuous dishes that awaited me.

The star of the show, without a doubt, was the black daal - it was a sensory explosion in my mouth, with its rich and creamy texture and a depth of flavor that I have never experienced before. The chicken starter was tender and juicy, and the lamb was cooked to perfection. But it was the spinach and cheese kofta that truly stole my heart, with its perfect balance of flavors and textures. And let's not forget the seafood biriyani - it was an aromatic and flavorful dish that left me wanting more.

What I loved most about Vaasu was the attention to detail in every aspect of the dining experience. The service was impeccable, with attentive staff who were knowledgeable about the dishes and were always on hand to offer recommendations. And of course, the food was outstanding, with every dish beautifully presented and bursting with flavor.

As I left the restaurant, I knew that Vaasu had set the bar for Indian cuisine in London and beyond. I am already looking forward to my next visit and cannot wait to indulge in another unforgettable...