Amaya Grill and Bar — Restaurant in London

Edit 02: Dear Preman, your below details are incorrect, all portions ordered were 4-piece portions. it was well mentioned to your team that only 3 people ate on the table, Myself, my mom, daughter (birthday girls or 10 years age) was left completely starting. your claim of £50 per head is also incorrect, as its over £100per person. You have a manager with a derogatory approach to guests. You all simple do not seem to care, best to avoid the entire restaurant group…

Edit 01: I see that this sort of discrimination is not uncommon at Amaya, I see many reviews on Tripadvisor and google point out to similar experiences, where Indian and Asians are not welcome and the restaurants wants to cater only to Caucasians. This approach was well evidenced by our entire family, right from the time we got to the restaurant, not providing us with a table, chef sending horrible and no food at all, manager wanting to greet and meet with other nationalities, laughing and joking with staff, while we request to speak with her... I cannot believe this place is for real!!!!

While we enjoy Veeraswamy and Masala Zone, and a very frequent visitor to MW Eat Group restaurants specially Veeraswamy. I am in the food business and a food critique, I have to say Amaya has been a total disappointment.

Hospitality: One of the most dreadful experiences I have ever had in any of the restaurants in any part of the world, it is really hard to believe that this restaurant is managed by the same group company that has managers such as Sarfaraz and Anjan (both from Veerasawamy) and chefs such as Sadeep and uday (again both from Masala zone and Veerasawamy), the reason I say this is because, based on my experience at Amaya.... Starting from the Chef: I came across a chef who does not care if the guests at his restaurant are fed or hungry, who does not care to cater to the basic needs of guests. I do not know this chef personally, but, in my honest opinion, a person with this sort of attitude should have a conscience and not stand behind a kitchen EVER in his life. Such a disgrace. Manager: a French Manager, who's attitude and ego is on the top of her head, that she does not like Indian eating in a Indian restaurant, who was more bothered to butter the naans and plates of people of certain origin over Indians. I was taken back in thoughts to historic days prior to 1947 with Indians not being welcome in an Indian restaurant. She even had the audacity to not come to the table to have a chat even after being requested that I wanted to meet a manager. while I had a chat with her prior to leaving, she was one of the coldest persons I have come across, with an attitude and unwelcoming, cold, approach making our family unwelcome. I never know an Indian person can be discriminated in an Indian Restaurant, it makes be baffle even while I am writing this review.

Food: For the very first time, we leave a restaurant with a £300 bill while being hungry, dissatisfied, disappointed and humiliated. We were a party of 6 all of us vegetarians and not a single dish in the menu catered to vegetarians, we ordered Naan and wanted to have a veg curry, and made a very basic request to feed us veg curry to go with the naan. The Chef sends us a message (not in person, but through a runner in the restaurant) that the cannot serve anything. The request was simple, give the same curry that he/she severs but without meat. This is as simple as NOT adding meat, but he/she does not which to accommodate. Instead says "take it or leave it". The food in general was substandard, the dal was cold and felt like mold, This was the only curry that was on the menu for the vegetarians to accompany the Naan bread. we let this pass and ordered some goat cheese, which was rubbery, Spinach Tikki was alright who extremely greasy/cheesy, the garlic naan was dipped in butter/oil, there was not FINE about dining here.

The attitude of both the manager and the chef have made the experience, however they had their own priorities and their own set of customers they...

I’m confused and distraught by this.. Do not dine here a rat was found

Yesterday evening, on the blessed day of Eid, myself and my two sisters went for Dinner at Amaya Grill and Bar.

Let me start by saying our waiter and the manager were very polite and understanding, and didn’t take wrong in this situation.

The food was decent, but we had an uncomfortable situation of seeing a Rat in the restaurant. We felt very uncomfortable, and it put us off our meal, we had informed the manager with what happened, and she offered to right off the bill, and compensate us for our unfortunate experience, which we saw as a gesture of good will.

Less than 24 hours later, my sister’s card was billed £200+ by the restaurant, keep in mind this was the card attached for the reservation, not a card presented at the restaurant nor agreed to be used or charged for the bill. Out of confusion to the fact we were told we won’t be charged, my sister then called to understand the situation, she was called back by a man called Preman Mohan, the So called ‘director’ of this restaurant.

He calls and starts by saying what’s the issue? He’s called and started with this, my sisters explained the situation, explained that the manager came to a conclusion, not an agreement, a conclusion that it’s only right we are able to end our experience without paying due to the fact of what happened. Mr Mohan kept continuously speaking in a manner of threat, he continuously cut my sister off as she spoke then said a few statements to my sister:

‘You’re putting words into my managers mouth’ ‘You didn’t give her an option’ ‘It wasn’t a Rat, it was a mouse’ ‘It wasn’t in the kitchen, it was only in the seating area’ ‘What restaurant have you been to before and expected to have free food?’ ‘I’ll take the service charge off, but the food is being payed for’ ‘The money will come out the managers pocket, do you really want that for her’

The complete immaturity of this so called director, this man who’s called in the manner he did. He didn’t stop there, he’s then decided he’s going to bring up my sisters record of other restaurants.. never have I heard of this being appropriate or being done in a situation like this. 3+ years ago we were offered a free meal by another restaurant as they didn’t ask for allergies when taking orders, our friend had an allergic reaction to the point ambulance was called to the restaurant to take her from there, to where the restaurant offered the meal on the house as it was a situation to literally my friend could’ve had it to the worse, without knowing a situation he brought this up, saying my sister is an individual who goes to restaurants and continuously tries this, again, this is the director speaking like this, you would think a man of experience, sorry, a boy of experience would speak with more professionalism, but he thought let me do what I do best, and be a stubborn, lying, unprofessional director and take matters into my own hands. HES THEN SAID HE WILL BLACKLIST US FROM THE RESTAURANT FOR THIS? surely as a business owner, you want to make amends, you want to understand the situation, he’s blacklisted us as if we are a problem and threat, his staff literally offered the meal, not us, what can we do, when you decide you want to charge without calling or understanding. This google review isn’t the only thing we’ll be doing, mark my words.

We didn’t even complain further as everything else was okay, we simple kept the situation within the restaurant of the rat and uncomfortable circumstances but Preman decided he’ll take matters into his own hands, without a call to understand, without asking which card to bill, without asking is it ok to bill? A so called Michelin starred restaurant with a director like this? What a plumb, to speak to a woman like this aswell, would’ve preferred if he called me in to speak face to face in his pest filled restaurant.

Preman, well done for putting your rat starred, sorry, Michelin starred restaurant into the mud. Kudos to you sir x and thank you for...

Amaya, a renowned restaurant located in Knightsbridge. While the overall experience left me with mixed impressions, there were a few noteworthy aspects that stood out, alongside some disappointments that impacted my perception of the establishment.

Let's begin with the positives. The prawns at Amaya were undeniably enjoyable, showcasing a delectable flavor and delightful texture. However, the high price tag associated with these prawns left me feeling somewhat unsatisfied. While they were undoubtedly tasty, the exorbitant cost made it difficult to fully appreciate their appeal.

On the other hand, the highlight of the dining experience was the lamb dish. The flavors were perfectly balanced, and the meat was tender and succulent. It was a true testament to the chef's expertise, and I found myself savoring every bite. If you visit Amaya, I highly recommend indulging in their lamb preparation.

The biryani at Amaya also offered a unique twist compared to other variations I have tried. The addition of spinach added an interesting dimension to the dish, enhancing its overall taste and presentation. It was a pleasant departure from traditional biryanis, and I appreciated the innovation in their recipe. Additionally, the lamb chops were cooked to perfection, boasting juiciness and flavor that left a lasting impression. The chicken lollipops were also enjoyable, providing a delightful burst of flavors.

However, one aspect that left me disappointed was the portion sizes. The portions at Amaya were considerably small, which was somewhat unexpected considering the restaurant's reputation and pricing. It left me wanting more, and I couldn't help but feel that I wasn't receiving enough value for the amount I was paying.

In terms of service, my experience at Amaya was average. While the staff were attentive and courteous, the overall service lacked the finesse and attentiveness one might expect from a high-end establishment. It wasn't necessarily bad, but it did not leave a lasting impression.

In conclusion, Amaya provided a mixed dining experience. While the prawns were enjoyable, they were priced at a level that made it difficult to fully appreciate their quality. The lamb dish stole the show with its impeccable flavors and tenderness. The unique biryani with spinach and the juicy lamb chops were also notable highlights. However, the portion sizes were disappointingly small, and the service, while not bad, was mediocre overall. If you decide to dine at Amaya, be prepared for a mix of impressive flavors and some elements that may leave you wanting more in terms of value...