Ambassadors Clubhouse is one of the top Punjabi restaurants you can experience, with locations in London, New York and now Dubai. It comes from the same team behind Trishna, one of our favorite southern Indian restaurants in London. We stepped into the original London location in Mayfair, and it feels like you’ve been transported somewhere else entirely. It’s dark and moody, with a magical ambiance for central London. There are private tables and a long bar downstairs, plus a large covered patio with heaters outside if you prefer to dine on the terrace.
The first decision on arrival is what to drink. There’s a gin and tonic list built around authentic Indian gins with exotic botanicals, but what we really loved were the Punjabi margaritas, made with tequila and mezcal. Each one was balanced yet unique, one smoky, another refreshing, but for fall and winter our favorite was the Masala, made with green chili, copious amounts of ginger, coriander and chaat masala. The sommelier paired our meal with Le Paradou, an organic and biodynamic wine from the Luberon in the South of France that worked with every flavor on the table.
We love that the food menu fits on one page, but we asked our server to guide us through her favorites, and her recommendations were perfection. We love spicy food, so we started with the chilli cheese pakode (fried balls of cheese with a spicy tamatar chutney), along with the paan patty and the kala chana chaat. We mixed the chaat ourselves at the table, and the flavors are fabulous, with crunch in every bite. A vegetarian dish that’s a must.
Next came the tandoori masala lamb chops: three huge, plump, super tender chops served with a thinly sliced onion salad and fresh tamarind. They’re worth ordering, but they’re filling, so they’re ideal if you’re with a group and willing to share.
Then came the huge pieces of garlic naan, the chili chicken, and the maa ki dal, the home-style version made with whole black urad dal and kidney beans. We can’t stop thinking about it. We finished with dessert and a chai.
The service and food were fantastic. Everything arrived in gorgeous heavy metal dishes, and silverware and plates were changed with every course, a real step up from most Indian restaurants. No wonder the London location has a Michelin star. We’d gladly come back for a cocktail and a snack at the bar or settle in for a full meal. You won’t go wrong here.
Note: Ambassadors Clubhouse provided support for the reporting of this story.