Review : Jamavar

Reviewed by Ruman
Jamavar has recently been featured in the 2018 Michelin Guide. Since this Michelin starred restaurant serves halal and has rave reviews from both halal and non halal diners, we figured it was about time we paid this fine dining Indian restaurant a visit. Does it deserve the hype?
We were greeted by staff who showed us to our tables and kindly took our bags and jackets to the cloakroom. Jamavar’s decor, like other upscale Indian restaurants in the area, has hints of India’s colonial past. In Jamavar’s case, the restaurant has taken reference from the Viceroy’s house of New Delhi with intricate patterns on the walls featuring vibrant colours. We opted for the three course lunch menu (two and four courses are also available).
For my first course I had the Samosa Mutter Chaat. The crispy samosa was topped with honey yoghurt, sev, papdi and dry peas. I must admit, I was expecting dainty portions but this starter was so filling I had to remind myself I had two courses to go! The savoury taste from the samosa balanced with the sweetness of the honey yoghurt, and the crunch of the sev and pomegranate seeds created a delicious start to the meal.

Zohra ordered the Tellicherry Pepper and Garlic Soft Shell Crab. This was the second time in recent occasions where we had tried soft shell crab (see our review of Chai Naasto) and this dish did not disappoint. It was great to try soft shell crab that had been created with a completely different flavour to anything we had tried in other restaurants. With some Indian dishes, it’s often the case that they taste similar to the the same dish in another establishment. The fruity tones from the damson chutney worked well with the garlic and pepper tones from the crab.

Next up for me was the Kasundi Paneer Tikka served with mint and raw papaya chutney. The paneer had been charred yet remained delicate and when eaten with the chutney.

The Malai Stone Bass Tikka has to be the highlight of the meal for me and it wasn’t even my dish! The stone bass was so soft and delicate that I found myself eating it in the same way, being careful with my cutlery. Served with a green cardamom and avocado chutney (Indian guacamole anyone?), this fish course was absolutely divine. I would go back to Jamavar just to have more of it.

Unlike a dosa, which is crisp and more crepe like, an Uthappam has more of soft, pancake-like texture. The Uthappam was served with beef in between which had been slow cooked in mustard and southern spices. I think this was my first time trying an Uthappam and I have to admit, I wasn’t blown away. I found the Uthappam to be a bit too salty for my liking though I did enjoy the flavours from the beef. Zohra loved the beef, but wasn’t a fan of the Uthappam either, saying it tasted like Ethiopian bread, but that something like a paratha would have been more complimentary to the meat.

Zohra went for the Macher Jhol, a Bengali fish curry with aubergines, chilli and potatoes. The spices here were great, giving the fish a bit of a punch while letting the tomato like flavours of the sauce come through.

The Macher Jhol came with Dhungar Dal, Palak Paneer, Basmati Rice and Naan. It’s safe to say that at this point we had more food on our table than we could finish.

Our bill came with some complimentary sweet treats which was a nice touch to round off a great meal. The bill came to £60.50 including service (we stuck to water) which we felt was incredibly great value. Having gone in expecting dainty portions, I was impressed with how filling the meal was. Each dish was unique in its flavour and I appreciated the fact that we got to try dishes from across India in one meal. The food was well presented with great textures and pairings. With a lunch menu option of two courses for £22, three courses for £27 or four courses for £32, Jamavar’s lunch offering is great value for money and perfect for a special occasion. Lunch is served from 12pm to 2.30pm.

RATINGS
Food: 8.5/10
Service: 9/10
Atmosphere/Decor: 9/10
Value for money: 9/10 (£60.50 total bill including service charge // £30.25pp)
Overall: 8.9/10
Halal Status: All meat served is halal. Game meats are not halal. Alcohol is available.
Address: 8 Mount Street, Mayfair, London, W1K 3NF
Nearest stations: Bond Street (Jubilee and Central Lines), Oxford Circus (Bakerloo, Central and Victoria Lines), Marble Arch (Central Line), Green Park (Jubilee, Piccadilly and Victoria Lines)
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About Ruman

Ruman eats a brownie a day, but only with coffee. She struggles to eat more than 2/3 of an adult size portion of food, but always has room for dessert. When not exploring restaurants, galleries or cities around the world, Ruman is a Marketing Ninja at Halal Gems, where she also holds the title of Chief Chocolate Officer.
Forever consumed by a mixture of wanderlust and FOMO, her interests include all things social media, travel, charity, photography and food.
You can follow Ruman on Instagram and Twitter.