THE moment you walk through the door there is an air of expectation that you are in for a gastronomical adventure.
This is not any old Indian restaurant, this is Chutney Mary on the King's Road in Chelsea, and it is not just the famous address that makes it special. The fact that Chutney Mary is celebrating its 20th birthday is testament to the quality of the food and service you can expect at the Chelsea establishment.
The spacious dining area oozes opulence and style and the conservatory area, where we decided to sit, can add a touch of romance to the occasion, if that is what you are looking for.
Clearly that is the case for some diners as I am reliably informed more people get engaged at Chutney's than any other London restaurant.
The menu at Chutney Mary sings out highly inventive dishes made with fresh ingredients of the highest standard and is in the Premier League of Indian food in the capital.
There is a strong emphasis on Goan cuisine, which is one of the most exciting of the Indian cuisines and is famous for its seafood, as well as coconut-based curries and is the home of the vindaloo.
Over a cold beer, we digested the menu and, although tempted by the taster menu we decided, after some deliberation, to really put our taste buds to the test and explore some Goan delights.
We started with scallop caldeen - grilled Atlantic scallops in fresh coriander, cumin and a delicate creamy coconut sauce - and Calamari Goa style. The baby squid rings were stir fried with herbs, chilli and spices and gave off sufficient heat to tingle the taste buds but at the same time not destroy the flavour of the delicately cooked squid.
I then went for the chicken shakuti, a recipe which features no less than 21 spices individually roasted, stone ground and then slow cooked. The tender chicken melted in the mouth and the rich, thick spicy sauce made it a taste explosion.
My partner was keen to test the Lucknowi lamb biryani, which comes straight from the oven in a sealed stone pot. The lamb was moist and tender and the spicy aromatic rice made it a dish to savour and enjoy.
I was then tempted to order a real Goan speciality - grilled sea bass Konkan style for us to share.
This was the piece de resistance of the evening.
The fish just floated off the fork into the mouth and came served on a bed of brown rice with a 'green sauce' of fresh coriander, ginger and green chilli that was delicate enough not the tamper with the taste of the sea bass and delivered real flavour with subtle hints of chilli and fire.
Now, normally I am not a dessert person, but I was enjoying myself so much that I was persuaded to indulge on this occasion.
My partner rolled her eyes at me with that 'bigger than your stomach' look and promptly joined the party by ordering a trio of sorbets - apple, blood orange and blackberry.
Zinging with the taste of fresh fruit, she declared them the 'best ever'.
And my crispy coconut pancake with vanilla ice cream did not disappoint either, with a delicate filling of apple, sultanas and cinnamon.
As I said earlier, Chutney Mary is not any old restaurant - the welcome is warm, the service highly professional and the food superbly executed by a highly talented team of chefs.
So, as we headed out along the King's Road the cold, damp air did not seem to matter - we had been 'entertained' by a culinary experience which had tantalised and more than satisfied our taste buds.
It may not be cheap to eat at Chutney Mary but it is worth blowing the budget once in a while and treating yourself.
Chutney Mary is open for dinner seven days a week and for lunch on Saturday and Sundays. Booking is advisable.
CHUTNEY MARY, 535 King's Road, Chelsea
020 7351 3113
