When one thinks of Indian food, it’s very likely to be chicken or meat curries made from rich creamy sauces and accompanied by heavy breads such as naans (leavened breads made from plain flour) that spring to mind. However, in my research and after having written three books on the food of India, I have come to the conclusion that there is no such thing as ‘Indian cuisine’, but rather there are various ‘cuisines of

Details: 15 -17 Blandford Street, Marylebone Village. W1U 3DG 0207 935 5624 www.trishnalondon.com Cuisine: Indian

India’. The scope of Indian cooking is vast and encompasses a wide range of geographic and climatic conditions. Almost three quarters of India is surrounded by water so it’s of no surprise that seafood is very much part of the diet of many non-vegetarian Indians.

It has been interesting to see the development of Indian restaurants in the UK which has changed dramatically in the past decade. What is now emerging is the regionalisation of restaurants which are now more specific in the type of Indian cuisine they serve. One such remarkable venue is Trishna in West London serving authentic Indian coastal cuisine using British seafood.

The entrance to the restaurant is inviting and inside they have opted for a fresh and clean feel. Even with a minimalist outlook, Trishna has a casual, friendly and informal dining atmosphere which also has a semi-alfresco ambience for those warm summer evenings. The décor is the added bonus along with their newly launched ‘Seaside Menu’ for the summer which takes familiar British Seaside ingredients and combines them with an authentic flavour of the Indian coastline.

My mother comes from Mumbai which is situated on the western coastal region of India so I was accustomed to Maharashtrian cuisine. The whitebait with the crisp fried, red chilli and red onion pickle was a delicious and tangy starter which I ate with gusto. The flavours were incredibly tantalising and brought back memories of my mother’s fish dishes. I also enjoyed the potted shrimp which blended spices with a traditional British recipe. The shrimps came from Morecombe Bay giving me a taste of authentic of British seafood. I’m very much in favour of experimenting with flavours and fusing spices with British ingredients as I wrote a complete cookbook known as Brit Spice doing just that.

I chatted to the owner Karam Sethi about the most popular dishes on the Trishna menu and he said that the gently spiced Haryali Bream and the Seafood Biryani using seasonal fish were his best sellers. I was served the Ratnagiri Shellfish Stew which was a hotpot-style curry bursting with flavours of coriander, cumin and black pepper and I couldn’t stop eating it! I was happy to devour the stew all by myself, but the dishes are designed for sharing and are brought to the table steadily throughout the meal.

Trishna’s chef Ravi Deulkar comes from Nasik near Mumbai so seafood cuisine is very much part of his heritage. If you do want a break from fish, I would try the cutely named Fofos from Goa– a savoury style samosa with a filling of red chillies and belly of pork. There are also seasonal vegetable and lentil dishes which make fine accompaniments to the spicy main fare and can also be ordered for those who are vegetarian. The staff was more than helpful in advising what I should drink and their wine list is carefully thought out with almost military precision to ensure that the right drink is served with the right fish. I was happy to leave the wine suggestions in their capable hands which were spot on.

Rounding off the Seaside Meal was a naughty but nice Indian ice cream called a Toffee Kulfi served in a crunchy biscuit cone and if that was too indulgent, I could have ordered a Strawberry with Green Chilli and Lime Granita to cool the previous spices.

There is a lot of talk and controversy about fusion cuisine, but I have to say that, none of the dishes felt forced in terms of their flavours and everything on the menu appears natural. Trishna is definitely worth visiting for a taste of authentic Indian seafood outside of India and the only thing missing from the Seaside Menu was a saucy postcard and a kiss me quick hat which I might take with me the next time I visit.