Pravaas, South Kensington: Festive Menus and Secret Christmas Escapes
A side-street gem serving Christmas cheer with an Indian twist—perfect for festive dining or sneaky mid-week lunches.
Nestled just off Old Brompton Road, down a side street you’d likely overlook unless you were searching for it, Pravaas is the kind of spot you smugly keep to yourself—especially if you’ve just dodged a South Ken mum rushing to Lycée Français Charles de Gaulle with three kids and a flat white. It’s discreet, bijou, and blissfully serene—a far cry from what most imagine when they hear “Indian restaurant.”
The entrance doesn’t give much away, but step inside, and it’s all muted greens, white leather, and elegant geometric accents. There’s even a designer lighting system that shifts with the time of day, I was assured by the maître d’. Think Knightsbridge’s once Michelin-starred Zaika, but smaller, fresher, and less likely to feature a hen party in stilettos.
Our Festive Lunchtime Jaunt
I visited on a quiet weekday for lunch, accompanied by Katya, a health and vitality coach ( check her out) who has made it her personal mission to improve my habits (read: get me to stop putting work before wellbeing). We were on the hunt for healthy dishes that wouldn’t feel like penance, festive menu or not.
While Katya opted for room-temperature water (yes, really), I rebelled with a ginger and elderflower cooler (£7), a restrained but delightful mocktail from a menu that also features non-alcoholic wines, sparkling options, and lagers. Pravaas clearly has something for everyone, whether you’re cutting back, celebrating, or doing both.
The festive menu (£48 for two courses, £58 for three) struck the perfect balance between indulgence and thoughtfulness. Each dish arrives with a code—gluten, nuts, dairy, lupin, soy—that practically requires an Enigma machine but is a godsend for the allergy-prone or health-conscious.
Starters That Sparkle
We began with still-warm papadums accompanied by tempered mango chutney and garlic-tomato relish—a petite starter that set the tone beautifully. Christmas crackers soon appeared, adding a dash of festive cheer, though Katya seemed more amused by my reaction to the novelty paper crown.
For starters, we mixed festive picks with dishes from the à la carte menu (thankfully allowed). The seared scallops arrived on their shell, adorned with chutney pearls in a way that could make Tiffany jealous. From the main menu, the Patra Chaat salad offered a zingy, textural triumph: colocasia leaves, yoghurt, and pomegranate seeds all mingling joyfully.
But the standout? The cheeky addition of wasabi chicken tikka—a revelation. Its punchy marinade of fresh wasabi and cream cheese, spiked with fenugreek and cardamom, had me Googling recipes before I’d even finished my plate. Turns out it’s a bit of a thing in India. Who knew?
Health and Hedonism
Seared Scallops – Crusted with black poppy seeds, pumpkin seeds, and pistachios. 
Patra Chaat: A refreshing salad made with crunchy colocasia leaves. 
an-Seared Halibut Fillet – Topped with brown shrimp 
Fig Trio Dessert – Includes fig halwa, crispy crepe dentelles, vanilla ice cream, and fresh fig slices. 
Roasted Chicken Breast – Infused with thyme and juniper berries.
When mains arrived, Pravaas proved it could cater to both health fiends and flavour chasers. My halibut fillet, perched on a bed of crushed garlic potatoes and swimming in saffron-laced mussels, was delicate and indulgent all at once. Across the table, Katya tucked into roast chicken breast, infused with thyme and juniper berries and paired with sprightly Brussels sprout porial and baby carrots. She nodded approvingly, no doubt tallying my protein-to-fat ratio in her head.
With dessert, I caved. Katya raised an eyebrow but let me off with “just a try.” The trio of figs—halwa, crepe dentelles, and vanilla ice cream crowned with fresh fig—was divine, though sadly impossible to smuggle home. Instead, I savoured it with coffee, resisting the call of the wine list, which ranges from £34 to £185 per bottle and includes an unexpected nod to Bangalore.
Final Thoughts
Chef Shilpa Dandekar’s influence is unmistakable. Having honed her craft from Mumbai’s Taj kitchens to Raymond Blanc’s brasseries, she brings an effortless finesse to dishes that blend Indian spices with Western techniques. Think chicken tikka terrine, cinnamon-laced scallops, and lamb rillettes with black pepper masala—dishes that feel as at home in a Mayfair dining room as they do here.
Even the festive menu’s mulled wine comes with a twist: it’s based on Indian Red Groves. Details like this make Pravaas a culinary experience, one that feels thoughtfully curated yet refreshingly unpretentious.
Sure, you could visit Pravaas for its festive cheer this Christmas season, but here’s the real secret: it’s perfect for a sneaky weekend lunch after ticking off the Science Museum or the V&A (both practically next door). Or save it for a clandestine dinner, the kind where you’re sidestepping nosy colleagues, dodging chatty Lycée mums, or just enjoying a moment of solitude. And if anyone asks, yes, you did hear about it from me.
CONTACT DETAILS AND ADDRESS, PRAVAAS
Address: 3 Glendower Place, South Kensington, London SW7 3DU
Map: Google Maps location
Website: www.pravaas.com
Contact Number: 020 3161 7641
Opening Times:
- Monday to Friday: 12:00 – 15:00 | 17:30 – 22:30
- Saturday & Sunday: 12:00 – 22:30
For reservations or inquiries, please visit their website or contact them directly at the number provided.
Elena Leo is the Arts & Lifestyle Editor of Ikon London Magazine.
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