Hawkyns can be found located in the charming town of Old Amersham, which is not far from High Wycombe. This restaurant resides inside The Crown Inn and is 2 AA rosette awarded. Twice Michelin starred chef Atul Kochhar is the star of the show at Hawkyns, and he has developed an intriguing Pan-Indian menu that we couldn’t wait to experience. Having visited a number of Kochhar’s restaurants in the past, we were extremely excited to be visiting Hawkyns on this occasion, and thankfully we were not disappointed by the experience.
When we arrived were were warmly welcomed by a member of the team and shown to our table. As an aperitif, we began with a glass each of their Drappier Atul’s Signature Brut NV. This champagne boasts an elegant palate with lots of fine bubbles and a crisp, dry finish. We were suitably impressed and really enjoyed sipping our glasses as we browsed the menu.
For our first course, I opted for the Aloo Tikka, which saw a golden potato galette that came served with coriander chutney. This was a fantastic dish that really showcased the beauty of the humble potato, and I had no idea that they could be so tasty. My partner went for the Karara Kekda, which saw soft shell crab served with papaya salad and apple chutney. This was a fresh dish that was full of bold flavours, and perfectly balanced textures.
“The food was outstanding, but it was really the impeccable service that made our evening truly special.”
For our main courses, after much debate, I decided on the Bhuna Venison which came served as roe deer fillet, with turnip poriyal, complete with spiced jus. This dish was punchy and rich and utterly delicious. My partner went for the Lamb Chettinaad, which was served with kale and potato, kachumbar salad and finished with Chettinaad sauce. As sides, we also added the yellow lentil dahl, the jeera aloo - pan fried potatoes with cumin and the jeera pulao - saffron and cumin braised rice. Each dish was incredibly flavoursome and wonderfully aromatic with plenty of spice.
As our wine choice, we went for a bottle of the 2014 Domaine Galevan, Chateauneuf du Pape, Rhone Valley, France. This full-bodied red was incredibly smooth and provided the perfect accompaniment to the red meat in our main courses.
We had a wonderful evening at Hawkyns, and were really pleased to have experienced this restaurant. The food was outstanding, but it was really the impeccable service that made our evening truly special. The staff are truly a credit to this restaurant, being both attentive yet not at all intrusive, and they left us wanting for nothing. We simply cannot wait to return, and highly recommend it to anyone in the area.
The Bill: £54 per head
