Chef Cyrus Todiwala to open third restaurant
Cyrus Todiwala is set to open a new restaurant in March 2014, called Assado.
The new site on 157 Waterloo Road in London's Lambeth will specialise in Portuguese cuisine and is being pitched as a premium casual dining venue.
Cyrus Todiwala said: "This will be a new take on East meets West. Not many people realise that the Portuguese explorers were the first to experiment with spices such as cinnamon, pepper, cloves and nutmeg. The world woke up to new flavours because the Portuguese shared with Europeans what they'd discovered in places like Asia, Africa and the Americas. But they also influenced local cuisines in the territories that they discovered, and so you will find the food in Goa is very much influenced by Portuguese cuisine.
However, Todiwala insisted that Assado, which he will run with Pervin Todiwala, will not confine itself strictly to Goan cuisine nor should it be mistaken for a Portuguese restaurant.
He said: "Assado will be offering a new concept in world cuisine in that the dishes will combine the flavours of India with the kind of food Portugal gave the world, in fresh ways. Remember, the Portuguese were everywhere from Mexico to Brazil to the East Indies, which includes Southeast Asia and the Sub-Continent. To be able to take these complex influences and put them all together without compromising my integrity as an Indian chef is a real challenge but also a dream come true for me."
It will be Todiwala's third restaurant. He already owns and runs Café Spice Namasté near London's Tower Bridge, having moved to the UK with his family in 1991. He also runs Mr Todiwala's Kitchen at Heathrow Airport, as well as a range of condiments and sauces called Mr Todiwala's. Meanwhile his sons run a café in Victoria Park, Hackney, on his behalf.
Todiwala, who was awarded an MBE in the year 2000, this year also starred alongside Tony Singh in BBC2's The Incredible Spice Men.
Assado will seat 108 people and starters will range from £3.50-£4, with top price mains from £18-20.
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