If Alice had fallen down the rabbit hole on Old Brompton Road, chances are she would have ended up in Flora-Indica, a fantastical new all-day British-Indian bar and dining venue inspired by the plants of the subcontinent.
Flora-Indica features a host of creative British and Indian flavour combinations throughout its dishes and cocktails, all originating from some of the tens of thousands of plants that were discovered, labelled and studied in nurseries throughout the two nations by botanists such as Robert Kyd and William Roxburgh.
The menu has been carefully created by Sameer Taneja. Expect contemporary dishes such as Juniper & cardamom spiced Blythburgh free range pork chop, Bramley apple curry & kutchumber, Spiced Gressingham duck & orange gel, Shetland black potato, organic chickpeas and wheat puffs and Sweet naan of Colston Bassett stilton, figs, quince jelly & fennel cress.
Elsewhere the drinks offering at Flora-Indica has been spearheaded by a unique collection of fresh botanical cocktails including Ginger Lily (Gin, ginger root (zingiber officinale), ginger beer, fresh lime juice & orange bitters) and Highland Groove (Scotch, apple juice (malus domestica), cinnamon & mint), together with a selection of malt whisky and craft beer specially made by the Portobello Brewery. A dedicated Punch & Gin bar serves up creative Indian punches, Victorian-inspired shrubs and small batch spirits such as Tarquin’s Cornish gin.
Flora-Indica’s dazzling décor is the creation of Henry Chebaane of experiential design studio Blue Sky Hospitality. Deciding from the outset to create a multi sensory environment that would connect with guests on several levels, Henry took as his inspiration Flora Indica a catalogue of Indian plants last published in 1855, which he would re-edit for a modern audience as an immersive experience.
Designed as a tribute to the Scottish botanists who travelled through the Indian Empire on a voyage of discovery, the exponents of 19th century surreal and fantastic literature, from Lewis Carroll to H.G. Wells, and other inspirations for the neo-Victorian Steampunk movement, Flora-Indica’s eclectic interiors almost defy description.
An eccentric mix of Kensington residential elegance, Victorian fantasy and postmodernist design, here 21st century resins co-exist alongside 19th century steel. Cool white marbled surfaces and metalwork are offset by warm teak, English oak flooring and bespoke McQueen and Westwood-influenced upholstery in Harris Tweed matched with the finest leathers.
Not only ceilings but entire walls are covered with dozens of handcrafted vintage plaster roses. Meanwhile spreading across two floors is “G.H.O.S.T.”, a conceptual art installation inspired by 19th century science and industry.
For the full low-down or to make a booking, please visit www.flora-indica.com
