Cooksister | Food, Travel, Photography

Food, photos & faraway places

  • HOME
  • ABOUT
    • About me
    • Contact me
    • Work with me
    • Legal
      • Copyright notice & Disclaimer
      • Disclosure
      • Cookies and Privacy Policy
    • Press and media
    • Cooksister FAQs
  • RECIPES
    • Recipe Index – by course
    • Baking (savoury)
    • Braai/Barbecue
    • Breakfast & brunch
    • Christmas
    • Dessert
    • Drinks
    • Eggs
    • Fish
    • Gluten-free
    • Leftovers
    • Pasta & rice
    • Poultry
    • Pulses
    • Salads
    • Soup
    • South African
    • Starters & light meals
    • Vegan
    • Vegetables
    • Vegetarian
  • RESTAURANTS
    • British Isles restaurants
    • Dubai restaurants
    • France restaurants
    • London restaurants
    • Montenegro restaurants
    • New York restaurants
    • Pop-ups and supperclubs
    • Serbia restaurants
    • Singapore restaurants
    • South Africa restaurants
    • Sweden restaurants
    • Switzerland restaurants
    • USA restaurants
  • TRAVEL
    • All my travel posts
      • Austria
      • Belgium
      • Canada
      • Dubai
      • Cruise ships
      • France
      • Germany
      • Greece
      • Grenada
      • Hong Kong
      • Hotel reviews
      • Italy
      • Israel
      • Jersey
      • Mexico
      • Netherlands
      • Norway
      • Portugal
      • Singapore
      • Ski & snow
      • South Africa
      • Spain
      • Sweden
      • Switzerland
      • UK
      • USA
      • Wales
  • PORTFOLIO
    • Freelance writing portfolio
    • Speaking and teaching
    • Photography portfolio
    • Buy my photos
You are here: Home / Restaurants / London restaurants / Buddha-Bar, London

Buddha-Bar, London

by Jeanne Horak on November 1, 2013 2 Comments in London restaurants

BuddhaBarTitle © J Horak-Druiff 2013

It’s a brave man that opens a bar named after a major world religious figure – but that is exactly what the late Raymon Visan did in 1996 when he opened the first Buddha-Bar. It was not Visan’s first foray into the world of wining and dining – he had previously opened Barfly in Paris together with a business partner, but it was with the opening of the first Buddha-Bar in Paris in 1996 that Visan struck gold. The concept was to serve exotic cocktails and an upmarket pan-Asian menu in übercool surroundings, presided over by a giant statue of the Buddha. It is a concept that became and instant hit with celebrities and translated spectacularly well – today it is a booming international franchise with bars in Paris, Mexico, Monte Carlo, Prague, Budapest, Kiev, St Petersburg, Moscow, Tbilsi, Dubai, New Delhi and the Philippines.  The original Buddha Bar London with it 18-foot Buddha statue opened on the Embankment back in 2008, literally weeks before Lehman Brothers collapsed and the financial crisis started. A victim of bad timing, it closed its doors a mere 18 months later but has recently relaunched in a new location in Knightsbridge and, hopefully, in a more promising financial climate.

When I was invited to dine there, I have to admit that I had my reservations.  Anything described as a celebrity favourite is usually the kind of place I avoid like the plague. Surely it’s a byword for style over substance?  But nevertheless, I suspended by disbelief and arrived for dinner with an open mind and an empty stomach.  There is something appealingly retro about the studied loucheness of the interior – low lighting, lots of blue and red lights and lots of shiny glass,  brass and lacquered fittings.  Upstairs  at street level is the bar area (with a large print of Ewan McGregor taken from Trainspotting) and bar dining area where we ate.  In the basement restaurant area there is seating for 240 guests and the pan-Asian decor continues with the obligatory giant wireframe Buddah statue and the interesting shadows it casts forming a focal point.  Even more impressively, on the stairs between the two floors there is a suspended 3D blue dragon made entirely from crystal beads suspended on wires – ambitious and mesmerising! The menu remains pan-Asian and the music (compiled by the group’s in-house DJ) is an eclectic mix of electro-ethnic and chill-out.

 

BuddhaBarBar © J Horak-Druiff 2013

 

BuddhaBarDragon1 © J Horak-Druiff 2013

 

BuddhaBarDragon2 © J Horak-Druiff 2013

 

We placed our trust in our charming waiter when ordering cocktails and he returned with his two recommendations for us – which I cunningly forgot to take down the name and now cannot find them on the menu.  One was a whisky cocktail which came served in a bottle filled with smoke – a neat trick that also emphasises the smoke, peaty elements in the drink but in retrospect this is would have been better as a post-prandial drink.  I believe mine may have been the So Be @ Miami with fresh mint, grapefruit, vanilla sugar and tea infused gin – in any event, it was perfectly balanced, refreshing and lovely.

 

BuddhaBarWhiskyCocktail © J Horak-Druiff 2013

 

BuddhaBarMyCocktail © J Horak-Druiff 2013

 

For dinner we decided to try out the restaurant’s new lunch and pre theatre concept dining of bento boxes which should enable guests in a hurry to be in and out of the restaurant within a mere 40 minutes, without compromising on the quality of their food – all for a rather reasonable £27. Each bento is served with miso soup, wakame salad and a choice of steamed rice or Buddha-Bar noodles (which I chose) and guests choose a starter and a main portion to add to that.  As my starter, I chose the tempura prawns with the wok-fried beef as a main course portion.  Other starter options include the green papaya salad, Buddha-Bar chicken salad, Buddha-Bar London duck salad, asparagus & nasu, or a choice of sushi rolls. Other main course options include five-spiced barbecued chicken, salmon miso, prawn pad Thai or tofu pad Thai.  The tempura prawns were delightful – three fat, juicy prawns in featherlight crispy batter with no hint of greasiness.  The wok-fried beef was a generous portion of aromatic beef and plenty of crunchy vegetables – both successful choices.  Guests enjoying the bento menu can also choose to add on dishes from the normal a la carte menu (at an extra charge) and we chose to try the roasted black cod with lemongrass miso (£28)  This was a fantastic incarnation of the dish first popularised by Nobu – moist creamy flakes of fish yielding at the touch of a fork, coated in an umami-rich glaze that had caramelised at the edges of the fish – just sublime, and nicely offset by the tang of the lemongrass miso.

 

BuddhaBarPrawnTempura © J Horak-Druiff 2013

 

BuddhaBarWokFriedBeef © J Horak-Druiff 2013

 

BuddhaBarNoodles © J Horak-Druiff 2013

 

BUddhaBarBlackCod © J Horak-Druiff 2013

 

As we had no reason to be in and out of the restaurant in 40 minutes, we decided to linger over desserts:  my friend had the lime and ginger cheesecake with pineapple salsa (£7.50) while I chose the chocolate caramel and salted sesame bar  with vanilla ice-cream (£8.50).  The cheesecake was perfectly proportioned – enough to satisfy but not overwhelm, with a deliciously creamy texture that was well balanced by the hints of lime and tangy pineapple salsa.   But I was totally smitten with my chocolate caramel sesame bar, two finger-sized slices of a layered confection which included creamy caramel, rich chocolate cake and mousse and an addictively crunchy topping of black and white sesame seed caramel – once again beautifully balanced flavours and intriguing textures.

 

BuddhaBarCheesecake © J Horak-Druiff 2013

 

BuddhaBarChocCaramelDessert © J Horak-Druiff 2013

 

By the end of the meal, I was certainly pleased that I had suspended my disbelief – celebrity hangout it may be, but the kitchens at Buddha-Bar London certainly know what they are doing. Flavours were clean, presentation was attractive, and the black cod rivals Nobu’s in quality. Cocktails were innovative and staff were warm, friendly and seemed genuinely knowledgeable and enthusiastic about the menu. Because of the add-ons, our meal would have cost approximately £60 each, but if you restricted yourself to the bento and a cocktail it’s quite possible to enjoy a meal for about £40 – which is not bad value considering the quality of the food and the fact that you are a stone’s throw away from Harrods.

 

DISCLOSURE:  I enjoyed this meal as a guest of Buddha-Bar London but received no further remuneration to write this post and all opinions are my own. 

 

Buddha-Bar London
145 Knightsbridge
London

SW1X 7PA

Tel.: +44 (0) 203 667 5222
Email: [email protected] 

Buddha-Bar London on Urbanspoon

More deliciousness for you!

  • A South African Omnivore’s 100A South African Omnivore’s 100
  • Coya – matching Spanish beer and Peruvian foodCoya – matching Spanish beer and Peruvian food
  • Saturday Snapshots #116Saturday Snapshots #116
  • Spicy harissa coleslaw with pomegranateSpicy harissa coleslaw with pomegranate

Never miss a Cooksister post

If you enjoyed this post, enter your e-mail address here to receive a FREE e-mail update when a new post appears on Cooksister

I love comments almost as much as I love cheese - so if you can't leave me any cheese, please leave me a comment instead!

« Spaghetti with chorizo meatballs and homemade tomato sauce
Saturday Snapshots #271 »

Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Recipe Rating




This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

  1. [email protected] says

    November 5, 2013 at 8:51 pm

    Sound delicious Jeanne! less jealous of the locations than of the amazing foods you get to eat! You are a lucky lady 😀

    Reply
  2. Urvashi says

    November 10, 2013 at 3:07 pm

    This looks just like the grown up places I used to go to pre children. Lovely looking cocktails

    Reply
  • Facebook
  • Instagram
  • Pinterest
  • RSS
  • Twitter
  • YouTube

Never miss a Cooksister post!

Get my latest recipes delivered by e-mail!

Search over 500 recipes

Recently on Cooksister

  • Perfect broccoli and Stilton soup [keto, low carb, GF]
  • Masalchi by Atul Kochhar – Indian street food in Wembley
  • Barbecued salmon with blood oranges and capers
  • Roasted Brussels sprouts with feta, pomegranate and pine nuts [GF, V]
  • Love Yourself healthy meal delivery [Review]
  • Antillean
  • Festive roast lamb with pomegranate glaze
  • Rustic blood orange and pistachio galettes

Archives by month

Archives by category

Popular posts

Oxtail and red wine potjie
Peppermint Crisp fridge tart - a South African treat
Jan Ellis pudding - a classic South African dessert
Nigella's Bakewell slices & the Big Bakewell Taste-off
Gem squash 101: how to find them, how to grow them, how to eat them!
Roosterkoek - a South African braai essential

Featured on

Also available on

I am not an early morning person - but when the re I am not an early morning person - but when the reason for a stupid o’clock start is a private tour of the Chelsea Flower Show & a tasting of South African wine, how could I refuse? 🌸🥂🍷 (see more about our show tour in my previous reel!)

The wine in question was a selection of 8 wines by Franschoek estate @babylonstoren . The farm itself is over 150 years old and lies at the foot of the Simonsberg mountains. It is named after one of the peaks in the range - literally translated as the Tower of Babylon - and was for much of its existence a fruit farm before being purchased by owners Koos Bekker & Karen Roos. In 2007 they commissioned architect Patrice Caravella to lay out an extensive formal garden comprising 15 clusters spanning vegetable areas, stone and pome fruits, nuts, citrus, berries, bees, herbs, ducks and chickens, a prickly pear maze, and more. Every one of the more than 300 varieties of plants in the garden is edible or has medicinal value. They are also grown as organically as possible and in a biologically sustainable manner. The garden was the first RHS accredited garden in Africa. The couple also converted the fruit orchards to vineyards which now cover 150 hectares amd produced their first harvest in 2011.

The Babylonstoren Mourvèdre rosé was enjoying its third year of being the official wine of the RHS and we were fortunate enough to have winemaker @klaasstoffberg and cellar master Charl Coetzee on hand all the way from South Africa to talk us through the range. Here’s what we tried:

🥂SPRANKEL 2017 - 100% Chardonnay Cap Classique sparkling wine with a very fine mousse and notes of brioche, green apples and grapefruit
🥂 Chenin Blanc 2022 - ripe fruit palate of pears, quince & apples with a rounded mouthfeel & very long finish
🥂 2022 Viognier - baked apples and quince but with biscuits notes and  fresh acidity to balance the fruit - rounded mouthfeel and tarte tatin finish
🥂 2022 Chardonnay all matured in oak barrels but made in a restrained Burgundian style with buttery, toasty grapefruit and subtle spice flavours & beautifully integrated oak

[Continued in first comment]
[Ad/Press sample] Love beer? Love peaty Islay whis [Ad/Press sample] Love beer? Love peaty Islay whisky? Then you need to get your hands on this delightful collaboration between @innisandgunn (their original beer is billed as a beer for wine drinkers and is one of my all-time favourites) and @laphroaig (makers of one of my favourite super peaty whiskies). 

Innis & Gunn’s limited edition Islay whisky cask beer is a Scottish red beer which is double matured - first in used Laphroaig whisky casks and then in used port casks. The result is a deeply smoky beer with notes of coffee, dark chocolate, malt and rich toffee, all balanced by a clean and almost saline finish, much like Laphroaig whisky itself.  It comes in a limited edition gift box with beautiful artwork by @scottnaismithartist and is available from the Innis & Gunn website for £6,00 for a 330ml bottle while stocks last (it’s also vegan!). 

I paired it with crostini topped with cream cheese and smoked oysters - the salty, smoky, creamy oysters complemented the flavours of the beer very well. I can also imagine it working well with green olives or smoked almonds. A perfect gift for the beer or whisky lover in your life!

What do you think of combining the flavours of beer and peaty whisky? Let me know in the comments 🍺

#innisandgunn #laphroaig #islaywhisky #beerlove #beerloversofinstagram
This week I made a flying visit to the RHS Chelsea This week I made a flying visit to the RHS Chelsea Flower Show in  London’s leafy Chelsea, courtesy of @babylonstoren and @thenewtinsomerset [INVITED] I was fortunate to have an early morning tour of the beautiful show gardens and by far the most inspiring was the Best in Show winner, Horatio’s Garden, designed by Charlotte Harris and Hugo Bugg. Horatio’s Garden is an initiative to provide spinal injury patients in NHS hospitals with an accessible garden and private respite rooms within the garden. There are 8 across the UK and the design we saw at the show will be rolled out in Sheffield once the remaining funds needed are raised. Have you visited the Chelsea Flower Show? Let me know in the comments 🌺🌷🪷🪻🌼🌸 #rhschelseaflowershow2023 #rhschelsea #horatiosgarden #horatiosgardenchelsea
Today is the official coronation of King Charles I Today is the official coronation of King Charles III and London is literally awash with red, white and blue flags, bunting and souvenirs. I don’t have bunting… but in celebration I can offer you this plate of red, white and blue deliciousness that is sticky toffee pudding with berries! I had this last weekend at the @bristolbarbrighton - the pudding alone makes the trip from London worthwhile 😍👑🇬🇧 Long live sticky toffee pudding!!
Happy Easter to everyone celebrating! My Easter ch Happy Easter to everyone celebrating! My Easter chocolates are from Ukrainian chocolate producer @roshen_ukraine - gorgeous hazelnut praline-filled dark chocolates, and how beautiful is the packaging? #easter2023 #easterchocolate #easterchocolates #roshen #ukrainiantraditions #roshenchocolate
Great exhibition on at the V&A Museum in London ri Great exhibition on at the V&A Museum in London right now for anybody interested in textiles, fashion or Africa. Such fascinating info about the cultural significance of various traditional African cloths (kente, kuba, bògòlanfini and many more) and a great display of modern African designers from around the continent. It’s on till 16 April so catch it if you can! #africafashion #thingstodoinlondon #londonexhibitions #londontourist #londonbylondoners #kentecloth #kubacloth #bogolanfini #chrisseydou #ladumangxokolo
The wonderful Museum of the Moon installation - a The wonderful Museum of the Moon installation - a 7 metre diameter scale model of the moon suspended in the Painted Hall at the  @oldroyalnavalcollege in Greenwich this week, by @lukejerramartist. A surreal and fabulous sight!
Do you enjoy free art installations? Then you need Do you enjoy free art installations? Then you need to get down to @canarywharflondon between now and Saturday 28 Jan to catch the free Winter Lights 2023 event, back for the seventh year.

My favourites include @lukejerramartist ‘s Floating Earth; Tom Lambert’s Out of the Dark; Fluorescent Firs; Toroid by This is Loop; and the surreal and mesmerising Anima by MEATS - a tunnel filled with hundreds of thin optical fibre lights that change colour and move in the breeze 😍 

Have you been to Winter Lights? What was your favourite?
“When we look down at the Earth from space, we s “When we look down at the Earth from space, we see this amazing, indescribably beautiful planet. It looks like a living, breathing organism. But it also, at the same time, looks extremely fragile.” - International Space Station astronaut Ron Garamond

To experience the “overview effect” (a phenomenon experienced by astronauts viewing the earth from space), head down to Canary Wharf in the London docklands this week where you can see @lukejerramartist ‘s beautiful Floating Earth installation as part of the Winter Lights event. 

This giant 10m diameter installation is created using high resolution NASA images to create a floating scale model of the Earth, lit from within so that it glows from its current home on the Middle Dock, surrounded by the headquarters of international banking and finance corporations.

The artist hopes that viewed in this context, the installation will make visitors and the bankers working in surrounding buildings question how their money in savings and pensions is invested, and whether investments can be greener.

Aside from being a thought provoking piece, it is also mesmerising and surreally beautiful, so make sure you visit the free Winter Lights event before ends on Saturday 28 Jan.
Load More... Follow me on Instagram

Follow Jeanne Horak-Druiff's board Recipes by Cooksister on Pinterest.

Cooksister

The South African Food and Wine Blog Directory

The South African Food and Wine Blog Directory

  • Facebook
  • Instagram
  • Pinterest
  • RSS
  • Twitter

Jeanne Horak is a freelance food and travel writer; recipe developer and photographer. South African by birth and Londoner by choice, Jeanne has been writing about food and travel on Cooksister since 2004. She is a popular speaker on food photography and writing has also contributed articles, recipes and photos to a number of online and print publications. Jeanne has also worked with a number of destination marketers to promote their city or region. Please get in touch to work with her Read More…

Latest Recipes

Bowls of broccoli and Stilton soup
Salmon with blood oranges dill and capers
Brussels sprouts with feta and pomegranate
Roast lamb with pomegranate glaze
Blood orange & pistachio galettes
Cauliflower topped steak with melted cheese
Plate of potted smoked salmon with slaw and a glass of champagne
bowls of pistachio pomegranate bircher muesli

SITEMAP

Home

Contact

About me

Recipe Index

Restaurant Index

Copyright & Disclaimer

Cookies & privacy policy




blog counter

© 2004 - 2023 · Jeanne Horak unless otherwise stated - ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. You may not reproduce any text, excerpts or images without my prior permission. Site by RTW Labs

Copyright © 2023 · Cooksister on Genesis Framework · WordPress · Log in

Cooksister cookie consent
We use cookies to ensure you receive the best experience on our site. If you continue to use this site, you are agreeing to our terms and conditions. Accept
Privacy & Cookies Policy

Privacy Overview

This website uses cookies to improve your experience while you navigate through the website. Out of these, the cookies that are categorized as necessary are stored on your browser as they are essential for the working of basic functionalities of the website. We also use third-party cookies that help us analyze and understand how you use this website. These cookies will be stored in your browser only with your consent. You also have the option to opt-out of these cookies. But opting out of some of these cookies may affect your browsing experience.
Necessary
Always Enabled
Necessary cookies are absolutely essential for the website to function properly. This category only includes cookies that ensures basic functionalities and security features of the website. These cookies do not store any personal information.
Non-necessary
Any cookies that may not be particularly necessary for the website to function and is used specifically to collect user personal data via analytics, ads, other embedded contents are termed as non-necessary cookies. It is mandatory to procure user consent prior to running these cookies on your website.
SAVE & ACCEPT