Moving Up
Indian restaurant Jaipur has been a fixture down at the Esplanade for as long as we can remember, but to match its new spruced up Liberty Wharf and Liberation Station neighbours, it’s moved up a couple of doors and had quite a transformation.
With cool and chic tones of charcoal, silver and taupe finished off with a vibrant stripe of pink – in a nod to the Indian city of Jaipur’s nickname of ‘the pink city’, the 60-seater restaurant’s contemporary interior will certainly make going ‘out for an Indian’ a lot more special. A dramatic central bar where you can sit and have a cocktail before your meal, links the two dining areas, and there’s also a more intimate space down a few stairs which can be used for small private dining groups.
Minimalist wooden tables are laid with white linen napkins and beautiful table settings that reflect the modern-style Indian menu. The classic favourites are all there, but restaurant owner and head chef Eyahia Khann has added a new specials menu. “The new dishes are from all over India, a kind of ‘best of’ Indian cooking” explains Eyahia. There’s a new wine list and even a cocktail menu.
Elliott Design Partnership who worked on the transformation explained “From the outset we were both very keen to redefine the classic Indian restaurant and produce something that avoided the stereotypical interiors so often associated with this genre of restaurant – no flock wallpaper, floral pattered carpets and dodgy music! As well as overcoming the technical problems associated with the small restricted site and a listed façade, we designed all the elements for the interior from custom-produced joinery down to assisting Eyahia in the selection of new tableware. With the use of walnut timber, deep-buttoned leather, striking warm pinks fused with rich greys, we created a relaxed, striking interior – a perfect backdrop to Eyahia’s authentic Indian cuisine. Combine that with the excellent service in the restaurant and Jaipur has clearly raised the bar in contemporary Indian dining in the Channel Islands”.
Jaipur, 10 The Esplanade, (right opposite the bus station) St Helier. Tel: 880069