Mango & Silk

Mango & Silk operated out of a narrow dining room on Upper Richmond Road West in East Sheen, serving a style of Indian cooking that drew serious critical attention to an otherwise unremarkable suburban stretch of SW14. The room was deliberately understated: pale neutrals, wicker-backed chairs, Indian scene prints on cream walls, gleaming white tablecloths, and subdued lighting that kept the focus on the food rather than the setting. The kitchen was the domain of Udit Sarkhel, formerly of Bombay Brasserie, who had previously run his own restaurant, Sarkhels, before arriving here. Working largely single-handed with a small team, Sarkhel produced a menu with clear Bengali roots alongside broader subcontinental range: macher malai prepared with mustard and coconut, jardaloo ma gosht pairing lamb masala with apricots, and murgh malai kebabs built around creamy chicken and cashew. These were not the generic curry-house staples that defined most of the neighbourhood competition. Critics noted the restaurant as something genuinely apart from its postcode. The front of house was managed by owner Radhika Verma, whose approach reviewers consistently described as attentive without being intrusive. That combination of a focused kitchen and considered service gave Mango & Silk a character that punched well above the expectations of a small suburban room with modest décor and tables for two. Mango & Silk closed in February 2012 following the death of Udit Sarkhel, who passed away while visiting Calcutta. The restaurant did not reopen. For anyone researching the address at 199 Upper Richmond Road West today, the venue no longer operates.