“Ah Ambassador, wis zees lamb brains you are really spoiling us.”
Let’s first quickly address both elephants in the room. The first is that if the words “Ambassadors Clubhouse, Mayfair” are giving you “that sounds expensive” vibes, then your vibeometer is working perfectly.* And the second – for the benefit of anyone whose grammarometer is twitching – is that, yes it’s called “Ambassadors Clubhouse”, and not “Ambassador’s Clubhouse” possibly because the aim here is for you to feel like an Ambassador when visiting (as opposed to feeling like the guest of the Ambassador in whose honour the restaurant has been named).
Or maybe it’s just a mistake, but that seems unlikely.
Either way this is the twenty-eighth venue from the three siblings behind JKS, who have been steadily expanding their restaurant empire over the last 16 years from Trishna in 2008 to a now vast stable of brands dotted across London and the UAE (including six outposts of Bao in London alone, plus four Berenjaks, two Gymkhanas and two Hoppers). And while it’s an undeniably attractive and glamorous eatery, Ambassadors’ position as “number 28” does – despite this officially being the world’s first “Ambassadors Clubhouse” – sooort of already make it feel like a small cog in a large brand rollout, and the first link in what could likely become a chain.
Nevertheless as a celebration of Punjabi food, music and culture, Ambassadors undoubtedly nails the “warm welcome” tradition of Punjabi hospitality thanks to its combination of plush and shimmering interiors (where clearly no expense has been spared) with beaming, super-friendly and attentive staff. Set out over two floors – and also featuring three genuinely beautiful private dining rooms (accommodating 6, 10 and 12 guests respectively) plus a heated outdoor terrace – it does appear to capture the opulence of the abandoned party mansions of Northern India that inspired its interiors… though having never visited an abandoned party mansion in Northern India, that’s a tricky one to verify.
The menu’s based on the food of undivided Punjab (both India and Pakistan), starting with Papads, Chaat and “Bitings” – or “drinking snacks” – before being followed up with a wide range of main dishes that includes classic curries cooked in iron woks and earthen clay pots (including a wonderful Matka Beliram Lamb Curry); Biryani and Pilau served with a wide selection of tandoor-roasted breads; and a variety of classic Indian desserts to finish.
But what about those lamb brains, eh? Well you’ll find them in a section entitled “Kebabs” which includes a range of different dishes categorised by the way in which they’ve been cooked. We tried Ajwaini Wild Prawns from the Tandoor section (which contains dishes cooked in a clay oven) in addition to Masala Magaz Cheela from the Tawa (pan-frying) section, which are the lamb brains – and which were actually delicious, tasting a bit like egg yolk – served inside a savoury pancake.
Talk about food for thought…
NOTE: Ambassadors Clubhouse is now open 7 days per week. You can learn more and book a table on their website.
ALSO NOTE: The Clubhouse is hosting AMBASSY, a late-night music programme featuring weekly resident DJs (from 10pm to 2am every Thursday to Saturday) and VIP DJ events in order to provide “a much-needed and previously unseen platform for Punjabi and South Asian artists to fuse the music of their heritage with trending UK genres.”
Ambassadors Clubhouse | 25 Heddon Street, W1B 4BH
*Our dinner for two here cost a little over £100pp.