Careys Manor Hotel to open Kasi Indian restaurant in October

Careys Manor Hotel and SenSpa in the New Forest will open a new contemporary Indian restaurant called Kasi in October. The venue will be led by chef and TV personality Surjan Singh, known as Chef Jolly.

According to the hotel's announcement to Hotel Owner, the 4,349 sq ft restaurant will seat 85 diners indoors with additional space on an outdoor terrace. The menu will include an a la carte selection, a traditional thali lunch, and three and five-course tasting menus with optional wine and cocktail pairings.

Menu and Signature Dishes

Signature dishes will highlight local ingredients. Planned items include Hampshire lamb parantha and banana leaf roasted Rivers Test and Itchen trout with coriander-garlic curry leaf butter. The menu will also feature roasted Wessex saddleback pork belly with buttered pao buns, paneer lotus kofta with sundried mint and fennel, and traditional tandoori dishes, biryanis, lentils, and breads.

Chef Surjan Singh explained his vision for the restaurant. "The food at Kasi will tell the story of the Ganges through the ingredients, flavours and cooking traditions found along its banks," he said. He added that the menu would also be connected to its New Forest home, use local and British Isles produce.

Leadership and Strategic Vision

Steve Woodrow, general manager of Careys Manor Hotel and SenSpa, stated that Kasi represents a new chapter for the property. He cited Singh's vision and reputation as key factors in the partnership, aimed at evolving the hotel's dining offerings and establishing it as a food destination.

Nicola Carass, chief executive officer of The New Forest CIC, told Hotel Owner that the opening is a significant addition to the local food scene. She emphasized the growing importance of restaurants in driving tourism, noting that a great dining experience can be the primary reason for booking a hotel stay or extending a trip, with resulting economic benefits for wider local businesses.

Singh expressed his alignment with the hotel's philosophy. "Careys Manor shares my belief that memorable restaurants are built around warmth, generosity and a real sense of place," he said. He aims to create a restaurant welcoming to hotel guests, locals, and visitors traveling specifically to dine there.

The opening follows the success of Singh's other ventures, including The Great Indian in Finsbury Park and projects in Singapore, Doha, the Maldives, and aboard the Cunard liner Queen Anne.