Wednesday 11th September 2013
Something out of the ordinary for the curry club this time as we visited the renowned Cinnamon Culture on Plaistow Lane. Many of the club are staunch old-school curry fans. They like no-nonsense British Indian restaurant fare; ‘onion bhajis’, ‘chicken korma’, ‘tikka masala’, - but these are all missing from the menu in favour of ‘tamarind quail’, ‘quillon duck’ and ‘travancore lobster’.
I was very interested to see how this more sophisticated dining experience would go down.
A few of us arrived early so sat in the stylish bar area while we waited for the others. The décor is chic and elegant as you might expect and the walls are adorned with old black and white pictures of Indian royalty. Although I would normally prefer traditional Indian music, the smooth jazz gives the place a cool ambience
When everyone was present and correct, we were shown to our table. We perused the intriguing menu and were brought homemade mini poppadoms with chutneys of lime and chilli, spicy mango and tamarind. Sweet and lightly spiced, they were appetising and somehow made me even hungrier!
For starter, I chose paneer sandwich. This glazed Indian cheese is cleverly given the appearance of triangular sandwiches with a delicious filling of date and mint chutney. It is rich, yet moreish and the combination of mint and date is fantastic. I can see why The Spice Scribe called it: ‘lovely chunky hunks of wonderstuff!’.
The main I went for may have sounded less refined but how could I not try Wild Boar Vindaloo?! Of course, this is no oily take-away style ‘vinda’. This surprisingly light dish is full of delicate flavours that are not overpowered by the Kashmiri chilli, which gives it satisfying heat. The slowly cooked wild boar is tender, juicy and was a new experience for me. Served with steamed rice, this classic Goan dish is really done justice.
On the whole, even the most old-school curry clubber was impressed with Cinnamon Culture’s touch of class. One or two raised the question of whether there is even any point in comparing this kind of restaurant with an average curry house. But whether you’re a fan of ‘Nouveau Indian cuisine’ or ‘good old curry houses’, we can all agree that this is surely one of the best restaurants in the area.
Booking Name: Björn Beastisen
Pubs: We couldn’t find any nearby but then this restaurant was once ‘The Crown’, public house.
Pubs: We couldn’t find any nearby but then this restaurant was once ‘The Crown’, public house.
Highlight: The Creativity of presentation and daring combination of flavours are a rare treat to experience!
Lowlight: It was midweek but it has to be said that the atmosphere was a little subdued.
Verdict: The Chefs skills could grace any top London restaurant. Even if you are a tikka masala fan, you really should experience this at least once
Cinnamon Culture
46 Plaistow Lane
Bromley
BR1 3PA
46 Plaistow Lane
Bromley
BR1 3PA
Tel: 020 8289 0322
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