Tag Archives: fine dining

Moti Mahal, Covent Garden

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It is no secret that Londoners love a good Indian curry. It is the ultimate Friday night treat, and the search for the best on offer is endless. Recently, with the arrival of Gymkhana, fine Indian dining has become the focus of our cravings, and high quality Indian eateries seem to be appearing all over London. Moti Mahal Covent Garden is the chic London outpost of the celebrated Delhi restaurant which opened in 1959. The London location is not new but it felt new to me as I’ve never visited previously.

We turned up at eight on a Friday evening when the restaurant was already full of animated guests, appreciating the comforting cuisine. Sitting towards the rear of the restaurant where it was quieter, we were able to speak to the waiter at length about the concept and flick through the vibrantly illustrated cookbook. The emphasis at Moti Mahal is on the food traditions that surround the Grand Trunk Road, one of Asia’s oldest, longest and most significant major routes. Delhi-born Anirudh Arora has operated as Head Chef since the restaurant’s opening in 2005. The menu focuses on Arora’s passion for the cuisine of India’s famed road.

The menu is long and laborious to peruse, instead listen to the advice of your waiter and order based on his suggestions. If you are feeling very hungry and adventurous, you can opt for the tasting menu which gives you a flavour of the different regions of India. We tasted a range of starters and mains, so many that I was grateful for the small portions. To start, the trio of chicken tikka was wonderful, presented in a grand copper urn on very long metal grilling sticks. The marinades are intensely flavoured and the meat was juicy and tender with a lovely charcoal edge. We also loved the Thatee Grill Gosht (Butterflied lamb leg) coated in a thick garlic and chilli yoghurt, cooked to perfection with a marinade so good I wanted to lick the plate.

Murgh Makhani (Butter chicken) is a must. This faultless recipe from Delhi involves chicken tikka chunks simmered in a creamy tomato sauce. The portion isn’t huge so I guarantee there will be a fight for that last mouthful. We also tried the Venison Meatballs, a speciality dish. The rich meat is seasoned with brown onion and yoghurt sauce, it tasted almost Italian until the spices kicked in. We also ordered buttery garlic naan and pilau rice to soak up all the addictive sauces.

For dessert we managed to fit in a round of kulfi (Indian ice-cream) which arrived in assorted flavours on sticks, looking not dissimilar to mini-milks. In fact they tasted quite similar too, though the flavours were more inventive: mango, rose, pistachio. It was a lovely and simple pudding to cool our tastebuds after the spicy meal.

So what is the downside to all this exquisite food? It comes at a price. Smaller dishes are priced around £10 each, main courses are between £20 and £25, which all adds up when you want a few sides to share and a vegetable dish to accompany the meat.

The elaborate drinks menu matches the food in style: tropical cocktails and unique gins with tonic, or just simply a bottle of high quality, carefully chosen wine. We tasted the cocktails which were strong and nicely garnished, though a little sweet for me. Beer or wine suits the Indian flavours much better.

Producing modern and sophisticated cuisine with a sensitivity to the traditions of authentic Indian cooking, Moti Mahal exceeded all my expectations. Thanks to its location, this restaurant is the perfect option for pre or post theatre meals, or go on a Friday night and treat yourself to one of London’s better curries.

More information and book here: motimahal-uk.com

Alimentum, Cambridge

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Cambridge is one of the most civilised and lovely places to visit in the UK and yet there are only two Michelin star restaurants to satisfy refined tastebuds. Alimentum is one of the two – a small, discreet restaurant located on a quiet street near the main train station. With a sophisticated, oriental-feeling, black and red interior, this eatery suits both business meals and leisurely treats. Headed up by chef Mark Poynton, the kitchen presents food that is highly creative but miraculously reasonably priced (the affordable fixed price menu starts at £18.50 for 2 courses), making this wonderful dining experience accessible to all.

We were seated at the best table overlooking the kitchen, so throughout the meal we could spy on the chefs preparing the immaculate plates. It was great fun to see the foodie performance before the carefully constructed dishes were delivered to us. Prior to our chosen a la carte courses we were offered fluffy warm freshly baked bread, and mouthfuls of crispy pastry with pea shoots, feta and lemon. Then came the tiny tasters of butternut squash veloute with pickled mushrooms and pumpkin seeds, a silky comforting soup and a taste of the culinary delights to come. The sommelier kindly selected suitable white and red wines to go with our food choices.

The a la carte is well balanced with creations to suit every palate. To start we chose to feast on Quail Breast and legs, with broccoli, lime and peanut and Duck Foie gras mousse, passion fruit, walnut and spring onion. Both dishes had a hint of the orient whilst using seasonal British ingredients. Presented in a glass bowl the foie gras was incredibly rich topped with an assortment of textural garnishes ensuring every mouthful was different. The delicately cooked quail was irresistible – subtly flavoured meat with broccoli and peanuts, it reminded me of the flavours I tried in Thailand.

Our main courses were very decadent; Lobster, Duck breast, gizzard, carrot, anise and white port for my guest and Venison, Sweet potato, lentils, king oyster mushroom with pink peppercorn sauce for me. The venison was perfectly cooked and glistened with a coating of rich sauce; it was balanced with greenery and had a lovely range of textures. The lobster and duck was a feast for the senses, and an especially good choice for those greedy diners that can’t decide between seafood and meat. Both were cooked immaculately and dressed with a layer of thin carrots and garnished with a sprinkling of herbs.

After a surprise course of superior cheeses, we chose desserts. After watching the pastry chef decorate plates in the kitchen, I was extremely excited to taste the whimsical creations. We obviously picked the chocolate option, Fondant with raspberry and caramel (an absolute must) and for the second pudding went out on a whim with BBQ Orange Parfait, mojito and liquorice. They both looked beautiful, precariously poised on their platters. I was taken aback by the BBQ orange, sharp and a little bitter, the contrasting components are definitely unexpected, but after getting used to the unique palette of the dish I began to like the refreshing flavours. Chocolate fondant was delicious with a vibrant ruby red raspberry coulis.

As if a visit to Cambridge isn’t blissful enough, a meal at Alimentum will complete a day away in this beautiful historic city.

More information and book a table here.

Caelis, Barcelona

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There are plenty of cheap and cheerful tapas restaurants to choose from in Barcelona, but when you feel like a special sit-down meal head to Caelis. Located inside the grand Hotel El Palace, this restaurant is refined and sophisticated in appearance and yet exudes a relaxed and calm atmosphere. When we dined at lunchtime the surrounding tables were crowded with families – despite the grandeur there is no stuffiness here.

Chef Romain Fornell creates haute cuisine with a whimsical and imaginative twist. His Michelin-starred talents are illustrated in the various menus on offer. We chose to order from the a la carte, which offers the most diversity. Sitting back in the plush velvet seats, we enjoyed a sparkling aperitif of Spanish Cava and tiny mouthfuls of happiness, of which the foie gras sweetie was most memorable. The starters were artistic delights, presented in clever bowls with a colander plate on top, allowing the delicious juices to drip down into the soup-sauce underneath. This meant we were treated to a two-tier first course. I tried the summery Warm Vegetables with thin Parmesano tart served with orchard vegetables soup, a colourful dish of assorted vegetables pureed, boiled or left raw, with buttery parmesan shortbread and a thin cheesy sauce. My companion opted for a decadent Macaroni: a surf and turf mixture with lobster, celery and foie gras, it smelt as aromatic and comforting as it tasted, with a flavoursome broth beneath.

Mains were a tour de force. I think everyone in the dining room was jealous of my Duck “a la presse” – it arrived whole beside me to be cooked again by the accomplished waitress, a delicate gravy made with the juices, butter and stock at the table. The highlight of the dish was the extra duo of accompanying duck treats: ravioli with bolognaise and warm crispy duck with oriental dressing, these demonstrated the versatility of Fornell with different cuisines and seasonings. The Dry Age Beef “Rossini” is served chunky and red, oozing rich juices and topped with grilled bone marrow, foie gras parcels placed alongside the beef steak. We were pleased to find a minimum of carbohydrates involved, leaving more space for more courses! The sommelier paired our food with elegant red wine that suited the meats perfectly.

We were persuaded to order the speciality Explosion St Honore, a chocolate creme glacee and strawberry dessert which must be chosen by the whole table; I didn’t understand why until it was brought to us. First a gold tablecloth was laid down, on which the dessert was made. A smooth chocolate sphere, filled with minty mousse, caramel popcorn and other sweet ingredients is placed on the table around which sauces, fruit, flowers, biscuit crumbs and dry ice is casually thrown. The chocolate ball explodes on the table and you are invited to eat the sugary mess in front of you. I have never seen anything like it.

Caelis offers so much more than just a meal, it gives an exciting experience filled with surprises and treats from start to finish, you will remember this food long after you have left Barcelona.

More information and book a table here: caelis.com

Many thanks to the Barcelona Tourist Board for their help with this trip, more information here.