Diwali at The Cinnamon Club

There are many, many Indian restaurants in London. Each of them offer a different experience of Indian food, depending on their commitment to the food of the sub-continent. I’ve had Indian friends mumble under their breath about Bangladeshis serving Indian dishes. However, those same people would also be happy missing their mothers’ home-cooked dinners for some of the cuisine on offer in this city.

The large diversity of Indian restaurants in London, from your local curry house with its gold-framed pictures and velour-covered seating to the Michelin-stared Tamarind, means that it is no surprise that the Indian festival of Diwali has inspired a variety of responses in terms of bespoke menus.

The Cinnamon Club firmly belongs in the elite of London’s Indian restaurants. It moves in high-falluting circles given its proximity to the Houses of Parliament yet never forgets its roots. Its Diwali menu is, by turns, beguiling, overwhelming and dextrous in terms of its use of spices.

After starting with an amuse bouche, it was on to the appetiser.

The Jerusalem artichoke and onion tikki, which came with a shot of pineapple rasam. The combination of the two was no more than reasonable with an overbalance of piquancy. My companion remarked that the rasam tasted like a diluted version of sweet and sour sauce, an opinion with which I would have to agree.

However, things improved with the arrival of the starter, a lotus seed and vegetable seekh with smoked paprika raita. This was much more nuanced and considerate than the appetiser had been. There was a spiciness to the dish but it was much more restrained and intelligently handled.

The first main consisted of five bite-size morsels. Whilst there is not enough space to give an account of them all, this was definitely the highlight of the meal with an ingenious use of the chickpea, paneer and yoghurt textures. Such was the potency of the pieces that my companion was moved to steal one of mine and I was pretty much powerless to stop her.

The second main course was baked jumbo morels with green pea pulao. This dish kept up the theme of restrained use of spice. There was also an addition of luxury with the use of gold leaf to accompany the morels, which added an extra richness to the dish.

Tying into the theme of Diwali with its worship of Hindu deities, the dessert was prasad – a selection of religious offerings. I looked round to make sure Kali and Lakshmi were not in attendance, ready to smite me for eating their gifts and tucked into the saffron milk and helva, which most deities would have been more than happy with.

The Cinnamon Club’s menu for Diwali does cost £50 per person and for some will be a little pricey. However, for the most part it is fantastically sumptuous and well worth the outlay.

The Cinnamon Club
30 Great Smith Street
Westminster
SW1P 3BU

Tel: 020 7222 2555