Cinnamon Kitchen London City Review: Modern Indian Dining with Chef Vivek Singh
Food Review By Rachel Ducker
We visited Cinnamon Kitchen London City, located close to the vibrant Spitalfields area, a few weeks ago. The restaurant is run by renowned chef Vivek Singh, who has become well known for bringing a modern and innovative approach to Indian cuisine in the UK.
Our family of five was in for a treat at this fine-dining restaurant on a Saturday afternoon. We could not have chosen a better place in terms of staff hospitality, variety and quality of the food served, and the overall ambience of the restaurant.
Guests were then greeted at the hostess station and their table was explained. They also have an outdoor area for dining if the weather allows. During the summer months, this area is also used for long lunches and evening dining in the heart of the City.
The interior does not let the side down. Based in a Grade II listed historic Victorian warehouse, Cinnamon Kitchen combines the best of the old with some clever modern Indian design to create a dining space that is truly memorable and fun. Exposed brick and woodwork are juxtaposed with the latest materials, lighting and intricate Indian pattern work to create a smart yet thoroughly laid back dining space.
Cinnamon Kitchen is the new venture from chef and entrepreneur Vivek Singh, who brought Indian food to the UK in a major way. The concept is the same as Singh’s pioneering ultra-chic restaurant, The Cinnamon Club, but here it will be modern Indian with seasonal ingredients sourced in a sustainable way. The kitchen will serve all-day dining.
A Menu Full of Bold Flavours
We were extremely fortunate, and we were able to enjoy a three-course dinner from the children’s and the 25-year anniversary menus.
We started with two dishes that we thought would be well balanced and would showcase the chefs’ creativity with an array of ingredients.
I’m not sure the Railway Style Vegetable Cake with beetroot, raisin and kasundi ketchup could really be described as a comfort food in the classic sense. And yet, it was comfort food in spades. Sort of like a veggie main course that defied the dullness that this category often falls prey to. The spices in the mixture of vegetables worked quite well, and the thickness of the slice of “cake” made it feel far more like a conventional hot meal than a dry slice of something or other.
The Grilled Sardine Fillets with chilli, garlic and spiced rava crumble was something else. The rich, deep, almost smoky flavour of the sardines was beautifully matched by a seasoning that was almost overwhelmingly intense, yet managed to be completely in harmony with the flavour of the sardines without overpowering them. The textural element of the spiced rava crumble was a nice little bonus to the whole thing.
Vibrant, Contemporary Mains
For the main course again we were confronted with the innovative way that Indian classical cuisine is dealt with by the kitchen.
My hit of the day was the stir-fried aubergine with sesame tamarind sauce served with coconut rice. It was silky smooth and really nice and the sauce, though very sweet and sour, was well-balanced and really nice with a lovely strong sesame flavour. A dollop of fluffy coconut rice made for a lovely finishing touch to a very more-than-adequate vegetarian dish.
My husband chose the South Indian Beef Chukka on Tadka Rice Vermicelli with curried yoghurt. A dish where no single ingredient is particularly in the spotlight, instead working together as a team of flavours. The colours and spices assault the senses and then the flavours juggle each other back and forth. The beef is tender and the spices are applied in liberal portions. A small spoonful of yoghurt provides a cooling respite from the heat of the dish. Laced with mustard and spices.
Yes, CK is really quite family friendly. They have a separate kids menu, which is always a good start and they seemed pretty laid back about bringing our mini-mes into a proper restaurant too.
A Sweet Finish
Dessert was the perfect finale to our afternoon.
I tried the Alphonso Mango and Cardamom Brûlée. I was not sure how it would be. To my surprise it was really light and strangely satisfying. Mango is a really sweet and very floral dessert ingredient and I think the sweetness and the calmness of the cardamom pair quite well with each other. They topped it with some caramelised carom seed crisp, which added an interesting texture to the dessert.
The “Ahh” was unspoken. We all felt satisfyingly full without quite realising the satisfaction. The Carrot and Ginger Toffee Pudding, topped with a generous dollop of cinnamon ice cream, was a pudding done right through. Flawlessly prepared, it exuded all the comforting qualities one could hope for from a timeless dessert.
Relaxed Dining in the Heart of the City
Cinnamon Kitchen manages the impossible: contemporary, modern and innovative modern Indian food of a refined, sophisticated and very high standard is served in a relaxed, calm and friendly environment that is equally suited to families, romantic occasions and special events.
We reaffirmed on Saturday why Cinnamon Kitchen is one of the best restaurants in London. Excellent food using fresh ingredients, and a great location.
If you fancy some stylish modern Indian food, then head to Cinnamon Kitchen or check out our other Bounce reviews for dining out here.
Location:
9 Devonshire Square
Spitalfields
London EC2M 4YL
Contact:
020 7626 5000
[email protected]
