London: Tea Time in Wonderland

Of Indian treat, we mainly select Tikka Masala, Korma. Byriani and Vindaloo for the bravest… Nice enough at the week-end, as a take away or after an evening at the pub with friends. Good but never extraodinary.

If you are dreaming of new adventures, of exotic traditions, of textures and tastes renewed, follow me!

The scen opens on an elegant restaurant -  all in simple but effective touches: crispy white tablecloths, flowers on the tables, glistening glasses. It adapts easily to the mood – romance, dinner with friends, business lunch. We loved the open view on the kitchen, the glimpses of copper dishes of silvery brooches for the meat.

In such a cocoon atmosphere, cocktails are the first invite to the travel ahead. Mango juice, lime, coconut rum promise a magical alchemy. We are still amazed at the Laurel Leaf Smash with its combination of laurel leaf, curry, fig, blackberry, lime and touch of gin. How creative! Not a randowm mix at all, each ingredient has been carefully dosed to be distinguished, the laurel tempering the sometimes aggressive laurel note. This may not be a bar, but it still enters my list of celebration headquarters!

Forget any starters you have had before. As always – the simpler, the better! I am going to steal this idea of serving fresh vegetables to be sliced and dipped into a fragrant mix of seven spices. Chilli, fennel, cumin… the most surprising is the mago powder, a sweet subtile touch. A very refreshing, very addictive starts that cleanses your palate and enhances your senses…

Tenez, voici le Bhalla Papdi Chaat (£10), un plat favori des Indiens au dîner. Un mélange de textures fabuleux, des notes douces, d’autres fraîches, l’onctueux du yaourt et du pois chiche avec le croquant d’un biscuit, des grains de grenade qui éclatent en bouche….

The menu tells the gastonomic heritage of this mythical country. the chef, Anirudh Arora, son of an officer in the Idian army, traveled many regions as a child: Kashmir, Ladackh, Lucknow, Calcutta… The GT rd was a multicultural networh. each new stop broght new tastes, new ways of using herbs… Once grown up, the chef decided to trace it again, learning the recipes, the balances… Each dish is not only described but accompanied bya  few more personal sentences, a souvenir, a tradtition… A lovley way to get back to what a meal realy should be sharing.

This is by the way, the best way to experience it. To be frank I do not see how you could select only one dish out their succulent list. Trust the maître d’hôtel -  he is discreet but always there to explain, advise. We went for a selection of four starters, which were brought little by little, as they were prepared to keep the ideal temperature.

This is the Bhalla Papdi Chaat (£10), a favourite Indian dish for tea. A fabulous mix, crunchy pastry, the smoothness of chickpeas and yogurt, pomegranate seeds explosing in your mouth…

Here, courgette flowers (Kumro Phool Bahja, £13) and stuffed with a puree enhanced with curry and onion seeds. Melts in your mouth, fascinating. Do dip it in the spicy tomato chutney, gorgeous!

One of my favourites, crab and tiger prawns cahes wrapped in banana leaves (Paturee, £12) .  I cold dine on this on a daily basis. No need to add even a drop of lemon juice. This Calcutta dish is served to the most honoured guest.

My husband, pretty classique, pretty quiet, now only swears by the tandoor over, cylindrinc in shape -  ideal to slow cook and infuse a smoked flavour to it. A mini tandoor is brought to our table, ribbons of smoke escaping, maintainign her two brochettes warm (Murghi Nazakat, £18). Look at this colouful trio, each flavoured differently. One dill/pepper, the other mint-basil, the las chilly and poppy seeds. Red+chilly usually gets me in a panic, I grab the closest glass to me). Not here: the spiced are here to educate your tastebuds, not kill them.

An alternative could be the lamb cooked with ginger and caradamome then glazed with orange juice (Khass Nalli Gosht, £21). Tender but crunchy on top, what a dream! The dish is litterally worth a king.

Another idea to borrow, effective au personnal.

The Baigan Ka Bhurta (£9) is the first dish a mothet would teach inside: tomato and aubergine puree with garden peas. Finger licking good…

…ou de Dhal Makhani (£10), un plat de lentilles noirs mijotées toute une nuit au feu de bois, onctueux à souhait… Ou pourquoi pas d’un assortiment de galettes tandoori (Tokri, £8) pour mieux tremper dans la sauce?

Another surprise -  the wine. Coming from Bordeaux, I naturally select my region -  tannine, serious, wines to be seduced, oxygenated for them to give you the sun they have fed upon. I discover that india does produce wine -  I had never encountered any. How not to try it (Shiraz 2008, £6 for a glass)? And what a complex, extraordinary drink -  it opens up immediately, sings and dances then closes like a good book would. What a pity it is not sold in London.

Desert? Of course you cannot eat anymore. But just a look at the descriptions: festive creations for weddings, notes of pistachios, mango… We share a Anjeeri kulfi Falouda (£7.50) and have never tasted anything like this. Ice cream made out of condensated milk, on sweet vermicellis, flavoured with saffron, and hiding stewed figs. The black dots ate basil seed which seemed neutral in taste to me. next time, I will go for their saffron bread pudding

Don’t leave without trying a chai (£3) served in a traditional Kullhar, an earthenware cup. The Masala chai will nake you forget the big chains ones. It is… authentic. You cannot help but realise you only knew a chemical side of some spices. I prefer the cardamom version, lighter. Cherry on the cake, the treasure box is filled with sugars, small sugar cakes, honey. So chic.

I am struggling to find one negative point, out of objectivity. Rich, food is more satisfying, you savour it better, you need less than with a tikka. Bad news, you local curry house has lost a customer. It is impossible to consider going back to a basic level. We loved the very kind service to everyone, living a passion, advising wisely, sharing traditions along the way.

Tasting menus are proposed, a big selection for £59/personne, desert included. party ahead!

Mohti Mahal
A few minutes walk from Covent Garden
45 Great Queen Street
Covent Garden
London WC2B 5AA

Teatimeinwonderlandwas a guest of Moti Mahl

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