insideKENT Magazine Issue 35 - February 2015 | Page 73

FOOD+DRINK

Cinnamon Culture

BY CATHY JINKS

Recommended by prestigious outlets such as Hardens and the Michelin Guide, Bromley-based fine dining
Indian restaurant, Cinnamon Culture, has been making waves since it opened in a former Victorian pub
over three years ago. Offering a modern twist on Indian cuisine, owner Manpreet Dhingra, has achieved
the perfect blend of innovative cuisine, contemporary décor, and relaxing surroundings.

Inside, the good-sized bar and comfortable
seating area provides the ideal spot to relax with
a delicious cocktail; on this occasion, Ginger
Snap – saffron vodka, ginger, lime juice, and
orange juice – was my drink of choice. The
restaurant itself seats 80 covers, and for those
'warmer months', there is an excellent outside
area for keen al fresco diners too.
Whilst perusing the menu, my guest and I enjoyed
a selection of plain and spiced poppadoms
complete with homemade mango chutney,
tamarind and raisin sauce, and ginger-garlic
pickle.
With a choice of 12 starters, 14 mains and eight
side dishes including lemon rice, ginger rice, and
an assorted mini naan basket, there was certainly
a fabulous range to choose from.
After much deliberation over the chilli squid, duck
tikka, venison vindaloo, and other inventive picks,
I opted to start with soft-shell kekada – a soft
shell crab in tempura batter, served with a mini
crab cake, papaya chutney, and delectable
beetroot purée. Meanwhile, my guest went for
the head chef’s own creation, chatpati chaat –

spiced pastry case filled with a cold 'salad' of
sweet potatoes and chickpeas, dressed with
tamarind, mint sauces and sweet yogurt, topped
with pomegranate seeds. A delicious start to any
meal!
In the way of mains, my guest's pick was raan
mughlai, a Mogul dish of slow-braised lamb
shank with spices, finished in the tandoor, and
served with curried butternut squash and an
exceptional sauce reduction. My choice, Meen
Pappas, was National Curry Week's awardwinning Keralite favourite of pan-seared sea bass
in a coconut, onion, and tamarind ‘pappas’
sauce, served with curry leaf-infused potato
mash; I think my sea bass dish is definitely up
there as one of the best curries I've ever had.
After reading through the delightful dessert menu,
which featured such dishes as mango brûlée,
cardamom and walnut brownie, chocolate
samosa and more, I plumped for a refreshingly,
and utterly delicious coconut sorbet.
In addition, the extensive wine list impressed,
showcasing a collection of wines from every
region in the world. This included a choice of

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three locally sourced Indian wines; we went for
the Sauvignon Blanc Indian White, which proved
the perfect accompaniment to our main meal.
The team at Cinnamon Culture is passionate and
knowledgeable. Head chef, Bhuwan Bhatt,
explained that each plate is carefully chosen in
order to represent the various signatures dishes
that stem from the different regions of