insideKENT Magazine Issue 32 - November 2014 | Page 68

FOOD+DRINK

THE AWARD-WINNING

indian essence

BY

HELEN

BYRDE

Guinea fowl, pigeon and venison may not constitute the usual fare on the menu of a
traditional Indian restaurant, but then Indian Essence is not your run-of-the-mill curry house.

Indian Essence’s style and
substance fits perfectly into
Petts Wood, with its
independent shops and
array of eateries from
around the world; however,
it could equally be seen on
a top London street.

In addition to its fabulous cuisine,
Indian Essence offers an extensive
wine and cocktail menu. As it was
a school night, I opted for one of
its refreshing mocktails – a ginger
feast (pineapple, lime and ginger
beer) – while my guest washed his
meal down with a Cobra beer.

Moreover, clearly I’m not
the only one to be wowed
by the dining experience at
Indian Essence, as the
restaurant was recently
awarded the Bib
Gourmand 2015 – a
Michelin-born accolade
that celebrates eateries
providing top cuisine at a
good price.

So, what to have for our mains?
After much umming and ahhing
over the mouth-watering selection,
I finally settled for the slow-cooked
venison served with lentil pancakes,
and my companion plumped for
the king prawns in a tomato and
onion sauce.
Our mains came with rice, naan
bread, a yellow lentil dahl, and a
spinach and sweetcorn side.
My slow-cooked venison was, as
you would expect, melt-in-themouth tender, complimented
perfectly by the light lentil pancakes.
Meanwhile, the prawns were juicy
and succulent and the
accompanying tomato sauce,
utterly moreish.

Indian Essence certainly
offers a wide choice for the discerning diner, from the à la carte and tasting
menu, to a set offering. We decided to plum