Style -- 10 days ago
Darbaar: for when the urge for Indian food arises
Words: Patrick
There’s a scene half an hour into The Hundred Foot Journey – which follows the rise of a talented young Indian chef Hassan Kadam, against the odds, as his family is displaced from their native homeland and they relocate in a quaint French village – that, I guarantee, will have you craving Indian food. The Kadam family are skipping around the kitchen, sprinkling various spices into simmering pans, knives working as if sowing machines on vegetables of all colours and sizes – you can almost sense the occasion and smell the garam masala-tinged air. My palate was pricked.
The obvious choice was the Cinnamon Club – few establishments come close to the wizardry that spills from this kitchen – but before hitting the ‘book table’ button I was distracted by another Google link about one the original team members to have founded this iconic London restaurant: Abdul Yaseen.
Like the film’s lead, Abdul has an affinity with great produce and a gastronomic skill that has led to him becoming one of the most influential Indian food connoisseurs on the circuit. He moved from Jaipur to London 15 years ago, and in that time he has been head chef at the Cinnamon Kitchen and Anise, won the British BBQ Championships and the Canapé Cup at Square Meal Venues & Events for 3 years consecutively, and has featured in high-profile cooking programmes such as Hairy Bikers, Great Britain’s Best Dish and the Alan Titchmarsh Show.
His latest venture is the Darbaar restaurant in the heart of London – or just on the doorstep of Shoreditch, for those of you who don’t want to say you’re headed to the land of the suited and booted. I was intrigued, so made a booking.
Darbaar is a large, 5,500ft establishment with a vibrant buzz – it neatly treads the line of formal and convivial, making it a decent venue for business suppers, raucus birthdays or an awkward first date. The menu is equally as appealing, boasting Nizami, Amritsar, Malabar, wood-fired Nanza and large sharing pots – the latter of intrinsic quality to the restaurant, as Abdul believes in promoting a shared dining experience, making your evening a unified occasion.
We shared the Royal Pot, a huge seasonal and hearty preparation, inspired by the dishes that comprised the iconic sharing feast of the Royal Court. It was, quite simply, glorious – the meat falling off the bone with the most innocent of prods, holding a beautiful flavour that made restraint incredibly hard. Coupled with the preceding Keralan shrimp and papad crisps with various homemade chutneys, I was soon loosening my belt buckle to make room for pudding.
With each dish served, Abdul, who carries a patently gregarious manner, explained the thought behind its creation. He was a presence on the floor for all the guests, moving from table to table to educate his diners on their food choices. And while the restaurant was relatively quiet for a Friday evening, when word spreads – as it should – and it brims to its 220-cover capacity, it will offer a great evening out, full of energy and tang.
On a side note, make sure you visit the bathroom at some point during your visit. The loo has a remote control that is like something out of a science lab, with more buttons than the cockpit of a space shuttle. You can heat the seat; order a drink to be at your table when you return; it’ll spray a shoot of water down your trousers; and there’s even a massage option, although I couldn’t for the life of me work out what that one did.
Importantly, however, at no point in the evening did I find my thoughts wondering to the revered Cinnamon Club and what could have been. All said and done, take two things from this article: firstly, watch The Hundred Foot Journey – it’s a great film; secondly, get some friends together, book a table at Darbaar and order the biggest sharing plate you think you can handle.
For more information, visit Darbaar.
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