One of the best evenings that I had in the run up to Christmas was a dinner held to celebrate the 25th anniversary of the opening of The Cinnamon Club in Westminster, which is one of those places that just changed how we eat as well as becoming one of the most beautiful restaurants in London if not the world.
In the heart of ancient Westminster Chef Vivek Singh took over the beautiful old and historic Grade II listed Westminster library and transformed into a temple of fine dining that more than any other restaurant cemented the ascension of Indian food into the world of fine dining. It was a revelation – exquisite, elegant but moreish Indian food in an immaculately restored and building that it fit like a silk glove. From the off it attracted the great and good of the worlds of politics, arts, academia and everyone in between. I’m not sure my father in law went more than a week or two without decamping there with his mates from the House of Lords.
Part of me has always wondered if it was a subtle point aimed at the old colonial clubs and buildings in India that (I remember from years ago) would serve up inedible English gloop in similar buildings with the tempting smell of spices and real cooking floating in off the Bengal breeze.
Perhaps to then take that cuisine and showcase it in a similar building in Westminster but with the culinary preferences reversed was to make a fine point, but in a gentle way – that we may have left an architectural heritage in India, but goodness me has India no left a cultural and culinary footprint on our souls.
And so fittingly to celebrate 25 years these modern Indian fine dining, The Cinnamon Club in Westminster is returning to where it all began and from 12th – 31st January, a one-off Retro Menu showcases some of the memorable dishes that put Executive Chef Vivek Singh’s first restaurant on the map with prices rolled back to 2001. A culinary time capsule, the ‘Retro Menu’ includes classics such:
• Sweet potato cake with crisp okra and spiced yoghurt (£5.00) v
• Home smoked lamb kebabs (£6.00)
• Seared calf’s liver with masala mash and spiced onion chutney (£6.00)
• Sandalwood-flavoured tandoori chicken (£6.00)
• Baby aubergines in pickling spices with curry leaf semolina (£10.00) v / n / g
• Vindaloo of pork chop with pilau rice (£15.50) g
• Pan seared breast of Gressingham duck with sesame tamarind sauce (£16.00) n
• Steamed mango rice cakes with wild berry sorbet (£6.00)
Chef Vivek Singh commented on the menu: “The early 2000s were an exciting time for Indian cuisine in London, and this Retro Menu is a tribute to our early days. This isn’t just about nostalgia; it’s about celebrating the ambition, curiosity and creativity that shaped our early years and also the audacity of the idea itself. These dishes remind us, and our guests, why The Cinnamon Club has stood the test of time.”
And if you are feeling lucky, or just cheeky, ask for the butter chicken. It is not on the menu. It never was. But if you get them in the right mood they will make Vivek’s butter chicken. And you’ll never forget it.
Reserve your table now for the Retro Menu and step back in time: https://cinnamonclub.com
What’s more, Vivek’s other London restaurants will be offering a special three-course January set menu for just £25, available all day throughout the month.
Enjoy it at Cinnamon Kitchen City, Cinnamon Kitchen Battersea, Cinnamon Bazaar Covent Garden, or Cinnamon Bazaar Richmond. Book a table here: https://www.thecinnamoncollection.com
The Cinnamon Club, The Old Westminster Library, Great Smith St, London, SW1P 3BU – 020 7222 2555 – https://cinnamonclub.com/ – @thecinnamoncollection