Everyone knows that January is a time for a more laid back approach to eating and drinking than the fevered frenzy of the Christmas and New Year’s excesses. However, this is also precisely when the restaurants will be trying to tempt you with tantalising offers of delicious food at a fraction of the price it is the rest of the year. It was with such an offer that I was lured in.
I have wanted to eat at Benares for years. A Michellin starred (for the 8th year) Indian restaurant, I can’t imagine anything better! It was with great anticipation I attended the first ever Jaime Oliver Big Feastival, knowing that there was to be a Benares tent. Imagine my disappointment then, when on the day, the only thing they we’re selling was chicken tikka pie… not suitable for vegetarians.
So, Gipsy Spread and I (me, more so) have been very good so far in January, drinking less and trying to eat healthier. So, I thought we deserved a treat this Saturday. It was going to be a write off in the health stakes anyway as we were out celebrating several friends birthdays. I booked us in for the three course menu with champagne cocktail.
We arrived and the venue was wonderfully laid back and relaxed, not pretentious or stuffy at all. The staff and the service were also excellent from start to finish.
We wanted to enjoy the experience and planned on having a long lunch, so started the meal off with a cocktail aperitif.
We opted for the Indian themed silver spice cocktail which really showcased the beauty of the chilli; it provided a subtle sweetness, with a little bit of fiery heat at the back of the throat. We took our cocktails, which were served with a wonderfully smoky roasted almonds to our seats to begin our culinary journey.
We were promply given a dish of incredibly light popodums, served with three fabulous chutneys of pinapple, tomato and mango. We had to be careful and pace ourselves for the three courses ahead.
I started with the smoked kidney beans tikki, mango relish which was also accompanied with an airy yoghurt foam. The kidney beans were spiced beautifully and were light and delicate, offset perfectly by the slightly sour yoghurt and sweet mango chutney.
Gipsy Spread had the samosa, but not as we know it. His was a (seasonal) venison samosa with a tamarind and pear chutney. He loved it.
What more could this meal bring? It had all tasted fantastic and been presented so beautifully so far.
We had also chosen the wine pairings with each of our dishes, brought over by the sonmmelier when each course was served. This was a great idea as I sampled wines that I would not normally have tried. In particular, was the crisp, fresh, fruity and honeyed wine from the Alsace which was paired with my main course of cottage cheese kofta, classic korma. I would not normally order a Korma, but it was the only vegetarian option and I was not disappointed. The koftas we're delicately spiced and the sauce was sweet and creamy, plus fragrent with rose water and petals and pistachio oil.
I was full by this point, however, I really wanted to sample the rasmalai and chocolate dessert and so pushed on through to my Michellin starred dessert. I was glad I did, the dessert was creamy, nutty and sweet, and again, presented creatively. Gipsy Spread opted for the date sticky toffee pudding with a subtle hint of cardomom and bay leaf ice-cream.
We ended with a fabulous champagne and elderflower cocktail and yet more sweets, with these wonderful petit fours from the house. The chocolate praline was rich and velvety with the toasted hazelnuts through it, the jelly tasted like pear drops and the buscuits were fragrent with rose.
The experience was some of the best of Michellin starred dining. I want to eat here again and again and again. Unfortunately, I'll have to save up to do this again, but perhaps as a treat or for a birthday? In fact, we did seem to be surrounded by tables celebrating birthdays and the set menu over lunch is great for this.
So, I'll just say, I'll be seeing you again soon Benares.
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