QUINTESSENTIALLY | Insider | Food & Drink

It’s Wimbledon fortnight and right on cue, the weather vein is threatening raindrops on roses.

But who needs Centre Court when you can be sipping Champagne in the garden at Home House? Nibbling cakes disguised as tiny courts at the Dorchester? Or ordering empanadas, hand delivered by a girl in her whites at Gaucho?

Champagne & Cupcakes

Never doing anything by halves, Home House wouldn’t dream of passing on strawberries and cream season. Alongside your Moët et Chandon Rose Imperial and a soundtrack of the pick-pock of tennis balls streaming live from SW19, four cupcakes arrive, piled so high with frosting and soft fruit that you’re instantly reliving that childhood horror – ice-cream toppling helplessly from its cone and a pesky sea gull getting lucky.

If nothing else, it’s an excuse for why the little beauties don’t last more than three minutes. Forget the tennis – Murray might be having a fist fight with Federer, collapsing the net and tearing up the court but we’d not notice – Home House have hit on the match of the tournament.

Home House will serve four strawberries and cream cupcakes with each bottle of Moet et Chandon Imperial Rose at £75 per bottle.

20 Portman Square, W1H 6LW www.homehouse.co.uk

Wimbledon Afternoon Tea

There are few things more British than a cup of tea and a generous slither of cake, and few places more British to enjoy it than in the company of one of London’s finest octogenarians, the Dorchester.

It’s a little surprising though that your Lady Grey arrives with a teeny tennis court, that turns out to be bursting with fresh citrus, while across the table perfectly round tennis ball (also teeny) has enough coconut flavour to take you straight to the Jamaican Open – if only there was such a thing – let alone London’s suburbia.

And that’s after the rounds of finger sandwiches – crusts off – still-warm scones and an extra little smidgen of a course of strawberries and cream. Oh, and the Laurent Perrier, darling…

We’ve got our rackets at the ready to nab a table.

Traditional Wimbledon Afternoon Tea at the Dorchester Hotel, including strawberries & cream, and a glass of Laurent-Perrier BV is from £48.50 per person, incl. VAT and a 12.5% service charge.

Park Lane, Mayfair, W1K 1QA www.thedorchester.com

Tennis on Swallow Street

So now you’re a little caked-out by now and craving something a little on the less sugary side of things.

‘Taxi! Swallow Street – if you please!’

It’s pretty hard to miss your destination – a huge great green thing in the street, glowing with the early evening city light. Gaucho Piccadilly’s very own tennis court is in town and the cocktails are flowing.

Ball boys are nipping between Pashmina draped shoulders and sharp suits delivering bar treats – all Argentinean empanadas, juicy Ceviche and sausage platters – just as Federer walks all over an overly optimistic wild card in the fourth round.

Middle Saturday might be for catching lost play at the All England Club, but the crowd will be gathering at Gaucho as their own tournament starts hotting up – better get perfecting that backhand.

Swallow Street Tennis court will be open throughout Wimbledon Fortnight, 20th June – 3rd July 2011

Gaucho Piccadilly, 25 Swallow Street, W1B 4QR www.gauchorestaurants.co.uk

The first impression that most people have when they approach the effortlessly elegant 18th century facade of Cannizaro House, located a short but extremely pleasant walk from the centre of Wimbledon over the common, is to gaze at it in admiration, and then saunter onwards, presumably to walk with the Wombles, or to take in the tennis. This is something of a pity, but it does at least mean that the manifold delights of this exquisite property remain somewhat exclusive, at least until the world and his wife descend on it for that short period in June and July each year when this small, upmarket borough becomes one of the most scrutinized places in the world.

Yet Cannizaro House offers so much more than just a base for sports fans once a year. The first thing that you note upon entering is that the style – country house chic meets designer cool – is sufficiently idiosyncratic to beguile both fashionistas and traditionalists alike. Plonk yourself down in the oh-so-sophisticated bar with an unmissable amaretto sour, or wander outside into the vast, scenic grounds, which apparently stretch to an impressive 34 acres and offer panoramic views, the perfect spot to enjoy a pre-prandial glass of champagne.

They’re justly proud of their restaurant here, especially the newly opened Loggia extension, which boasts fabulous views over the sunken garden. The chef Christian George is especially interested in supplying food that’s British and organic, and highlights of the menu include foie gras, ham hock and chicken terrine to start or pan-fried scallops with mushroom puree, followed by cutlet of Herdwick lamb with goat’s cheese soufflé or an envy-inducing galantine of free range duck with morel and pistachio mousse. It’s a fine line between high-falutin’ and delicious, but the talented Mr George more than pulls it off – and the ever-popular ‘simply’ menu offers equally excellent fare at a very reasonable prix fixe. The wine list is compendious, weighty both in appearance and size, and formidable. A quick dash in to sample a superb Marlborough 2008 Pinot Noir proved a wise decision.

Oscar Wilde, a former guest of Cannizaro House, wrote in The Importance Of Being Earnest ‘Indeed, when I am in really great trouble, as anyone who knows me intimately will tell you, I refuse everything except food and drink.’ Anyone coming to this fine establishment, whether or not they are in great trouble (and trying to acquire debenture seats for Wimbledon with anything other than the help of Quintessentially certainly qualifies), can rest assured that they are going to be in extremely good hands indeed.
Cannizaro House, West Side Common, Wimbledon SW19 4UD.

www.cannizarohouse.com

It’s 1pm on Sunday, 5th June.

There’s a beautiful Georgian townhouse. The sort of rapacious dark-oak den that you’ve always wanted to frequent regularly for supper. Giuseppe Mascoli – a charmer like you – has had his way with it, making it the perfect place for media moguls to hand out cream coloured business cards next to a roaring fire, or for a group of loveable corporate rogues to enjoy the ‘best of Italian wine’, carrying on a very vocal conversation with an astute chap, notable for his impeccable manners and penchant for beautiful word pairings…

Oh, that’s Tom Parker Bowles. Yes, the scribe himself is playing host this feverish London afternoon in June 2011, along with his confidant and remarkably creative wing man–come Chef, Alberto Figueroa, second in command at Blacks, and as luck would have it, a native of Mexico City.

So, if you read the Evening Standard, or Telegraph, or even the Independent, you’ll know these big guns have done this sort of Bacchanalian lunch thing before. You’ll also know that there’ll be things like exotic Sea bream ceviche and acute tender beef mason and Drunken Lamb on the menu. Of course, they’ll be sangrias and tequilas and a whole lot of animated conversation – the gravitas of which will probably centre around another poet-like figure, a chap ostensibly more continental in nature, notable, in after sight, for the delicate way in which he tilts his cap and makes extravagant gestures over a glass of dry red wine.

But you should probably just go for the stylish tweed jacket and tie combo. Wear a neat smile, and bring along a couple of bone coloured business cards.

I know you’re the sort not to be outdone by some wildly arrogant media harpie.

For non-members too. Priced at GBP 35 per head (excluding drinks), lunch will be served from 1pm to 5pm. Owing to demand, payment must be made in advance to confirm reservation.

To make a booking, call 020 7734 5399 or email moira@blacksclub.com.

7 Dean Street
Soho, London
W1D 4QH

Perched on a stool beneath a lamppost straight out of Narnia, I half expected to see Nancy mid-blazing-row with Fagin on a Chesterfield sofa, while Jude proved his Latin speaking prowess at the bar, and Sherlock whipped his monocle from his top pocket to decipher the menu through candle light.

The latest offering from Fluid Movement of Purl, the Worship Street Whistling Shop brings 1825 to 2011.

Location wise, it’s as if someone’s stuck a drawing pin in a map of East London at exact centre between the Old Street – Liverpool Street – Shoreditch High Street triangle. It should be the perfect place for a trendy bar, though the quiet road appears as a no-man’s-land that can’t decide if it pledges allegiance to the City or Shoreditch.

That said, judging by the Wednesday evening buzz just a few weeks post-opening, the whistle of its name seems more like a whirlwind; all dark wood, gilted filigree ceilings and dark corners, the basement interior celebrates the conviviality of Dickensian drinking, with a huge central table asking for a banquet with pyramids of fruit and rabbit pies and mammoth moulded jellies.

Back to sitting beneath the lamppost, I’m whirring my way through the cocktail menu. There are so many unusual ingredients in each of the 11 concoctions on offer that the menu warrants its own glossary – and to make it even more apothecary-esque, each of the unique flavours, brews and distillations is made by staff clad in Victorian outfits (braces and all) shut inside a laboratory that provides a haunting reminder of lower school Chemistry lessons.

Fancying a little fizz, I begin with Gold Dust: Preservation Liqueur (‘fleetingly real herbs and spices’) and Chlorophyll Bitters (Chemistry dumped for Biology) are hidden within what appears as a plain flute of 2006 Nyetimber Brut. It’s fairly complicated, but a full blown party for the palate.

Curiosity gets the better of me to sample the Radiation Aged Cocktail. A heady blend of Rum, Chip Pan Bitters (yes, really) Campari, Dubonnet, home-made grenadine and a sucker punch of Absinthe at the end, all irradiated, it takes Ryan a good couple of minutes to charm me with how it all works, but that’s what the place is all about.

Perhaps most exciting is my late discovery of the Dram Room; an inconspicuous box within the bar with a bathtub plonked in the middle, and bench seating for eight either side. Strewn with straw and a mix of herbs – juniper, coriander et al – to trick the senses back in time, the piece-de-resistance is a cupboard stacked with gin and an honesty bar set up.

I’m told that the ‘Emporium’ is about to open, taking guests on a fully sensual alcoholic journey through the ages, beginning with the history of rum.

This might well be my new favourite place.

63 Worship Street, EC2A 2DU

whistlingshop.com

You’d be forgiven, on arriving at Amber, for thinking you were in the 1st arrondissement of Paris rather than Central Hong Kong. You are greeted and whisked to your table by a slick French maitre d’; your choice of bread is quickly followed up with a tray of accoutrements – salted and unsalted butter and olive oil, in a bottle so beautiful it could sit on your dressing table.

Then there’s the décor – a contemporary, Michelin starred (Amber has two) approach which eschews palace of Versailles chic for cool colours and statement pieces. To wit: the chandelier made up of thousands of bronze rods which covers almost the entire ceiling and which vies with Richard Ekkebus’ cooking for star attraction.

Ah, the cooking. The Landmark Mandarin Oriental hotel, where Amber is ensconced, must be thrilled with Ekkebus. Not only has he brought two Michelin stars to the restaurant, three years running; he has, this year, placed Amber on the World’s 50 Best Restaurants – an achievement no other establishment in Hong Kong (or indeed China) has managed since 2005.

Back to the food… So the divine fois gras ‘lollipops’ encased in a raspberry shell are followed by sea urchin in lobster jelly, another signature dish. It is a masterpiece to look at, a startling shell sitting like a jewel on a bed of ice and filled with caviar, topped – just in case that is not ostentatious enough for you – with gold leaf.  On the side are seaweed waffles, the first time I have tasted such a thing and very nice they are too – the crispy shards contrasting with the saltiness of the roe and unctuousness of the lobster jelly. The presentation is pure French showmanship but the ingredients are surprisingly Eastern – a mix that Ekkebus likes to play with throughout the menu.

We are here for the Wine Weekend Lunch Menu – six courses with matching wines. Sommelier Herve Pennequin has a reputation for choosing boutique and rare wines, both new and old world. We start with bubbles – Schramsberg from California which I haven’t seen outside of the Golden State, but evidently travels well. Then a grenache rose to match my foie gras and wild raspberry starter all of which goes down very well.

I could not be happier with my ‘middle course’: tiny brown morel mushrooms painstakingly stuffed with minced chicken and angel hair pasta with a creamy parmesan sauce, though I am covetous of the doll size ham and cheese toasted sandwich my date has with his asparagus soup.

I had been deliberating over the oxtail braised in red wine with foie gras and fresh pasta for the main but plumped for the more sensible order of Tasmanian salmon. It is roasted to perfection and served with refreshing white asparagus and sinfully buttery confit potatoes. Yet again I feel my date has chosen the superior dish though: roasted bresse guinea fowl with black truffle mashed potato. A dry red – 1999 Tannat – is a good match with both.

Three puddings are served as ‘tasting desserts’ the first: wild strawberries with green tea ice cream and coconut milk panna cotta is my favourite – a divine pairing of east and west if ever there was one. Special mention has to go too to the petit fours which are served delightfully in a silver tiffin box.

The Wine Weekend Lunch is a very reasonably priced 748 HK dollars including wine and is undoubtedly the perfect example of East meets West cuisine – a culinary merger that myself and the gourmands of Hong Kong are quite literally eating up.

Book a table while you still can!

Amber at the Landmark Mandarin Oriental: www.amberhongkong.com

It might have been the ever so slightly effervescent Moscato d’Asti, but this whole place seemed to have a slight touch of the Charlie and the Chocolate Factory about it.

Towering Corinthian columns are striped in grey and white, with a shine turning them into giant candy canes that disappear through the seven-metre ceiling. A huge mosaic glistens in the early evening light, streaming gently through linen-ed windows and a gigantic glass-fronted wine cabinet appears more like an emporium for magical creations.

David Collins’ interior is a wonder to behold, but the cuisine at Massimo Restaurant and Oyster Bar is such a star in itself that it needs none of my wonderings into Roald Dahl territory.

Half a dozen oysters, wafer thin sea bass sashimi and baked sardines have given way to grilled octopus with avocado, bound together with a perfectly garlicky aioli, which disappears as quickly as the diver scallops with broccoli puree opposite.

I may have been caught slurping my way through an oyster at the precise moment Massimo Roccioli (of Rome’s La Rosetta) strolled over to introduce himself, looking resplendent in chefs-red and classic Italian thick rimmed glasses, but such is the feel of the place it’s no matter – he’s put us instantly at ease.

Though slightly imposing on arrival with one of those wooden floors that picks up every click of my heel, a soundtrack as chilled as my glass of Sauvignon, soft button leather banquettes and delightfully attentive staff foster an atmosphere that feels as convivial as Massimo’s kitchen table.

My sister and I have been convinced that really we should have four courses, including a pasta in our choice – for Italian tradition, at least. Aurora is dead right: nothing should be missed here, but I fear she has over-anticipated my stomach capacity – my tip would be to share pasta if you want to make it to dessert. That said, linguine ‘Carmelo’ style, a tribute to Massimo’s father, is so packed with clams, prawns, squid and mussels that I utterly fail on any sort of restraint.

Our main courses are refreshingly light – my sea bass with crispy red prawns and green beans practically skips off the plate, so fresh is the fish and so delightful the flavour, while monkfish gratin with asparagus is equally as triumphant.

Having been a little hasty with the pasta, and knowing how gelato is always a good sign of a true Italian, I plump for a dessert of sorbet. Instantly, I’m ducking out of the heat in a little Florentine café…

There are too many other temptations vying for my attention to keep me away from here for long. Massimo’s got me hooked.

Northumberland Avenue, SW1Y
massimo-restaurant.co.uk

As summer is finally upon us – barring the inevitable June, July and August showers that seem part and parcel of the great British sunshine experience – many people will want a change from formal fine dining and members’ clubs, and what better place to enjoy some high-class seasonal cuisine than that most English of institutions, the gastropub? Here are a few of our favourites, which combine excellent food with a great atmosphere.

The Prince Of Wales

You reach The Prince Of Wales in Putney along an unprepossessing street, riddled with chain establishments and weary-looking banks (of the financial rather than the river variety). From the outset, this looks like nothing more than a neighbourhood drinks saloon, and one might wonder why this enjoys the exalted reputation it currently has from foodies in the know. Heading through to the skylit back dining room, it soon becomes clear.

Under the care of Dom Robinson and his head chef Mick Goeman (ex-Harwood Arms), the first indication that things are going to be a bit different here are the oysters – served with passion fruit, rather than the usual Tabasco or lemon. And so the innovation continues throughout the menu, with every dish having an unusual twist or quirk, from confit duck and white bean croquettes served with garlic mayonnaise to loin of lamb with chickpea and pistachio salad.

It’s exemplary cooking, and worthy of comparison to its sister establishment, the Bull & Last in Highgate (and, whisper it, it might be even better here.) A copious and well-chosen wine list includes a particularly delectable Weingut Steininger Gruner Veltliner.

138 Upper Richmond Road, Putney SW15. www.princeofwalesputney.co.uk

Paradise By Way Of Kensal Green

If gastropubs could be judged by their names alone, Paradise (named after GK Chesterton’s poem ‘The Rolling English Road’) would surely be a winner. Located in the increasingly salubrious area of Kensal Green, and reached, on a fine day, after a good walk from central London along the Regent’s Canal, it offers a range of rooms under its roof, ranging from a traditional bar to a nightclub.

However, it is the culinary side that concerns us, found in the back dining room, and thankfully it’s extremely good indeed. A recent Sunday lunch offered a few surprises to begin, with a starter of smoked salmon coming served in a Kilner jar and the bread being toasted raisin and walnut rather than the usual wan white.

Main courses of pork belly and Trough of Lowland rib of beef are exemplary, more than living up to Paradise’s claim to do the best roast in the West, and were beautifully complimented by a lovely bottle of a 2000 Beaune from Burgundy. ‘I wish I was joining you in a glass of that’, sighed our waiter. Desserts of an eclectic plate of cheese and perfectly cooked rhubarb crumble round off an excellent repast, and then a walk back along the canal will leave you feeling less guilty than you otherwise might.

19 Kilburn Lane, W10. www.theparadise.co.uk

The Fishes

Central Oxford is disappointingly short on really good places to eat. (Drinking, on the other hand, is catered for brilliantly, by an apparently endless series of medieval taverns that look unchanged for centuries.) However there’s Le Manoir up the road for Michelin dining, and, if you head a couple of miles out of the centre to the village of North Hinksey, you’ll find The Fishes, possibly the city’s most pleasant place to while away a warm summer evening.

If you’re lucky enough to get a seat in the conservatory when the weather’s warm, then you’ll enjoy both excellent views over the nearby countryside and finely judged contemporary British cooking. One of the substantial ‘deli boards’ acts as either a light meal in itself or a substantial starter to share – the ‘favourites board’ offers treats such as honey & mustard-roast ham, toasted rustic bread and biggarossa tomatoes, and a cheeky addition of mini roast chorizos was a highlight. Main courses offer quiet innovation with local ingredients, and the brave might share the ‘trio of lamb’ that offers rack, liver and shoulder on a board. A selection of cheese rounds off a splendid and relaxing experience. The short but well-chosen wine list offers an especially nice Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc from Tumils Flat.

North Hinksey Village, Oxford OX2 www.fishesoxford.co.uk

Brunch – possibly the only time when it’s socially acceptable to drink before midday.

One of the best brunches I’ve tried recently is at Bloom, which has just opened for weekday lunches and weekend brunches in addition to its nightly dinner service. Bloom has developed quite a reputation for its sleek style and NYC/bistro fare, and opening its doors to the lunchtime crowd is a good move – the restaurant takes on a totally different feel during the day. Gone are the dim lights and underground speakeasy vibe; instead, the restaurant is flooded with light from the large windows and it feels like a much friendlier, less intimidating and more casual space.

The key to kicking off a good brunch is, of course, a fantastic Bloody Mary. Bloom offers a choice of Bloody Mary cocktails (original was tangy and subtly spicy) as well as a Bloody Mary bar with a choice of ingredients. Pick and choose your unique blend and the helpful bartenders will mix it up for you in a tall tumbler with plenty of old school, square cut and solid ice.

The menu is short and sweet, opening with eggs and finishing with a list of items from the raw bar and selection of Bloody Marys. Fresh oysters and a Bloody Mary – now that’s my idea of a decadent start to the day.

The mains run the gamut from Eggs Benedict (known here as Bloom Benny) to a full fry up with American ‘biscuits’ (savoury scones to us Brits) with a meaty sausage patty, grilled tomato, extremely crisp bacon and herby hash browns. The Bloom Benny uses thick-cut ham and though the rind was a little fatty, the hollandaise sauce allowed the flavour of the eggs and ham to shine through. The hash browns were a posh version of the classic American side dish, jazzed up with rosemary and fried to a crisp; they were salty, moreish and oh-so-good.

The highlight of the meal was the ending – an oatmeal crème brûlée: dessert, breakfast style. Big enough to share between four people, this particular brûlée comes topped with deliciously chewy oatmeal, fresh strawberries, bananas and raspberries, and is the best re-interpretation of breakfast/dessert I’ve ever had.

Given its gourmet pedigree, the relaxing environment and the delicious food, Brunch at Bloom is terrific value for money and definitely one of our favourite new brunch spots in Hong Kong.

Bloom, 5/F, Lan Kwai Fong Tower, 33 Wyndham Street, Central – +852 2810 6166

Kettner’s in Soho. The place is legendary.

Oscar Wilde, Edward v-eleven, Lillie Langtry, Agatha Christie. Me. We all came here.

I was born with the gift of quiet, speculative laughter, and a sense that the world was mad. I was born with a love for sweet bubbly things, and strange word pairings, and rebellious looking girls who like to tune a guitar.

I sit down on the high stool and Peter comes over with the Champagne menu. The girl starts to sing Moulin Rouge-style – a long, mellow ballad with vibrant overtones – and I promise myself I will come again, on my own, when no ones looking, and probably in disguise (Cyrano de Bergerac, perhaps).

He puts down a glass of Nyetimber Classic Cuvee 2005, and quickly disappears into a gilded nook where a trio of starlets hold fort, then over to the Laurent-Perrier and Charles Heidsieck and Vilmart Grand Réserve (from the exquisite Rilly-La-Montagne region); then he fills two glasses of golden stars for London’s most talented chanteuse – probably called Tallulah Tonic or Mika Doo.

“Our aim is to seduce you with a cheerful mixture of vintage tunes and enough red lipstick to keep every laundry in London busy for a whole month.” It says on the card.

I raise an eyebrow, and Peter has a sparkle in his eye. He has soul. You need it to work here, they say.

My blackberry goes. Chansons & Champagne can wait for my date in the Brasserie.

An actress, she looks the part in this place. ‘Fun, delicious, and semi-sinful’, they do a ‘coquettes’ night to bring back the glory days of aforesaid Cleopatra. She’s on the Rosé, talking to the waiter, also French. He’s got a sparkle in his eye, and he suggests Seared Turbot and King Scallops with Caviar Beurre Blanc. Other theatrical folk have it, but I get another glass of Pretty Gorgeous Rosé – also French – and start on a Crotin of Goats Cheese & Roasted Beetroot.

Hey, you famous here? She says. I think so, I reply, unsteadily, looking at myself in the mirror.

Beef Bourguignon, Smoked Bacon, Button Mushrooms and mashed potatoes. Not bad at all. Perfect with a glass of red 2006 Chateau Nicot.  Crispy Sea Bass with Poached Rhubarb & Minted Peas. White Chocolate Mousse and warm Chocolate Torte to finish off. She’s feeling a little emotional. But this is no time for emotions. Indulgence is not supposed to be emotional, I say.

Upstairs, and round about somewhere in this humungous Georgian house there’s The Attic Bar, The Salle, The Den. Aesthetic marvels to hire for corporate folk to feel inspired. A private rendezvous in Tête à Tête for Cyrano and his muse. Next door, A French film directors party gets underway in The Apartment, complete with casting couches, drinks cabinet and grand piano.

The Chanteuse, sitting on the bar, stiletto tapping gravely, is still making sounds as she pulls out a ukulele. Peter is already swilling the Champagne, and smiling at us and pulling out a stool.

Every woman is a rebel, after all.

www.kettners.com/home/

Marylebone’s Blandford Street has acquired something of an enviable reputation in foodie circles as being the epicentre of much of London’s great dining. L’Autre Pied (which has recently lost its founder Marcus Eaves to its big brother Pied A Terre), Il Baretto and, soon, Simon Rogan’s L’Enclume pop-up, Roganic, which is one of the year’s most anticipated openings, all adorn this otherwise modest road. However, it is perhaps its most atypical offering, Trishna, which has attracted much of the attention such it opened in late 2008.

Sister restaurant of a much-acclaimed operation in Mumbai, it has attracted plaudits both for head chef  Karam Sethi’s excellent and innovative cooking and for the atypically sensible prices. To put these into perspective, a set lunch of a seafood biryani or lamb curry, served with a beer or glass of wine, clocks in at a mere £10, and a five-course lunch complete with a wine flight is a bargain at a snip under £40. This fits with Sethi’s admirably avowed intent to make this a fine dining restaurant that everyone can enjoy, at any time or at any budget.

However, serious gourmands are likely to make a beeline for the ‘Taste of Trishna Koliwada Menu’, which offers a choice of five or seven courses with matching wines. Given that the most expensive means of enjoying this is £84 – barely the price of an a la carte without wine in some restaurants – this chimes perfectly with the restaurant’s ethos. The cuisine is impeccable, concentrating on a range of influences and ideas that are firmly rooted within subcontinental cooking but also offer innovative twists on old staples. The signature dish, curried Dorset brown crab, is a thing of joy and wonder, but a green chilli-flavoured hariyali sea bream, duck seekh kebab with pineapple chutney and a delectable mango rice pudding all run it extremely close.  The wines, ranging from a punchy Gruner Veltliner to complement a chargrilled wild tiger brawn to an impeccable Montagny premier cru to serve the crab, are all an enormous pleasure to quaff, sip, swallow or gurgle, depending on your preference.

An evening that you might well want to be doing some gurgling or quaffing at are Trishna’s series of Wine Chap ‘Not Your Average Curry Night’ events. As the name might suggest, these – weighing in at the frankly ludicrously good value price of £45 per head – offer the restaurant’s cuisine matched with both wines and less obvious drinks, including beers, ciders and sherries. I was involved at an early pairing evening of these, and I can testify both to Tom Harrow’s – the ‘Wine Chap’ himself – almost supernatural knowledge of wine and the eclectic range of drinks on offer. It makes for an unmissably entertaining experience.

15-17 Blandford Street, London W1. www.trishnalondon.com. Wine Chap night details at www.trishnalondon.com/currynight.