REVIEW: Cinnamon Bazaar, Covent Garden

Tucked away on one of Covent Garden's many side streets and hidden passages sits Cinnamon Bazaar - the fourth concept from the king of modern-Indian cuisine in the UK, Vivek Singh. Opened last last year to rave reviews from both the traditional press and us bloggers, Cinnamon Bazaar takes you on a journey of culinary discoveries. Inspired by the world markets of the past where traders swapped and shared recipes, ingredients and more, the restaurant serves a collection of dishes that draw links between stops along the Silk Route - from Iran to India and beyond. 

Whether you love Vivek's other hot-spots in Soho and Westminster, or you're a first-timer to the Cinnamon Collection, Bazaar will welcome you in with a fabulous cocktail and dishes to warm the soul.

We began with a cocktail each from Cinnamon Bazaar's limited edition menu developed by Mr Lyan - AKA the best bartender in the world. Fadoola Swizzle was my choice of poison, with basil seed, rum and apricot, while Alex went for the Gin Julep with black cardamon and green amchoor mango. I wouldn't normally go for a cocktail with Indian food, preferring either a cold beer or a glass of bubbles, but the intriguing and unique flavour combinations of Mr Lyan's creations are certainly a must-try. 

For food, we kicked off proceedings with Crab Bonda with Calcutta crab and beetroot in a spiced chickpea batter. Fragrant, sweet and earthy, these little balls of joy ended much too quickly but are an ideal starter for sharing. Next, we moved onto Chaats - the most loved street food of Indian. These bowls of loveliness combine salty, sweet, sour and savoury flavours in an array of textures so you'll always find a combination you like. I favoured the spiced onion dumpling chaat with curried white peas and a medley of chutneys, whereas Alex loved the sweet potato cake with chickpea sev. Both are dressed with yogurt, mint and pomegranate so look as beautiful as they taste. 

For mains, there was no way I was coming to a Cinnamon restaurant and not getting curry. I was recommended the Malabar Boatman's haddock curry by a friend and it did not disappoint. Rich, creamy and tomato-ey with a lovely aromatic flavour, it was quite unlike any curry I had enjoyed before. Despite the rich curry flavour the haddock stood strong and the kokum veggies were the perfect accompaniment. Alex opted for the double cooked pork belly 'Koorg' style which was a drier affair than my curry with a crunchy fresh salad and red onion. Sweet and moorish, the meat simply fell apart in the mouth and worked beautifully with a big spoon of dahl.

I thoroughly recommend you making a visit to Cinnamon Bazaar. The interior alone deserves a view, with hand-painted panels, hanging lanterns and a huge bar, and the food simply sings! 

http://cinnamon-bazaar.com/ 

Thank you to Cinnamon Bazaar for hosting this review. All opinions are my own and have been in no way influenced by the complementary nature of this visit.  

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