The Cinnamon Kitchen has only been open for a couple of months and its already the hottest dining ticket in town.
Situated in the historic Queens Hotel this is the first Cinnamon Kitchen that master of fine Indian dining and one of the most inspirational Indian chefs of his generation, Vivek Singh has opened outside London – and he couldn’t have chosen a more appropriate venue.
Walk through the entrance of the restaurant and you are met by an opulence and beauty that transports you back to the days of the Raj. The décor has been inspired by grandeur of historic Indian1st class waiting rooms and pays homage to the connection between The Queens, Leeds Station and the golden age of rail travel.
Sit at the opulent cocktail bar with its vibrant lime green velvet upholstered stools and its backdrop of dazzling glass tiles and amazing pendant lighting that’s like no other. Do try one of their cocktails the recipes of which come from the Cinnamon Sip Studio. Particularly recommended is Mountain – made with Darjeeling Gin, Sicilian Lemon, Tonic, Chai Syrup and topped with foam. It’s light, tangy and cool drinking for the warmer weather.
Alongside the bar is a cosy snug ideal for pre-dinner or after dinner drinks. It’s also an amazing place to enjoy a bar snack and drink with its quirky décor of Indian matchbox print wallpaper, lush greenery and oh so comfortable seating whilst you watch the world go by in City Square.
After sampling the delights of the cocktail bar we made our way into the main dining room and were quite unprepared for the opulence we were about to see.
A golden chandelier dominates the large room with its mirrors and murals of different regions of India add to the ambience. Potted palms, plants and a huge wall clock add to the art deco feel of that lst class waiting room.
The seating at Cinnamon Kitchen is well choreographed with tables for two or large size parties, curved bays with banquette style seating that can be adapted for any number of guests.
Our server seated us at a table for two and brought us the menu which we were excited to see.
Vivek, classically trained in India has transformed the face of Indian cooking by drawing inspiration from age-old recipes and ideas and evolving them to create dishes ‘beyond authenticity’.
His menu is based on pairing carefully sourced Indian spices and regional flavours with season ingredients from across the British Isles.
My partner, who travels the world in the course of his job, loves highly spiced hot food whilst I am the total opposite preferring dishes with little or no spice or hot flavour which is often a problem. However the menu at Cinnamon Kitchen catered for both our tastes.
For my starter I chose the Salt Baked Beetroot Hummus, Wensleydale cheese and marinated endives – one of the many vegetarian dishes on the menu.
The dish came beautifully presented – in fact it was a work of art. The Salt Baked Beetroot was smooth, and full of flavour with the Wensley dale cheese and some nuts being the perfect accompaniment and the marinade on the endives giving these normally tasteless leaves a burst of flavour.
My partner was highly pleased with the large portion of Chettinad Shrimps that had been stir fried with cracked pepper and curry leaf giving the dish a tang and wonderful flavour.
For main course I chose the Masala Grilled Salmon. The fish was beautifully cooked, moist and succulent and served with a delicious lime-chill crumble, pea chutney and a deliciously put together celeriac salade. This was the perfect example of Vivek’s pairing of regional flavours and seasonal ingredients from the British Isles. It was mild and the perfect dish for me.
Lucknow Chicken Biryani, Nawab Style with Burhani Raita chosen by my partner for his main course had a subtle fragrance and was delightfully light an excellent Biryani in every way.
My choice of dessert was absolutely delicious – with definitely a Yorkshire touch. The Spiced Parkin was flavoured with house spices, ginger and oatmeal and served with banana ice-cream. It reminded me of the dish mum and grandma used to make in the winter back in my childhood days.
From the various sorbets on offer my partner chose the mango. Three large scoops arrived and definitely were home made with a strong mango flavour and a wonderful texture.
After our meal as we walked across the square I could only think that the menu at The Cinnamon Kitchen’s pairings are a true marriage made in heaven.
The Cinnamon Kitchen, City Square, Leeds
Open Mon/Tues/Wed/Thurs 12 noon to 11.00pm
Fri/Sat/Sun 12 noon to 11.30pm
Tel: 0113 391741
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