It’s so lovely to be back exploring the streets of London. It’s still so much quieter which I am enjoying. And what’s going to happen in the future is still all very uncertain. So I’m seizing the day and making the most of the diversity of food on offer in the capital.
Today we headed in to the Oxford Street/Marylebone part of town for lunch at Hankies. It’s a swanky part of London town with sweeping crescents and grand squares – a joy to wander through. And the joy only multiplies on entering the warmth of stylish Hankies.
This Indian restaurant serves dishes inspired by traditional Delhi street food. And today we sampled the Autumn Set Menu. A choice of four starters and five mains made decision making easier (hooray) and we were soon settled with a lovely bottle of Shiraz awaiting our lunch.
What’s on the menu
The manager waxed lyrical about the Crispy Gold Cod, so I didn’t hesitate to order it. Sweet, flaky cod coated in a crumb with flavours of turmeric and amritsari spices and served with a spicy, sour dip. This is a crunchy taste of heaven with its perfectly cooked fish and exotic spice cocktail with flavours that dance in your mouth. And the sour dipping sauce to provide the perfect finish.
We’re big fans of a chicken tikka and always keen to try a new version. Today’s Mirchi Murgh Tikka was bursting with the classic spices and incredibly tender. Red onion salad made for the perfect accompaniment.
Hankies is named for the hand spun roti which is freshly made to order and folded into delightful hankie-shaped pillows of deliciousness. Warm, soft and paper thin – some of the tastiest bread I’ve ever had the good fortune to taste. I took to making my own little parcels with the golden cod and sauce. What a stunning mix of flavours and textures.
On to main courses
What a good start…and the feast is far from over. Next up is the Hankies Handi Gosht. This rich, aromatic lamb curry had a beautiful chilli bite and that well-rounded finish that only the perfect combination of spices can produce. And that lamb! Melt-in-the-mouth.
This is one restaurant that knows its bread. Our mains came with a light and puffy buttery naan.
Our second course was the Banana Leaf Sea bass with a spicy rub, served with coriander drizzle. So much flavour packed into this which once again had a real chilli bite complementing the sweetness of the sea bass.
I have a constant battle at home trying to cook rice properly. Let’s say I really haven’t mastered it. So I nearly cried when I tasted this saffron rice…so fluffy, so buttery and such incredible texture – I could almost taste every grain. Back to the rice drawing board, I want to be able to produce this, every time. May as well set the bar high.
A jugful of the creamiest of dal also came with our mains. Love a dal and we devoured this one, it was a great companion to the heavenly rice and buttery naan.
Delightful sweet treats
As regular readers will know I rarely eat pudding. Mainly because I’m usually full by then. But today they sounded so good it was impossible to resist.
How’s this for an exotic concoction? The Gulukand Kheer is a dessert traditionally made from rice, milk and sugar. Today it’s sprinkled with pistachios and ginger honeycomb and topped with the a sweet charred, mango slice. I loved this and could eat it any time of the day, it would make a very comforting breakfast come to think of it!
The other dessert option was the white chocolate cheesecake with a raspberry glaze. It came topped with tart redcurrants with a swirl of raspberry sauce and little drops of chocolate. A beautifully regal-looking plate. And sensational to eat, too. The mix of sweet and sour was mouth-watering and the cheese cake was so fluffy, it was more like a mousse. Maybe I ought to make room for pudding more often?
We love Indian food and have eaten a lot of it and we loved our travels in India. I’m always surprised, however, at its diversity and today’s lunch offered up some different flavours for us to try. And boy were they good. Think a trip to Delhi may need to be on the cards…if we ever get to leave the country again. If not, we can always go back to Hankies for an authentic Indian fix.
Today’s price point
Two courses cost £19.50 per person
Three courses cost £22.50 per person
Hankies is at 61 Upper Berkley Street, W1H 7PP. Marble Arch station is a short walk away.
