Cinnamon Kitchen, Liverpool Street: Restaurant Review

Cuisine: Contemporary Indian
Style Points: 5/5
Price: £££
Overall: 5/5

I honestly don’t think I’ve been to a swankier looking restaurant than Cinnamon Kitchen in Liverpool Street. Its location is just jaw-dropping; aptly hidden away in a corner of a former warehouse of the East India Company which covers Devonshire Square, this covered outside space is stunning, especially at night. Shops, restaurants, bars, water features, Art Deco style benches and even a foosball table can be found lining this beautifully lit up square.

This all means that people can linger here late into the night because it is covered and always drier and warmer than the outside.

Moving to the stylish interior of the restaurant, the walls in this dining space are lined with soft pewter hues with shimmering mother-of-pearl patterns across them, exuding a classy yet quirky atmosphere. A tandoori-grill bar fills the far end of the restaurant and is visible by all diners who can see the chefs prepare their choices to order.

There is also a bar called Ainse attached onto the restaurant which is just as well designed, with square sofa booths, cosy tables by the windows and stools by the bar, making it suitable for all types of guests. All in all, a beautifully edgy restaurant and location.

Would I Want Seconds?

Bumping into celebrity Chef and CEO of the Cinnamon franchise, Vivek Singh, made my visit to Cinnamon Kitchen extra special and admittedly did result in some hysteria! However, the menu also elicited a similarly elated response as, although this is an Indian restaurant, the dishes here are not conventional curries. Instead, each course offers clever variations.

My Charred Fruit starter

We opted for the Set Menu from which for my starter I opted for the Charred Fruits with Tamarind Glaze and Passion Fruit Raita; this is a speciality of the Cinnamon Franchise and consists of tangy chaat style masala coated across apples, pears, starfruit and pineapple, providing a delectable combination of sugar and spice for the first course.

For the main course I ordered Old Delhi Style Free Range Chicken Curry with Pilau Rice which was just as delectable and tender as the starters, and again it was the sauce used in the dish that was the stand out feature. Other more inventive options available on the Set Menu for the main course included Roasted Bottle Gourd and Spice Crusted Hake which looked just as tempting.

My Chicken Curry with Pilau Rice

My favourite course was dessert, for which I ordered Milk Chocolate and Walnut Pudding with Iced Double Cream. This dessert seemed to be the same size as the main course due to the richness and the density of the pudding, which when combined with the double cream ice cream, was beyond delicious.

We also had a selection of breads and chutneys before the main meal which certainly whet our appetite. Additionally, all staff were friendly and extremely knowledgeable about the menu, offering advice and explaining dishes when asked, which seems to be a rarity in most restaurants.

Heavenly Chocolate Dessert

Could I Afford Seconds?

We ordered from Cinnamon Kitchen’s extremely well priced pre-theatre Set Menu which included three courses and a cocktail all for £21. This menu is available on weekdays before 6.30pm and is certainly worth the price.

Prices on the A La Carte Menu are slightly more expensive than standard as is expected. Appetisers range from around £7 to £9 and main courses have an even wider range from £14 for a vegetarian dish to £32 for the Tandoori Spiced Red Deer. Prices for desserts are slightly more affordable at an average of £6.

If the prices on the A La Carte Menu seem too pricey don't worry, as the Cinnamon Restaurants always have special menus on offer which are more reasonable, including tasting menus, set menus and lunch menus, providing the perfect excuse to dine at this stand-out restaurant.

Set Menu plus Bread and Chutney

Overall: 5/5

I’ve visited all three of the Cinnamon Restaurants and this is the one I was most impressed with. What blew me away was the location and the décor which makes this restaurant and bar simply stunning. The food lived up to the high Cinnamon standards and seeing Vivek Singh in the flesh all resulted in a rather special night out.