Cinnamon Club: Upmarket Indian, but hardly Brick Lane with a facelift

Our Famous London Restaurants series is a guide to the capital's best known restaurants with the big reputations
Smartly turned out: the Cinnamon Club is beautifully nestled in the Old Westminster library
David Ellis @dvh_ellis1 February 2018

The backstory: Vivek Singh opened this upmarket Indian in 2001, in the old Westminster Library.

Hardly the most happening part of town, it became a hit nevertheless – unsurprisingly picking up a reputation as the politician’s curry house. Last year they splashed a million to give it a go-over, and it's continued to draw curry-loving political giants and their uppity little aides, as well as anyone who’s dying for a curry but promised their partner a fancy night out. There is a little glamour here, too.

Atmosphere: Why is it that people get all Monty Python’s 'Four Yorkshiremen' about their favourite Indian? “Oh it’s a dump” they say smugly, like stamped-in stains on the vinyl and tandooried light fittings represent some kind of authenticity, “but that’s what makes it so good.”

Not an attitude Singh shares: the restaurant is beautifully turned out all over, which is quite something given its large size. The library look is all Oxbridge college, probably to make its guests feel at home, and it is cufflink sharp, with all the details taken care of. Did some poor lowly have the task of what’s on display? I’d like to know.

On our Tuesday trip it is humming with plummy chat and the splashing of wine. There are people here who you just know keep febreze in the Jag’s glove compartment so wife number three doesn’t suspect they’ve started smoking again, but it’s more of a mix than might be expected, with large parties alongside date nights, alongside friends who clearly prefer to catch up over Botox instead of coffee. Deftly handling them all are the staff, an unflappable and unfailingly friendly bunch who appear and disappear so silently they appear to be in training for a magic show.

Call it 'Royal Indian': dishes, such as the Chicken Korma, are not your standard curries given a facelift

What’s on the menu: Typical curry this is not, nor does it bill itself as such. It isn’t just a posh, tarted-up take on Brick Lane fare. Here they do fragrant, colonial-ish Indian dishes: the menu has the likes of Rajasthani-spiced pheasant breast (Scottish pheasant breast, as it happens), Tandoori red deer loin (Irish) with masala mash and chargrilled breast of red legged partridge (known as ‘French’ partridge, but probably from England here). Some call it “Royal Indian”. It riffs on pre-1947 style dishes, when Indian game hunting – for food, at least – was at its biggest.

It is luxurious with everything that word means: often scrumptious, it tends also to be softly spiced, and creamy and rich. Luxury is comfort, but it isn't challenging. Everyone has a preference. Our highlight was a starter of tandoori octopus with chutney aloo, which my guest stopped our conversation for so I could note its exceptionally tenderness. Saddle of roasted Romney Marsh lamb came nicely pink, with a smattering of pickled veg, all autumnal and a little prickly in flavour, which pushed back against the warming, smothering spice of the sauce.

Thought-out: puddings, like the cheese cake pictured, are one of restaurants strengths

Puddings are a winner, avoiding the saccarine sweetness that often makes Indian desserts difficult. Wine basically baffles me when it comes to spicy dishes, given all the familiar reference points are slightly skew-whiff, but we were expertly guided through the list, so at no point was I gasping for a Cobra which is, of course, the fear for someone trying to keep up some pointless facade of taste (though, in fairness, they would’ve served it). The wine list is pricey but not quite teeth-grindingly so. This place is big on spirits too – gin especially, but all get a good showing – and we saw more than a few glistening cinnamon bellini cocktails going out on trays.

Famous London restaurants

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Cheque out: Starters from £8, mains mainly in the high-teens, from £16 to £35. Sides around £7. Puddings mostly around £10. Cocktails from £10, wines from £28 a bottle.

Can I book? Yes.

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