Many people will already be familiar with Below Stairs and Bundobust; many won’t. They are two very different establishments, the former tucked away underneath a quiet street, the latter squeezed in between two eateries and an endless procession of Mill Hill commuters.
One specialises in cocktails, the other in vibrant Gujarati food and craft beer. Both are aces you keep in your back pocket when friends come to visit. It was exciting to learn two of my favourite establishments were collaborating on a special menu.
So, it was on a sunny Monday evening we were ushered into Below Stairs, on this night candlelit and decked out with strings of hanging flowers in pink and orange, Indian classical music breezing out of the speakers, the rich perfume of incense hanging in the air.
A waiter approached our table to offer us a fruity punch in a delicate silver cup, explaining the concept of the evening: to imagine ourselves on a riverboat shuffling through India, taking in the sounds and smells and foods as we lounge downstream. The cocktails and courses were picked to complement one other and represent a different part of India’s diverse cuisine.
First up was Dhokla, a fluffy and delicate lentil sponge, savoury and spicy with crunchy turmeric noodles. Dhokla is a classic Gujarati favourite, and this one complete with a rich pea and coriander chutney lurking beneath the sponge. The dish was light and almost had the texture of a delicate cake. A Coriander Colada, served in a chode glass, provided a refreshing citrus counterpoint, sharp and fruity.
As the first dishes were cleared, the music shifted gears. Some more contemporary sounds introduced the second course of Bhel Puri, its puffed rice, samosa pastry and fried peas giving a raucous and rough-edged mix of textures. There was fiery chilli and a sweet tang, courtesy of the pomegranate dressing. “Every street vendor in India does a version of this” our waiter enthuses. In typical Below Stairs fashion, a story accompanies the cocktail. “Relaxing at Chowpatty beach and then seeking out the best Bhel Puri at one of the many street vendors”. It comes with a full-bodied Bombay Dazzler beer (very clever), a perfumed shot of liqueur tasting of rosewater and a bottle of spray to mist the table as you dine.
The third course proved to be the best of the night. Two Manhattans were plonked down by the waiting staff with a wink that seemed to suggest we’d be given something special. I love a good Manhattan, and I was not disappointed. My wife, on the other hand, is less partial to a Manhattan. Fortuitously, this meant I had two.
Dunking my nose firmly into the glass, the contents smelled like a buttered scone, and tasted sweet, smooth and strange. Certainly not your common-or-garden Manhattan. Two separate servers came over and were more than happy to tell us all about the cocktail – the rye whisky infused with ghee, the vermouth infused with garam masala. We also learned the garam masala is ground by a man in Leicester, with restaurants all over the UK making use of his services. The particular blend of spices in each garam masala recipe is usually so closely guarded that the grinder-man keeps a strict book of appointments, ensuring that no-one turns up to catch an illicit glimpse of another’s secret.
The Manhattan was coupled with Malai Kofta, soft paneer koftas with whole spice and tomato; a delicate and pleasingly rich offering that melted in the mouth. I don’t mind admitting I ended up running my finger around the bottom of the bowl to savour the last remnants of sauce.
Our waiter brought over the fourth course, beaming “This is the most Indian gin and tonic you’ll ever have!” Now, I am not fit to comment on the veracity of this statement. I am fairly certain that gin and tonic was pretty much invented in India, but I remain unsure what spiders’ webs and magic ensured that this one,in particular, was more Indian. I will take the waiter’s word for it. The G and T had a fine lurid red colour, inspired by the pink city of Jaipur, and my wife agreed it had a grapefruity quality – sweet in the mouth, with a tart aftertaste.
And the food? “How is it?” I ask my wife. She nods emphatically with her mouth full. The Jaipur Poppadum resembles the world’s poshest dorrito, but comes battered in chilli flour and feels chunky in the hand. The deep frying could have made the dish too oily, but it feels just right, just indulgent enough to give a joyous punch of pleasure.
All good things must come to an end and the fifth course, a dessert of Rasmalai, arrives. It looks just like melted ice cream, but is in fact hung yogurt dumplings soaked in cardamom and pistachio milk. It’s a bit like a teabag chucked into a tub of Ben and Jerry’s, which sounds terrible, but it was actually quite delicious. A wonderful and complex nutty flavour leaps out, so much so that I felt the dish leaned heavily on the pistachio flavour, and without this might not be quite so much to write home about.
I was unable to hear the barlady’s spiel regarding the dessert wine because of the churning funk music, so no exciting stories about this final beverage. The menu promised sherry, vermouth, mango and dates, but we could only taste the overpowering dates and it was a bit of disappointment compared with the earlier cocktail delights.
A mere triviality though – the night was an overall success. An extra layer was added to the experience through the scene-setting music and incense. One could imagine strolling through a humid market after dark, with local musicians and streetfood, cats stalking the shadows and old buildings in the distance. Later, the more modern music and smoove trip-hop gave echoes of a trendier bar or beach district.
Tickets were £60 for five courses and seven cocktails. This is strictly streetfood style – there are certainly prettier meals and silver service out there if that’s what you want, but not at anywhere near this price and certainly not for such diverse and interesting food and drink. The staff were wonderfully enthusiastic about the food and drink being served and I doubt there are many places which will leave you feeling so well cared for.
All photographs by Ben Bentley. Provided by Chapter 81.
