After a matinee performance of How the Other Half Loves (highly recommended), we wanted nibbles before heading home via London’s Liverpool Street Station. We’d been to “Cinnamon Kitchen”:http://www.cinnamon-kitchen.com/ before and, as it’s just opposite the station in Devonshire Square, thought it would fit the bill. At 6.30pm on a Thursday night, the square was incredibly busy with after-work drinkers spilling out of the various bars on what was a warm evening.
The Cinnamon Kitchen bar (called “Anise”:http://www.anisebar.com/) was closed for a private party and the restaurant looked too formal. The chap at the desk said we could sit outside in the square but we suspected it would be difficult to find a seat. At this point we were starting to regret our decision but he helpfully escorted us out and found a table for us (albeit a high one with bar stools). From then on, everything went swimmingly.
The service was excellent and despite being very busy, it was easy to get attention. When guests left a neighbouring low table, we were asked if we wanted to move but by now we were well set.
As we were celebrating my friend’s 60th birthday we ordered a bottle of prosecco (£34) whilst choosing our nibbles from the “bar menu”:http://www.thecinnamoncollection.com/anisebar/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2015/06/ANISE-Bar-Menu-May-20161.pdf which had a variety of nibbles ranging in price from £3.50 to £6.50.
As we were pretty ravenous, Masala potato wedges were a given: they arrived beautifully crisp, golden and with a hint of spice in a mini chip basket accompanied by a pale green coriander mayonnaise. Our favourite dish, Indo Chinese chilli chicken dumplings, turned out to be six fiery meatballs in a thick sauce with chunks of pepper. Absolutely mouthwatering. When we ordered chicken tikka with cheese naan, the waiter pointed out that the chicken was actually in the bread (they’d obviously had queries from people expecting chunks of chicken). The triangles of bread were delicious themselves, but ideal for mopping up left-over dumpling sauce. The most disappointing dish was lamb shammi kebabs which were four fairly small, patties which if I’d been blind tasting, I would have thought were falafel as I couldn’t taste or see the minced lamb. They were accompanied by a paprika raita and pea puree.
Our bill was £55 (without service) which we thought was pretty reasonable bearing in mind how full we both felt.
