Where Indian cuisine turns over a new leaf

The name is a misnomer, and a big one at that. Seriously, who’d believe you if you told them that the Mint Leaf of London is essentially an Indian restaurant. Not just the name, its sophisticated and chic decor is also far removed from the look and feel of subcontinent eateries. For good measure, I thought, because Mint Leaf manages to be classy without the crutches of decorative motifs and live classical music, and yet deliver great Indian food with a serious kick and intent.

The ambience and contemporary lounge and bar settings are as much to whistle about as the cuisine as the restaurant is perched on the 15th floor of the Emirates Financial Towers, DIFC, and offers breathtaking views of Dubai, including the Burj Khalifa from its floor-to-ceiling windows. Like their flagship restaurant in London’s West End, the Dubai branch also has a discreet private dining room and outdoor area to host small parties.

Warm welcome

We were greeted with a warm smile and shown a table near the window, not far from a vibrant live-cooking station manned by head chef Vivek Kashiwale, who has worked in a string of top–notch restaurants in the UK and knows his craft, I dare say, like few others.

The best dish comes early amid the starters; tandoori lamb chops marinated in ginger, yoghurt and coriander and served with mint baby potato. I have had dozens of variations of lamb chops, but I can tell you that nothing comes remotely close to the Dh90 Adraki lamb chops version. The ginger-marinade not only added a burst of flavour to the dish, but also tenderised the meat so much so that it came off the bone with very little prompting.

Original article by Mazhar Farooqui

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Where Indian cuisine turns over a new leaf