Ironically Cinnamon Kitchen and its sister bar Anise are located within the former East India Company warehouse and together endeavour to offer modern Indian food and contemporary cocktails. Inside Devonshire square, a few steps across the road from Liverpool Street station and past a handful and pubs and bars, the partnership offer a relaxed but buzzing aura. Sleek with an appropriately modern vibe for its customers, both Cinnamon kitchen and Anise remain with a freckle of trendy eastern decor.
Surrounded by sheepskins in one of the window seats the creative mixologists set to fashion cocktails to our tastes, and were particularly impressed with rum based espresso martini creation. Cosy and intimate would be described of Anise although next door in Cinnamon Kitchen cannot be said the same. The restaurant is vast compared to the intimacy of the bar but holds no less of an atmosphere. The buzzing kitchen roars at the back whilst smooth, polished tables and bright lighting host the busy restaurant filled with hungry city workers, which insured a good first impression in contrast to the bar.
The polite, accommodating staff sat us in a comfortable table in the corner whilst we eyed our neighbour’s dishes. To start the meal the menu offers diners either a choice of appetisers varying from £5.75 to £8.50 such as Bombay spiced vegetables with cumin ‘pao’ and Tandoori spiced sea bream with carom seeds. Options from the grill are also included varying from £6.50 to £17.50 and are available as both starter and mains. We chose an alternative and less traditionally Indian option of grilled aubergine and sesame peanut crumble and remaining inspired from our diners next door, the Goan spiced grilled wild African prawn which was visually impressive and a highlight to start the evening with; our neighbours next door had chosen well. In avoidance of missing out from the variety of dishes I would recommend sharing.
Main courses vary from £14.00 up to £24.00, we both had our eye on the grilled salmon with Thai style green curry, but we clearly weren’t the only ones after learning they were all out, maybe one for next time. Instead we went for the Smoked saddle of Kentish Lamb with Rajasthani corn sauce and the Peshawar style beef curry with fat chilli and red onion with a side of 24 hour simmered black lentils; a recommendation. When it comes to curry, Cinnamon Kitchen certainly know a good curry and don’t seem to be afraid in presenting this much loved dish in a contemporary manner. Over-cooked meat is something I find is far too present and sadly widely accepted. At Cinnamon Kitchen the meat is cooked to your own taste and why shouldn’t it be? The lamb was beautifully pink and left a lasting impression which we agreed is something that resonated with us for a return.
Desserts however prominent a sweet tooth, Cinnamon Kitchen offer diners from a taster shot of homemade ice cream at £1.50 to a whole platter of assorted puddings to share and selected by the chef at £20. We concluded with the dark chocolate mousse with peanut praline and milk ice cream and the spiced pistachio cake with lime sorbet.
Cinnamon Kitchen has been around for a good number of years now and I can confidently say isn’t going anywhere fast. A popular spot for Londoners and smartly concealed from the madness of Liverpool Street Station they offer brilliant Modern Indian cuisine. A world away from the stuffy and predominantly out of date Indian Restaurants, Cinnamon Kitchen is unlike that of what you would find at the end of your road. I would recommend for either a wind down, post work dinner or an express lunch (they have another menu for that). Cinnamon Kitchen is great at catering for their local city dwellers and even offers master classes for enthusiasts who want to learn more on the diversities from the sub continent with a modern perspective.
Address: 9 Devonshire Square, London EC2M 4YL / 020 7626 5000
