Christmas at Dishoom, 2 Upper St Martin’s Lane, London WC2H 9FB

Dishoom Santa Wallahs

Beautiful Dishoom. Picture from www.afroditi.com

It’s almost our one year Dishoom anniversary. I vividly remember our first visit back in December 2010 with our friend Keith, and it’s remained a special place in our hearts ever since. Becoming their one and only Dishoom Uber Walli was a privilege, it may sound like an insult, but I can assure you it’s not. We still enjoy each visit as if it’s our first.

Group menus also available online http://www.dishoom.com/christmas/christmas-group-bookings/

Santa, the chais may be naughty, but we've been very good girls and boys

We’ve been eagerly waiting to try the new Christmas menu, especially the ‘Naughty Chais‘ which we’ve heard a lot about over the Twitter airwaves recently. Kavey describing the Egg Nog Chai as ‘like drinking clouds or downy pillows.’

Stepping back into Dishoom is like coming home, and the smells that greeted us were amazing. I started off with a Winter Pimm’s Warmed Winter Pimm’s with Calvados and cloudy apple juice, gently spiced £5.50. Ade had a Baileys Chai £5.50, wow! I guess the gorgeous House Chai and good old Baileys was always going to be a match made in heaven. There are three other flavours also, we tried them all. The only one I was slightly disappointed by was the Chocolate Chai Dark chocolate syrup, chocolate shavings, Bourbon and Chai, it was overpowered by the bourbon. Maybe next time I’ll have a non-naughty one so I can taste the chocolate. Dishoom get things right 99.9% of the time, so I let them off.

The Egg Nog Chai Traditional Egg Nog with Dark Rum and Chai, dusted with nutmeg and cinnamon £5.50 was Ade’s favourite, thick, smooth and very sweet. The Cognac Chai Hennessy VS and Chai with ground Christmas Spices £5.50 was the hardest hitting alcohol wise. Quite odd getting tipsy on warm drinks.

Dishoom's picture...

...our picture. 'Normal' Christmas turkey and cranberry sauce will never be the same now!

Right, the food… The Flaming Turkey Raan with All The Trimmings Whole turkey leg prepared in the traditional Indian raan style, marinated and cooked slowly over a whole day. Served with Bombay-style potatoes, masala winter greens, spiced cranberry chutney. Oh my god, it’s how I want my Christmas to taste. Christmas day will never be the same again, as Signe Johansen aka @Scandilious said ‘For someone who has a borderline pathological hatred of turkey, Dishoom has converted me. Their Flaming Turkey Raan is fantastic.’

I spotted one girl gnawing at the meat off on bone, like medieval times. Wish I’d had the guts to do that. The gunpowder potatoes were great too and the chutney added a sweet touch. Makes cranberry sauce seem pathetic.

Mini chilli powered mince pies, who'd have thought they would taste so amazing!

And just when we thought we couldn’t eat any more, out came the Chilli Mince Pies With a hint of chilli and spiced custard. I have never been a big fan of mince pies, but add chilli to the mix and it turns into something incredible. Especially dipped in the warm spiced custard.

A Bailey's Chai - two of Ade's favourite drinks.

One nightcap turned into two, a steaming glass of Desi Mulled Wine Warming mulled wine infused with cinnamon, nutmeg, cardamom and chilli £5.50, again, like mulled wine but a thousand times more exciting. And then a House Chai £2.20, it wouldn’t be right to be at Dishoom and not have one.

You know you’ve had a good meal when you go to bed with it on your mind and wake still thinking about it. And the following evening…

Please Dishoom, share your recipes with us, we won’t tell. I want to make a Dishoom Christmas this year.

www.dishoom.com
12 Upper St. Martin’s Lane, London WC2H 9FB
Tel: 020 7420 9320
Mon – Thurs : 8am – 11pm
Friday: 8am – 12am
Saturday: 10am – 12am
Sunday: 10am – 10pm

Become a Facebook Dishoom-wallah for cool freebies: www.facebook.com/dishoomlondon
Follow them on Twitter www.twitter.com/dishoomlondon

To make a reservation, click here

It's beginning to look a lot like KISS-mas...