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www.spicmerchantgroup.com
Cookham is a delightful village in Buckinghamshire with a range of restaurants and shops that attract visitors from many wiles away, I know, the well known shoe shop on the main street has been a favourite haunt of she who must be obeyed for many years!
The picturesque scenery is idyllic, the village boasts a number of celebrity residents, but, more importantly, it hosts one of the most outstanding Indian restaurants I have been fortunate in visiting, and I have visited quite a few over many years.
I have past this restaurant on a number of occasions when adding further to the expanding profits of the shoe shop, gazing thorough the windows from the main street, admiring the period features within, promising myself that a visit would be arranged at some stage in the future. Alas, time waits for no man and by the time I made arrangements for a visit the place has been transformed, and what a transformation. The warm interior is now a combination of original beams and modern warm colours, a new style with imaginative menus beautifully presented.
A real contemporary feel to the place, that was my first thought as we entered the restaurant, subdivided into a collection of small dining rooms with additional rooms upstairs, including the opportunity for private dining. Uniformed staff under the expert direction of manager David Hodson ensured that visitors were received in style and accompanied to an appropriate table. We were pleased to be given a large window table allowing me to view the visitors passing by during the early part of the evening. The table settings were stunning, both in the choice and style but also in the precision of the settings, I was able to see the thought, care and measurements made by the staff as they prepared and recently vacated table, a very mathematical approach which both gained my admiration and respect for the sheer detail taken to portray the restaurant to all visitors.
The menus were delivered, large in style, clear in presentation, were quite exquisite. Yet another example of the care and thought behind the group, Cookham Tandoori being one of three in the Spice Merchant group, the others being Spice Merchant and Massala.
Instead of ordering separate opening dishes we decided to share a Platter of starters, allowing the opportunity to delight in a cross section of dishes, including the magnificent Chilly Paneer, batons of cottage cheese, spiced with sweet n sour sauce and tossed in fresh tomatoes.
Only one word to describe this dish, orgasmic!
The remainder of the starter dishes were cooked to perfection, presented with style and enjoyed, but mere supporting acts for a dish created in Cookham but transporting the diners to heaven.
The wine list is one to match the quality of both the food and the surroundings. Here you have the opportunity to savour the delights of a marvellous range of fine wines. Gone are the days where an Indian restaurant will offer three whites and three reds, none of which are known to man! This list reflected the thought, care and attention to detail that have elevated this integral part of the wider restaurant industry to the highest levels of operation. Here you can find twenty five reds and an equal number of whites on offer, at prices deemed in most cases reasonable, together with a fine wine collection for those who wish to indulge.
I selected a Moores Creek Shiraz, an Australian priced at
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Alan McColm is QFOL's Restaurant Critic and Travel reviewer. Alan is working all over the country ... more
