Family, friends and food. The three words you’re most likely to hear (and see!) around the Diwali festivities.
Leading up to this auspicious occasion, food plays an extremely important role in the celebrations. After all, it’s common to get together in each other’s kitchens to make those all-important Diwali treats, and exchange decorated boxes of mithai with your loved ones.
As well as cooking up a feast at home, there are a growing number of eateries in London offering delectable Diwali feasts this year, just in case you fancy a change from cooking.
Bistro, is housed within the grand St James’ Court, a Taj Hotel, and is just moments away from the city’s greatest attractions like Buckingham Palace and the London Eye.
It’s launched a special Diwali Thali menu featuring mouth-watering, vegetarian delights. The menu is available for dinner, until November 6th 2019, and it’s priced at a reasonable £45 per person.
On arrival, you’ll be led into a sleek dining room – elegant, yet comfortable, the Bistro underwent a modern refurbishment in 2017, and is a chic setting for couples or families wishing to celebrate together.
You’ll be welcomed with a delicately spiced Mango Lassi Shot, cutely decorated with colourful petals in each glass – the perfect Indian palate cleanser.
The Bistro’s A La Carte menu normally impresses with its unique flavours and enhancing aromas, so it’s no surprise the Diwali Thali offers an exceptional festive menu.
Served on a shiny steel thal, as soon as the dishes arrive, we can see there’s plenty to tuck into, and the spicy fragrances instantly dominate our conversation.
Dum Aloo is one of the most basic vegetable curries of India, and the Kashmiri Dum Aloo, was perfectly spiced with fennel and masala and tasted absolutely delicious. The Vegetable Malai Koftas were also creamy, and full of rich flavours. When cooking a Diwali feast at home, dal would normally be a popular and staple item on the menu – a firm crowd pleaser. The Dal Kandhari followed this trend, with wonderful texture and good consistency.
For the accompaniments, Methi Ka Thepla and Dry Fruit Pulao is presented on a banana leaf within the thal, which is a nice touch. Dried fruits within the pulao rice, is always a gentle reminder of fun, festive and happy occasions, and the rice went well with each dish.
It’s easy to forget you have dessert arriving when you’re provided with such delicious delicacies, but make sure you have room for the chef’s dessert plate.
Artistic and appealing, each dessert is profoundly delicious. There’s the Gajar & Dry Fruit Halwa with Gold Leaf, the Rasmalai Chocolate cup (which you can also find in the Jasmine Indian Afternoon Tea served in Kona, St James’ Court) and Rose Ice Cream. Eaten with the halwa, the delicately flavoured ice cream balances out the richness of the halwa, and was a favourite amongst our group of diners.
The festival of lights is always a memorable occasion, full of fun, warmth and love. With the Diwali Thali available for just two more weeks, enjoy the festival of new beginnings with an authentic meal at the Bistro with your loved ones.
Bistro
www.StJamesCourtHotel.co.uk/dine/bistro
020 7963 8325