Black Salt

Editor's note: On 29th September it was announced that, due to ongoing problems with the lease, Black Salt was forced to close. RIP.

Black Salt was originally part of a little Indian restaurant empire set up by chefs Sanjay Gour and Amanda Kishoor. This began with Dastaan but now includes The Kokum, Dastaan Leeds and Koyal. My understanding is that Black Salt is now essentially independent of the Dastaan group, with the kitchen at Black Salt now run by chef Chinta Mani. The menu and seemingly the recipes, however, are still largely from the Dastaan era, as are many of the front of house staff.

Malai tikka chicken was had unusually large chunks of meat that had been marinated in spices, ginger, garlic, double cream and cream cheese before being cooked. This was served with a spicy avocado chutney. The meat was very tender and the avocado went well with it, the spicing being quite restrained (15/20).

Mixed bhajias were as good as ever here, remarkably crisp and light and retaining the flavour of the onions, potato, kale and spinach. These are served with excellent, spicy tangy tamarind and mint chutneys. There is something remarkable about quality of the bhajias from this restaurant group: they are unrecognisable from the soggy onion bhajias that we have grown up with in neighbourhood Indian restaurants (15/20).

Saffron prawn curry had tender prawns and a rich coconut based sauce with spices and the saffron (14/20). Chicken biryani had fragrant, aromatic rice with well separated, distinct grains, the rice containing pieces of tender chicken that had avoided any drying out. This was an excellent biryani (15/20).

A side dish of spinach had very deep flavour and was excellent. I have tried making this dish at home from the Dastaan recipe book and it is a bit of work but is well worthwhile (15/20). Wild mustard potatoes retained the texture and flavour of the baby potatoes well, nicely enlivened by the wild mustard, ginger and garlic that they were cooked with (15/20). Garlic naan had soft, supple texture and was piping hot when served (15/20). Gajar halwa was very enjoyable, the natural sweetness of the carrot enhanced by ghee, milk, sugar and cardamom (14/20). Mango kulfi had plenty of mango flavour and good texture (14/20).

Service was very good throughout the evening, and the bill came to £64 each with beer to drink. This seems pretty fair to me given the high quality of the cooking here.

Further reviews: 14th Jul 2024 | 03rd Apr 2024 | 31st Oct 2023 | 10th Aug 2023 | 09th Sep 2022 | 29th Jun 2022 | 23rd Apr 2022 | 26th Jan 2022 | 27th Nov 2021