Ross Farquhar
Google
A couple of years ago my husband and I enjoyed one of the best Indian meals of our lives at Dastaan in Epsom, an unassuming restaurant on a parade off a dual carriageway that just happened to have ex-Gymkhana chefs behind it. So when I discovered Black Salt, a "side project" of said Indian culinary royalty and an ex-Atul Kochhar chef (according to Jay Rayner), I immediately contrived a reason that my regular meal with some friends just had to be there.
And of course it was nothing short of excellent. The restaurant is informal, buzzing and warm. The service friendly and efficient. And the menu is familiar but executed exceptionally.
"Everything from the Tandoori Starters menu is great", one of my dining companions accurately recommended (though the Channa Papdi Chaat was secretly my favourite of all the appetisers we ordered). For main, the Saag Gosht was delicious but it's the Malvani Fish Curry that I'll be thinking about days from now - sweet but spicy, like the hybrid tikka masala and korma you never knew you needed until it came into your life.
Whenever I see Pistachio Kulfi on the menu there's no way I'm not ordering it, and it proved to be the right choice. The perfect finish to a wonderful midweek dinner.
Now I'll just have to come back so my husband can experience it too