Spice Temple
Editorial
Neil Perry's much-anticipated oriental-style restaurant surpasses a level of excellence with out-of-this-world flavour combinations and sensations. From the sublimely sultry interior design to the beautiful crockery imported from Taiwan, no small detail has been overlooked. The dining room is surrounded by red-dipped wooden planks which hang from the ceiling and border the tables where guests sit smugly, their chopsticks poised in anticipation. Nodding to the provinces of Sichuan, Yunnan, Hunan, Jiangxi, Guangxi and Xinjiang, the menu was crafted with respect to Chinese history and tradition. The waiters deftly steer you into a choice of dishes which embrace a balance between flavour, sensation and texture. Cleverly, the cocktails list encompasses 12 drinks that are based upon the Chinese calendar, so the Ox, for example, follows a concoction of buttermilk yoghurt with pistachio, pomegranate and a pinch of salt.
Tofu and preserved egg with soy chilli dressing is served cool; the silken consistency matched by the egg which, with up to 60 days of preservation, has turned into a heavenly gelatinous substance. Northern-style lamb and fennel seed dumplings are perfectly delicious tummy teasers. The three shot chicken provides a touch of restaurant theatrics with its nips of beer, soy and chilli added to the meat as it cooks upon the table. Leather jacket fillets drowned in dried chilli and Sichuan pepper will literally have your lips a-tingling which, while odd at first, becomes strangely addictive. Small pickle dishes such as cabbage and radish, and cucumbers with smashed garlic and ginger, aim to “awaken the palate and cool the fire”. Exactly 100 wines grace the list, justified by the notion that the team has been forced to select the best possible matches for the fare. This quiet restraint is evident throughout this restaurant, adding a sophistication that is utterly charming.
Annabel Wise, February 2009
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