This week Steve and I enjoyed a 7-course menu at the newly refurbished Navadhanya, Indian Fine Dining on Newmarket Rd, Cambridge. This specially designed menu was only available for Valentine’s Day on 14th February and the restaurant was full of couples enjoying an exotic and romantic dinner accompanied by a choice of Valentine’s Day Special Cocktails. On arrival, all the female guests were presented with a red rose which I thought was a nice gesture!
A final flourish – strawberry dipped in dark chocolate to share!
7th course – Strawberry mousse stuffed jamun with mirror glaze
Navadhanya is located on Newmarket Road, Cambridge
1st course – Deep fried spiced purple potatoes with ginger, cumin and lime leaf2nd course – Dahi vada ground lentils served with thick yoghurt, tamarind and mint chutney accompanied by Santa Alegria wine, Chile3rd course – Monkfish, mustard and smoked aubergine mash, accompanied by Pinot Grigio Rosato wine, Italy
4th course – Rose apple sorbet, which was impressively served in a chilled bowl5th course – Two ways tender chicken curry leaf and roasted red pepper served with an Indian pancake, accompanied by Chenin Blanc wine, India. (This was Steve’s favourite wine as it perfectly complemented the dish)6th course – Lamb Ossobucco finished with classic Rajasthani, served with yellow dal Gulab. saffron pulao rice and spinach roti, accompanied by Santa Alvara wine, Chile
7th course – Strawberry mousse stuffed jamun with mirror glaze accompanied by Moscato wine, ItalyThe final flourish – a strawberry dipped in dark chocolate to share!
7th course – Strawberry mousse stuffed jamun with mirror glaze
4th course – Rose apple sorbet, which was served in a chilled bowl
It was a pleasure for us to return to dine at Navadhanya with it’s friendly and courteous service and the food is always of exceptional quality, so very deservedly it’s now listed in the 2018 Michelin Guide. Head chef Kamaladasan with his trademark style creates authentic dishes with a unique twist and he excels at artistic presentation. If you like Indian food this restaurant is perfect for a special occasion and comes highly recommended.
The Tiffin Truck is located on Regent Street, Cambridge
Last night Steve and I enjoyed an excellent meal at The Tiffin Truck bar and restaurant which only opened very recently and serves Indian Market food. It’s the sister restaurant of Navadhanya which is one of our favourites so we arrived with high expectations and we weren’t disappointed. The welcome, the presentation of the food and the service were all of the same exceptional standard. It’s centrally located on Regent Street in Cambridge on the site which was formerly Anatolia, a Turkish restaurant.
Two of the bright and colourful images which decorate the walls at The Tiffin Truck. I admired all the graphics!
We loved the Naan bread which was drizzled with Truffle oil
My starter of Mini Masala Dosa was beautifully presented
Red Pumpkin Curry was another tasty side dish we sampled
This side dish of Crispy Kale Chaat was most unusual and tasted delicious
Vegetable Fried Rice and Paneer Butter Masala were two of the many dishes we enjoyed
We were too full for a dessert so we sampled a Kata Mita Margarita and a Bengal Tiger cocktail
Granny Apples enjoyed her first taste of an Indian cocktail!At The Tiffin Truck you can eat in, take away or book a delivery
This splendid mural is a highlight of the restaurant’s decor
At The Tiffin Truck you can eat in, take away or book a delivery
One of the bright and colourful images which decorate the walls at The Tiffin Truck. I loved the graphics!
This is a bar and restaurant where you can enjoy Indian market food dishes alongside Indian craft beers and cocktails, and it’s a splendid new addition to the dining scene in Cambridge.
If you like Indian food you will enjoy something completely different at The Tiffin Truck which has the authentic atmosphere of an Indian bazaar for lunch or dinner, to eat in or take away. Their menus have been inspired by famous Indian street food favourites and home-style tiffin lunches enjoyed by workers across India.
According to their website ‘Tiffin dates back to the days of the Raj where British afternoon tea was replaced with the local Indian practice of taking a light meal at that hour. Every weekday in Mumbai, where the tiffin tradition began, you can still see hundreds of tiffin wallahs racing around the streets with their bicycles piled high with stainless steel tiered boxes, delivering hot lunches to workers.’
For a small deposit, you can collect your takeaway in one of their stylish steel tiffin boxes. The food is very good value and we paid £36 for eight dishes without drinks. Highly recommended and we shall definitely be making a return visit!
De Luca’s roof terrace offers a view over Parkers Piece in Cambridge
Last night Steve and I decided to revisit an old favourite eatery of mine De Luca Cucina and Bar which is an independent modern Italian restaurant in Cambridge. It was a warm and sunny summers evening so we hoped to dine on the roof terrace, and although it’s not possible to reserve a table there we weren’t disappointed.
De Luca Cucina and Bar is located on Regent Street in Cambridge
We started our evening with an aperitif. Aperol Spritz, a traditional Italian cocktail for me and a classic Martini cocktail with olives for Steve
To start I opted for a selection of rustic Italian breads served with extra virgin olive oil and balsamic vinegar, and Kalamata and boscaiola olives marinated in virgin olive oil with mushrooms, sweet peppers, garlic and herbs, which we shared.
Steve’s colourful starter of Deep fried crispy squid served with sweet chilli and ginger relish, rocket and lemon
For my main course I chose the pasta ‘special’ dish of rigatoni with parma ham in a creamy white wine sauce with gorgonzola, dressed with rocket
Steve chose Linguine ai Frutti di mare for his main course. A feast of mussels, clams, prawns, squid with chilli, garlic, white wine and fresh tomato served with a whole king prawn
De Luca offers a delightful space for al fresco dining
As usual, Steve chose the cheese board for his dessert which had a selection of interesting Italian regional cheeses, with bread, fruit and celery
For my dessert I chose Affogato al caffe, – hot espresso and Amaretto poured over homemade vanilla ice cream. Steve sampled an Expre coffee liqueur as a nightcap.
For affordable prices and good quality freshly-cooked food which is well presented with friendly and courteous staff De Luca is highly recommended. (We paid £28 per person for 3 courses from the a la carte menu without drinks or service.) It doesn’t surprise me that De Luca Cucina and Bar was a finalist in the Cambridge News Food and Drink Awards last year and I wish it more success in 2017.
In addition to their delicious food, De Luca has a Top Floor Cocktail Lounge which becomes Cambridge’s only Piano Bar on Friday and Saturday evenings. Cocktail-making classes are also available and having tried one of these sessions myself I can guarantee it’s great fun if you fancy a boozy night out!
Yesterday I sampled the Brunch menu at Novi bar and kitchen with two friends. I’ve been meaning to eat and drink there since it came on the scene in 2015 and never quite got around to it! To coincide with Novi’s 2nd anniversary last month I heard that it had opened a Living Room terrace which I was very keen to see. It was good to note many gluten-free, vegan and vegetarian options on the menu and although fairly expensive the food, drinks and service didn’t disappoint.
Novi is centrally located on Regent Street in Cambridge
The achingly hip interior of Novi is light, airy and spacious
We sampled a couple of Novi’s famous cocktails, Breakfast Martini – juniper green organic gin, cointreau, marmalade, and fresh lemon juice, and Frank & Earnest – kraken spiced rum, cold brew coffee, almond milk, homemade gingerbread syrup, fresh cardamom, and molasses bitters
And a mixed berry smoothie for the driver!
From the extensive Brunch menu which is served from 9am to 4pm daily, two of us chose healthy and nutritious veggie salads. My other friend ordered a large plate from the Daytime menu of Sirloin steak sandwich, silverskin onions, salad, gherkins, and creamed horseradish on sourdough, with a side of polenta chips.
Roasted squash, kale, lentils, and crispy beetroot salad with a honey-mustard dressing
Another interesting salad of Feta cheese, pomegranate, toasted walnuts, and mixed leaves with a pomegranate dressing We shared a side dish of Parmesan and rosemary polenta chips
After our brunch we went upstairs to explore the new roof terrace. This al fresco seating area has already become a popular spot so we were lucky to find an empty table where we enjoyed huge slices of cookies and cream cake with iced coffees.
The recently opened roof terrace at Novi is sheltered and stylish with lots of wood and plants creating a very attractive outdoor space
Sitting in the sun relaxing with our drinks on the terrace we all agreed it was a perfect way to spend a summer Saturday afternoon. Highly recommended. Novi we will definitely be returning!
Taste with Granny Apples 