In a fashion which has become the norm, ie via the internet, I received an invitation to attend and review a catered evening, during which, I would sample some apparently excellent and authentic Indian food. A drive to Surrey seemed enticing, and I read the directions intently, noticing a possible mistake – “our house is the last one on the left”.
On my arrival, I was astonished to find that the event was in fact, in a house – I had been invited to my first supper club. I was greeted at the door by our host for the evening, Mandira, and we would be sampling her various mouth watering dishes. The menu boasted “Bombay to Goa – from Bollywood to serene beaches”, indicating that the dishes would vary, and be representative of several regions of India.
By coincidence, the meal was to be the Indian equivalent of what we Greeks present as Meze, in this case called a Thali – a meal comprising of many small dishes, as opposed to just one, large main dish. The advantage of such meals is that you still get copious amounts of food, but you have the opportunity to try different dishes. For the uninitiated, the Thali arrives in a large round tray, containing approximately 7 small, round dishes of differing food.
Mandira began with drinks, and a few starters. A Swagatam (tomato chutney with Bombay mix), was followed by filo wrapped shrimp (so good!!), beetroot Tiki with carrots, onion and peanuts, (an unusual combination which worked very well), a Chaat (pastry filled with peas, yoghurt & home-made chutney), and some Pakoras.
The Thali which followed was absolutely wonderful – an array of flavours, spices, and textures which, despite the great variation, all seemed perfectly suited to each other. No conflicting tastes at all, and Mandira displayed a great knowledge of food from various parts of India. I won’t go into all of the main dishes in detail, suffice to say that the food was truly marvellous. My two favourites were Berry Pulao (Basmati Rice with barberries), and the Railway Mutton Curry.
Of course, mouth watering desserts followed……………….
The idea of a supper club is not new, yet is still something of a mystery, in that it’s heard of, yet rarely experienced by most people. In this case, Mindira made many new friends, and details of her culinary skills will spread as people sing her praises whilst handing out her business card. There can be no better promotion for this type of business. Mandira is able to cater for a wedding, birthday party, or indeed, provide any kind and size of banquet, providing the same superb quality, always.
Mandira’s contact details are:
07876 135096
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