FOOD&DRINK

A master of the art dishes up the very best innovative modern Indian cuisine at this new gastro hotspot

If you go by location alone, a trip to Bath’s newest Indian restaurant – situated as it is at the heart of an urban axis defined by a Holiday Inn Express, a Sainsbury’s garage forecourt and a Homebase car park – doesn’t bode particularly well. All credit to the Mint Room’s head honchos, then, for turning what’s ostensibly a breezeblock box into a subtly chic, welcoming haven of upper-crust foodie fabulousness that’s actually (dare I say it?) far more W1 than BA2 in ambience... and, compared to the familiar provincial curry house experience, feels as though it exists in another galaxy altogether.

Starters of four fat, very fresh scallops seared with fennel, star anise and turmeric and served with roasted peppers and a lively onion and tomato relish (£5.95), together with two slabs of lightly charred swordfish resting on a smoky beetroot semi-puree and drizzled with honey and mustard (£5.50), ranked among the best prandial preludes I’ve encountered in Bath this year. But if the starters were sublime, our mains could only be described as positively stellar: lamb shank slow-roasted to the point of a velvety tenderness that causes the meat to fall off the bone as soon as you show it a fork bathed in a gentle tide of onions, tomatoes, yoghurt and sesame seeds (£14.95) cleverly managed to both soothe and uplift in equal measure. The ‘Mango Mach’, meanwhile – a quietly complex, fascinating combination of pan-fried red mullet simmered in five spice-infused coconut milk resting on a bed of soft, mustard spiced potato and topped with a sweet and sour green mango sauce (£13.95) – reached the giddy heights of Michelin star standard, a sentiment aided and abetted by the kind of artful presentation that’s almost criminal to disturb. Softly poached, spiced pear and a disk of creamy carrot fudge, both served with superb ice-cream, completed a voyage of discovery that led us to conclude that the Mint Room chef is a subtle showman indeed: competent, confident and audaciously inspirational, he’s a master of the art of modern Indian cookery at its very, very best.

This smart little gastro hotspot is undoubtedly heading for massive acclaim. And where it leads, other establishments in Bath will no doubt swiftly follow... but it’s my guess that few will get it quite it so right. (Melissa Blease)

CONTACT

THE MINT ROOM LONGMEAD GOSPEL HALL, LOWER BRISTOL RD, BATH. FFI: 01225 446656, WWW.THEMINTROOM.CO.UK

THE VERDICT

A chic, glamorous, innovative contemporary Indian experience. Highly recommended

Copyright Melissa Blease 2011