This Friday’s meal, coincidentally my birthday, no, I’m not telling you how old I am…is a dinner exploring the six senses…
Menu
Sound
A Japanese ceviche fish course with the sounds of the sea…will it heighten the experience? Does it taste fresher?
Touch
Rice
Brinjal and Tinda curry
Coconut dahl
Raitha
Cachumber…an Indian salad
You eat with your hands as they do in India. People say food tastes better if you can feel the texture, get physically close to your food.
Actually Indians eat with their fingers not the palm. Use your right hand, it is impolite to use the left. (Not sure if this is still the case for left handers).
Using all five fingers work the rice plus the curries or dahl into a ball. They will help the rice become sticky enough to form a ball.
Gather this up onto the tips using the thumb.
Bring your hand to your mouth.
Feel your food…
Smell
This course could be controversial….I’m serving two of the smelliest foods known to man: Stinking Bishop cheese and Durian fruit. The former is one of the most odorous cheeses on the planet, but actually tastes quite mild. The latter is adored in the East but is too challenging for Western noses. It smells…”like a morgue suffering from a power cut” but tastes sweet. Bring your own clothes peg.
Sight.
Or lack of it. For this course, dessert, my guests will be blindfolded. The Marmarati donated the masks, sourced at a sex shop! I’m not telling you what it is, guests will have to use their sixth sense…
Is the taste more intense?
love the ideas of touch and smell. i had an inkling you'd be choosing durian! oh, the poor souls, well, at least youre not going to be blindfolding them while they have the durian. excellent menu overall, unique ideas and wishing you a lovely birthday in advance, Ms. M. x shayma
Mmm, wish you weren't sold out! Hope you have a great birthday. I'm going to a Sri Lankan restaurant in West Hampstead on Friday to deal with my cravings!
Oh dear durian fruit? For once I'm not envious…I hate the stuff…I once tried to buy the boiled sweet version of this in Thailand, hoping I'd like it a bit more but no…left an awful taste in my mouth for ages…maybe it is an acquired one…still, not sure I'm ready to repeat that experience again anytime soon. The cheese on the otherhand I'm sure would be fine! And I love ceviche so I am jealous of that! Wonder what the dessert will be…? Can you tell us next week?! xxx
Hi,
I wanted to know if it is possible to book places for 2 for tomorrow and also is it possible to ask for a vegetarian menu?
Thanks,
Padmini
Hi,
I was wondering if it is possible to reserve places for 2 for tmrw and also if there is an option for a vegetarian menu (non-fish)
Thanks in advance,
Padmini
genius!
I met a lady recently who told me how she bought a durian just before boarding the train from London to Cornwall – the entire carriage smelt like a dead animal by the end of the trip!
Padmini email me at theundergroundrestaurant@gmail.com
Thanks everyone…just bought the durian….oof it's expensive…
The durian and stinking bishop were inspired – you could feel the atmosphere in the room changing and everybody letting loose 🙂
hi jez, you were a guest? wonderful to get your feedback…
I was a little anxious about the durian but it was ok really…