When Moe Rahman from Bandook asks if you’re hungry, you say yes. You certainly do not tell him how many Quality Street you’ve already eaten, writes India Farnham
Ah, Bath at Christmas time. The lights. The markets. The carols. And a million panic-shoppers funnelling down a cobbled Georgian street.
Call me a grinch (and I will do the Jim Carrey impression), but during the festive season the city centre can be a bit much for me. I tend to find it, as the kids say, rather overstimulating.
Thankfully, the destination we’re off to today is set in the off-the-beaten-track oasis of calm that is Shires Yard. Here, perched beside a courtyard so tasteful it could only be in Bath, is where you’ll find Bandook, undoubtedly one of our city’s most loved restaurants.
Bandook, born from the team behind fine-dining Indian favourite the Mint Room, is known for its elevated mix of authentic, casual dining Indian street food dishes made with ‘good, British ingredients’. This relaxed approach to dining translates into a festive menu that is everything Christmas should be: warm, colourful and surprisingly straightforward. For meat-eaters, £40 per person covers three courses, only two of which you have to actually decide on. For veggies you’re looking at £35. In the words of a meerkat, simples.
To start
Well, it seems all that’s left to do then is order a cocktail. Two of them! We tried the Drunken Mango Lassi – silky smooth – and for our sober friends, the Rosemary Lemonade – energetic and aromatic – which comes with a freshly-charred sprig of rosemary on top. Christmas drama, my favourite kind.
Starters arrive as a family of small plates, including my dining partner Rosanna’s ‘death row final meal’ starter, Anjeer Papdi Chaat, which has such a satisfying crunch and kick that I reckon I’ll be requesting it on my death bed too. Alongside the Anjeer Papdi Chaat are some super-moreish Okra Fries, a Chicken Lollipop and my favourite, the unique Roasted Beetroot Tikki: a warm, almost bread-like patty of savoury roasted beetroot with a crispy, zesty salad and Christmas tree-green dip.
Above: The Festive Meat Platter and a Festive Thyme cocktail
The main event
Main courses here are showstopper-type affairs, presented alongside ample accompaniments in a satisfying assortment of shiny silver dishes, including a velvety Lamb Kolhapuri and a warming Daal Makhani. The Festive Meat Platter is home to a Salmon Tikka so juicy and fresh that I find myself suddenly without any skills in sharing. The Turkey Leg Biryani is presented to us with a golden top of shortcrust pastry which is opened up professionally at our table to reveal a steaming, buttery centre topped with gem-like pomegranate seeds. Turkey meat falls off of its bone effortlessly and joins the deliciousness.
Top it all off with something sweet and smooth. We tried the Crimbo Shahi Tukda, which is fried bread swimming in a thick, creamy milk, delicately spiced (ideal for cleansing your palate after such rich decadence of the previous dishes), and of course, the Chocolate Mousse, which is so rich you’ll find yourself making a comment about how you’d have never guessed in a million years it was vegan.
Final thoughts
With its cheerful, stylish interior, peppered with colonial-era decorations and photographs, Bandook has that special lived-in quality that so many restaurants aim for. It’s also achieved another nebulous but highly sought-after quality: a gentle buzz. Huzzah for well-judged background music. Altogether this is a confident, no-nonsense festive menu from a restaurant that knows its strength is in its simplicity. Spend time there with your loved ones, friends, co-workers, neighbours – heck, even people you want to break bread with and get to know better. It’ll be time well spent.
Bandook’s Christmas menu is available until 24 December.
Bandook Restaurant, Shires Yard, 3-7 Milsom St, Bath BA1 1BZ. bandookkitchen.com