Tamarind of London: Newport Beach’s Chic Indian Cuisine
By Michaeline Anderson
In the Crystal Cove Shopping Center located on the beautiful and pristine Newport Beach coastline stands Tamarind of London, a modern restaurant specializing in traditional Indian flavors. From the delicious food and the unbeatable locale, to superior service and a chic, sexy atmosphere, Tamarind of London offers its patrons a single promise: an unforgettable meal.
Upon entering the restaurant you’re immediately struck with a great view of the kitchen and the three tandoori ovens used to roast many of the meats for various dishes. Tamarind of London is modern and chic, but also warm and inviting. We were immediately greeted by a very personable host and had our choice of seating. There is a beautiful covered patio ideal for watching a beach sunset and a gorgeous dining room that features intimate booths perfect for a romantic evening. From the moment we sat it was clear that the service at Tamarind of London is simply outstanding. Our server, Carla, knew the menu down to the tiniest detail and was able to explain each of the dishes we sampled. She anticipated our needs; made sure all of our requests were taken care of and definitely made us feel special. The bussers were also very attentive and polite.
We started our meal with cocktails from an expertly crafted bar menu. I ordered the Tower of London made with gin, St. Germain, freshly muddled cucumber, basil, and fresh lime. It was light and refreshing, perfect for the exceptionally hot day in Newport. Feeling nostalgic for London, my fiancé ordered the Pimm’s PM (a favorite among the Brits) made with muddled morello cherries, lemon, Pimm’s No. 1, gin, sour mix and soda. He was instantly transported back to a London rooftop on a breezy summer evening. Per the recommendation from our server and the chef, we ordered a bottle of Graham Beck’s The Game Reserve 2012 Cabernet Sauvignon to pair with our meal. Bold and spiced, the wine was a perfect complement to the intense flavors of the various curries, but did not overwhelm the nuanced flavors of the dishes.
To start our meal, our server brought us lighter-than-air Papadam and three chutneys while we sipped our cocktails. By far, the Cilantro Mint Chutney was both of our favorites. If you visit Tamarind of London on an unusually warm evening, you’ll find the combination of cilantro and mint incredibly refreshing. The tamarind ginger chutney, an ode to their name, was also quite tasty. The roasted tomato chutney was not as bold in flavor as the other two chutneys, but I did use a sauce for one my appetizers and they paired together quite nicely.
For our appetizer, the chef prepared a Tandoori Sampler to showcase the different types of food and flavors that come from their prominently displayed tandoor ovens. Both the chicken and the swordfish were seasoned and cooked to perfection; both paired nicely with the various chutneys. The lamb kebob had such a rich flavor imparted by a variety of spices, but it was a little dry (also remedied by the chutneys). However, my favorite of the Tandoori Sampler was the Potato Spinach Dumpling. The outside of the dumpling was crisp, but the inside revealed pillowy soft mashed potatoes mixed with spinach. Here’s a little handy tip: dip a dumpling in the roasted tomato chutney. You’ll thank me later.
For our entrees the chef prepared the Chicken Tikka Masala, Coconut Prawn Curry and Lamb Roganjosh. Out of the three, my favorite was the lamb. This traditional Indian curry is made with onions, tomato and chilies. The meat was fork tender and the sauce was perfectly spiced. Both the Chicken Tikka Masala and the Coconut Prawn Curry were very good, but they would have benefited from a little heat.
To go along with our curries we sampled Goat Cheese Stuffed Naan and Garlic Naan. Per our server’s recommendation we paired the goat cheese with apricot chutney. The saltiness of the cheese was perfectly balanced by the sweetness of the chutney. The garlic naan, had the perfect amount of garlic and was perfect for sopping up the delicious curries.
We finished our meal with four samples of their most popular desserts. My absolute favorite was the Gulab Jamun– a fritter soaked in light syrup and balanced by cardamom and pistachios. One little fritter is all you need to complete the meal. For dessert spin on the classic samosa, we also sampled the Chocolate Samosa, which was filled with chocolate and fried to a crisp. As a lover of rice pudding, the Rice Kheer was a definite treat – the silky rich pudding was punctuated by plump golden raisins. The end of every meal at Tamarind of London finishes with white chocolate covered mint leaves, which is a decadent and refreshing throwback to their original restaurant across the pond.
Tamarind of London sets themselves apart from other Indian restaurants by offering traditional and innovative Indian dishes in a contemporary atmosphere. The food was delicious and the service was excellent. We will definitely be back.
Tamarind of London
7862 E Pacific Coast Hwy.
Newport Beach, CA 92657
(949) 715-8338