Restaurant Review: Cardamom Black, Harrogate

Open they do nonetheless, with all the promise of bringing something new. In the case of the latest kid on the block, Cardamom Black, owner Nick Rahman suggests that Harrogate has a vibrant restaurant scene, but is lacking in a high-end Asian offering. Might I suggest Mr Rahman checks out the well-established Orchid just a stone’s throw from his door where he will find Pan-Asian food at its finest and most certainly high end?

For their new venture, Nick and his team have taken over one of Harrogate’s favourite buildings which once housed the Empire Theatre. The theatre had an illustrious past and was popular for variety shows as well as the silent films it showed accompanied by a resident orchestra. Younger Harrogate residents will know the building better as Pinocchio’s, a restaurant which occupied the site for a staggering 31 years before it closed in 2007. Cardamom Black has a lot to live up to.

The restaurant and bar opened with a ritzy, glitzy party in December, bringing the Harrogate glitterati out in force which was not what I encountered the night of my visit. True, it was only about seven o’clock-ish and a Tuesday night but I did expect to see more diners. Staff practically outnumbered guests two to one and looked a little lost until they decided to focus their attention on us. I am a fast reader but even so, I can’t read a menu in under five minutes but it seems they thought I could. After the third time of asking within just a few minutes was I ready to order, my patience was wearing thin. Yet conversely, the drinks order took over 15 minutes to arrive.

I needed the time to ponder as the menu was a pleasure to read with much to savour. There are a few of the usual Asian culprits lurking within the glossy faux-snakeskin cover but mainly it is mouthwateringly different dishes with sing-song names like chi chaat, gari gai, pehra pehri. The header on the main page boasts a fresh fish bar and iced fish display which I had already spotted across the room. Sadly, though, it seems someone forgot to stock up the promised premium cuts of cod, halibut, seabass, freshwater king prawns et al on this occasion looking at the piscatorial offering. Still, there was enough to go at on the regular menu. Of the 19 shuruyaat (starters) I wanted to try 13 and have a go at half of the 38 mains at least. So choosing became a little difficult.

Food eventually chosen, and the errant drinks served, it was time to take in our surroundings. They may have skimped on the fish but not on sparkles with an imposing proscenium arch, lavish crystal chandeliers and glitter everywhere including on the walls. There’s a snuggly area with swish sofas and feathery pillows. Even the loos are glamorous. There was more bling here than on the on the set of Strictly Come Dancing. Yet, like Strictly it works. I don’t know why, it just does. It is fun and an antidote to the sterility of so many modern restaurants.

Gujarati pettis and prawn sharmi won the starter dishes. The pettis are deep fried balls of mashed potato dipped in Gujarati batter and served with what looked like mushy peas but was actually a ferociously hot dip of coriander, coconut and mustard seed. The dish was simply delicious and despite the heat from the mustard, still packed a punch in flavour. The southern Indian sharmi looked not unlike a bhaji but the tender package had a more sophisticated flavour and delicate spicing with good chunks of prawn. The only down note was the lovely hot, carefully cooked food was served on cold plates.

Phera pheri is a dish not for the faint-hearted. It is a medley of lamb, chicken, prawns, mushrooms and king prawns. The surf and turf feast is cooked with garlic, fresh ginger, coriander seed and leaf, spices and green chillies. It is hefty in components and in flavour. A careful hand in the kitchen had made sure the balance of flavour was bang-on. It all played perfectly well together and apart from the slightly tough king prawns (let’s be honest, not easy to keep tender in a dish this size) every other meat was meltingly tender and was a triumph. Beaming smiles said it all.

I may not have been beaming with my main dish but I was totally content. Some may have said my baby spinach and lentil karahi was boring, but given the activity on the plate across the table, it only heightened my awareness of the restraint and subtlety of cooking in this Southern Indian dish.

The attention to detail in the décor at Cardamom Black also informs the food, the plates, the cutlery and general ambience at the table. Everything was beautifully presented and apart from the cold starter, plates were faultless. The staff simmered their attention down to an acceptable level as the restaurant filled up and we were left, for the most part, to enjoy our meal.

After the glamour, glitter and first-rate food the big surprise came with the bill. All the nibbly bits, side dishes, starters, mains and a bottle of half decent wine came to just shy of £55. Absolutely remarkable for food of this quality.

It’s early days for Cardamom Black, there’s a few front of house glitches to work out, timings and so on, the kitchen however is doing a splendid job so it does look promising. Who knows, given time and a little more attention to detail, one day they may earn the right to their bold statement of being Harrogate’s high-end Asian restaurant. Not quite yet, though.

Cardamom Black, 2-6 Cheltenham Parade, Harrogate, HG1 1BX, Tel: 01423 313136.

Sun-Mon: 5pm-10.30pm, Tues-Thurs: 5pm-11pm Fri and Sat: 5pm-12 midnight.