The
Spice Merchant, Henley
Alistair Marsella
togged up in his best blazer for a stunning day out
I took the train
from Paddington to Henley and then
enjoyed the wonderfully scenic view
from the river bank as I walked along
to The Spice Merchant, on this first
day of the Henley Royal Regatta,
for The Spice Merchant’s special
Regatta menu and programme. The Spice
Merchant is situated in a traditional
rustic framed building on the river’s
edge roughly opposite the famous
Leander Club and is a creation of
owner, proprietor and food guru Bashir
Islam. I had arrived for the Indian
breakfast at this superb location
on a beautiful sunny day and the
temperature was rising.
The hospitality
was excellent from the point of arrival – being
offered coffee and champagne ( Mumm
Brut NV Cordon Rouge or Mumm Brut
Rose NV ) to commence – champagne
and the Henley Royal Regatta do go
rather well together !
Breakfast was
served in the ground floor front
part of The Spice Merchant which
is where drinks and snacks are usually
served with views across the river.
The breakfast comprised choliy, bhatore,
egg paratha, plain curd and aloo
bajji. This was a flavoursome selection
of mild dishes plus a touch of spice
which set the tone for a blend of
Indian with the quintessentially
Edwardian ambience of the Regatta.
This Indian Breakfast was served
at the suggestion of part owner Richard
Pugh (also a surveyor), rather than
an English breakfast, based on his
faultless logical reasoning that
it is an Indian restaurant. It was
certainly interesting and should
be tried at least once !
Following breakfast
I boarded The Spice Merchant boat
immediately outside for a trip along
the Regatta course to just beyond
Temple Island and back, complete
with Pimms and more champagne. Delightful
! It was fun to observe some racing
at close quarters and also served
as a lively reminder of the substantial
length of the course, 6930 feet,
and the very high level of fitness
required to row that at speed.
Then back to The
Spice Merchant for lunch in the first
floor room with a panoramic view
over the river. ( There is also a
small private dining room adjacent,
suitable for approximately 8 diners).
Lunch comprised 7 courses with carefully
chosen accompanying wines. This is
when executive chef Narenda Singh,
and his team (originally from the
highly regarded London Amaya restaurant),
came into their own with a selection
of inspired and very refined dishes.
Winners included delicious Oysters
and King Scallops; a flavoursome
ginger potato and broccoli with home
made yoghurt infused with a hint
of mango and a superb Hydrabadi Briyani
( Chicken Birani). This was some
of the best Indian food I have had
; the carefully thought out menu
was extremely light and blended exceedingly
well and it is not surprising that
Indian food is particularly well
suited to a hot day. So please cast
doubts aside - I felt in very good
shape for the walk over the bridge
to the Stewards' Enclosure where
I admired the elegant ladies,
a number with superb hats – all with
dresses below the knee as per the
regulations for this Enclosure !
It was soon time
to return to The Spice Merchant for
afternoon tea which was served al
fresco by the river - mixed
pakura, samosa and fresh fruits with
a choice of Indian spice tea or English
tea – I chose the Indian spice which
was most refreshing. All extremely
civilised.
At the back of
the Spice Merchant on the ground
floor is a much larger contemporary
style dining area. My preference
is for the old part – front ground
floor or upstairs with scenic views
over the river; much greater aesthetic
appeal. The location of The Spice
Merchant is excellent with just a
short walk over to the Leander Club
and Stewards Enclosure and only 10
minutes walk from the station should
you choose to arrive by train. This
excellent, beautifully located restaurant
is open 7 days a week throughout
the year except Christmas day: lunch
11.30am – 2.30pm; dinner 6pm – 11pm
and if you have a party of 6 or more
there is a complimentary trip available
either before or after dinner on
the Spice Merchant boat. An approximate
price per head is £40 excluding wine.
They will be arranging a special
programme again for the Regatta 2007 – so
book early to avoid disappointment
! ( The price for the special Regatta
day was £195 + vat per head).
Spice
Merchant Henley
Thameside, Henley-on-Thames
OXON, RG9 2LJ
Tel: 01491 636 118
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