Boar’s Head Tandoori, Kinmuck
You would be right in thinking Kinmuck, near Inverurie, doesn’t have much in common with the streets of Mumbai, but the chef from Boar’s Head Tandoori has brought 24 years of cooking experience in Mumbai to this Indian restaurant and we couldn’t wait to try it.
Only twenty minutes’ drive from the Bridge of Don on a dark country road, we approached the eatery on a chilly autumnal Saturday evening.
Easy to spot with bright lighting outside and an extremely busy car park, we were welcomed inside and shown to a cosy booth. The restaurant is split into various sections so it was difficult to tell how many people were actually there but there was plenty of chatter and the clinking of glasses so we presumed the place was bustling even although we couldn’t see it.
The décor is modern and blue, very blue! I am not a fan of blue walls, they tend to be cold but not here; with clever lighting, flickering candles and the heating on full blast, the atmosphere was decidedly cosy.
So, on to the food. Indian menus are lengthy so we nibbled on some poppadums to browse the varied and extensive menu.
I must admit I am a bit of a fearty when it comes to spice and I also tend to order the same things but tonight I was determined to be brave.
For starters we chose onion bhajis and noori malai tikka to share. Both came beautifully presented with a delightful selection of Indian dips and salad on the side.
The two generous-sized bhajis were delicious, the fritters light and crispy and oozing with flavour while my son chose not to share the tikka – it was that good, marinated with cheese and fresh coriander.
So far so good. And then we waited. Being only a short drive from Inverurie, Newmachar and Dyce, the tandoori is proving very popular with carry-outs.
With the dark nights and Strictly on TV many people must have had the same idea and this is where we stumbled on a slight problem.
Our main courses took maybe a little too long to arrive, not that we minded the wait – dinners are to be savoured and it is nice to have a break between courses to let your starters go down and enjoy a drink and family chat.
But the main courses were worth the wait. A charming waiter arrived pushing a trolley laden with an Indian feast. Hot dinner plates were set before us and enticing dishes placed on to burners in the middle of the table.
The presentation must have a special mention, peppers carved into flowers, sliced strawberry delicately placed around the plates and drizzled yoghurt made the dishes look almost too good to eat.
I tucked into my king prawn dopiaza – I know I said I was being brave but for me this was a bold move as I don’t normally get past the korma. Dopiaza means two onions and the delicious spicy sauce was flavoured with garlic, spices, tomatoes and of course onions. I felt in absolute food heaven as I mopped up the tangy sauce with the peshwari naan, drizzled with sweet honey.
My husband and son both plumped for the chef’s recommendations. My son devoured the lamb achari which he said gave a good punch of spice with flavours that danced on the tongue, high praise indeed from a teenager who normally ends his meals with ‘it was okay’…
My husband loved his South Indian garlic chilli lamb – with strong flavours of chilli, garlic and coriander accompanied by his favourite curry meat, lamb, he cleared his plate.
We passed on desserts and finished with coffee and mints, which was served in an unusual cafetiere on top of a burner; a nifty gadget. This provided us with a number of cups of coffee, rather than one tiny cup you often get in restaurants, which allowed us to sit back, relax and savour the evening.
Before we left we were handed our jackets, all nicely warmed up from hanging above a radiator. These little touches, on top of the fabulous food, have certainly put Kinmuck and the Boar’s Head firmly on the tandoori map.