Cumin

Our rating: 5/10

It’s Friday night in Sydney, and winter is well and truly entrenched. This cold weather has me craving Indian food for it’s spices, warmth and comfort.

We head to Crows Nest and choose the restaurant Cumin for two reasons. It accepts “entertainment card” discount and it’s also one of the few Indian restaurants we haven’t tried in a suburb that is rich in it’s Indian eateries. We hadn’t made a reservation however when we get there only one other couple are seated and we’re shown to a table quickly. However, it doesn’t take long to fill up and by 7.30pm every table is taken — a good sign one hopes.

The menu is neatly presented, and starts off with the story of Cumin. The owner, Ravi Gandhi, has run a successful chain of restaurants in India and three years back started this establishment in Crows Nest. The selection of food on the menu is very standard Indian fare with a couple of Ravi’s signature dishes added to make it stand out from your average high street Indian.

Our first selection is the Lahoree Champ — which is basically lamb cutlets. I have a real weakness for lamb cutlets. These ones were ok but lacked a punch. I’m a little disappointed after the starter but optimistic it will pick up for the main event.

For mains we order Murg Peshawari and Balti Beef. The Murg Peshawari is a chicken dish cooked in Ravi’s secret marinade. It has a two chilli rating on the menu but like the lamb cutlets could actually do with an extra kick. The Batli beef is the standout of the night with the beef so tender, and the gravy so tempting that we clean the balti dry. Balti means “pot” in Punjabi and that’s exactly what the dish is served in – a little pot. It’s not a spicy dish but the flavour and texture of the dish do well to make it a winner. Presentation of all dishes in tin pots and trays, as well as a generous serving of rice make this restaurant an enjoyable night out.