LCB

Introduction

The wanderer returns. 

Tom finally joined me for another curry; showing up to what is now his annual blog appearance. In a reversal of roles, it was I who was late on this occasion, being greeted by a pint of the black stuff at the Nell Gwyn, just off the strand.

A couple pints supped and it was round the corner to Cinnamon Bazaar; somewhere neither of us had been to before, despite its central location. How much spice would Cinnamon deliver, and would it prove more bizarre than bazaar? Read on to find out.

Venue

On arrival, the venue looked promising. We waited to be seated opposite the bar downstairs, admiring the colourful dining area, complete with red drapes, green foliage, and a patterned tile floor. However, we were quickly shown upstairs which felt more like the top floor of a pub. This was a little disappointing given the inviting look of the downstairs space, but still pleasant enough with a clean cut interior design. Prosaic would be harsh, but this certainly has the look and feel of a generic, safe, mid-high end British curry house. And this proved to be a portent for the meal to come.

7/10

Starters and sides

Aloo Tikka Chaat

Kasturi Chicken Tikka

Hakka Aubergine

Peshwari Naan x2

The starters arrived in sizeable portions, though the prices matched the generous servings. The chicken tikka stood out as a highlight—tender, well-seasoned, and full of flavour. It reminded me of the excellent version at Pahli Hill, placing it firmly among the best. The accompanying mint, chilli, and yoghurt sauce added a further fresh zing.

The hakka aubergine fry offered chunky, tender pieces coated in flavour. This leaned slightly towards East Asian, accentuated by sesame sprinkles, but was enjoyable nonetheless. However, the portion size tipped the balance slightly away from quality towards quantity—not bad, but not a showstopper either.

The aloo chaat was another sizeable dish and Tom's favourite. The soft potato patty nestled in a bed of chickpeas and yoghurt delivered comforting, familiar, chaat notes. But again, it was only a solid dish without a truly original or knockout factor.

The naans too were notably hefty and rich, packed with a sweet, nutty stuffing that may have masked some finesse. Nevertheless, we found them enjoyable enough, but they summed up the Sides & Starters - sizeable if a little safe and unexciting.

7/10

Curry

Tandoori Kentish Lamb Cannon

Malabar Boatman's Shrimp Curry

We opted for two mains, both were well-presented and came with rice. The malabar shrimp curry was a welcoming terracotta coloured tomato and coconut number that was nice and clean if again a little prosaic.

The lamb curry shared a similar presentation style. The sliced steak-like lamb was beautifully tender yet again lacked anything more. The boiled cabbage-like side felt like a token gesture rather than a thoughtful addition. Both dishes were satisfying but unmemorable, reflecting the food at large.

7/10

Service

The staff were friendly but somewhat absent, which felt out of step with the slightly elevated prices. The experience upstairs compounded the pub-like feel, which didn’t quite match expectations for a central London venue at this price point.

6/10

Value for money

Pricing here is toward the higher end, partly pushed up by beer prices that were a whopping £7.90 per pint of Cobra. The starters topped typical main prices and the mains, although coming with rice, were still quite expensive, with the lamb a staggering £24. Yes, this is central London in 2025, but still felt overpriced.

6/10

Summary

It was great to catch up with Tom, even if the food wasn't up there with previous occasions. Don't get me wrong, there's nothing fundamentally wrong with Cinnamon Bazaar, apart from maybe the prices, but if spending a lot then I expect a little more titilation.

This is often the way with these mid-high end, clean-cut, safe London curry houses. They won't disappoint the business and tourist crowd with their slightly elevated, British high-street curry look and feel, but more exciting options are available elsewhere and for far less spend. I appreciate prices are going up across the board, and hospitality faces a real struggle at the moment, but for an established group of respectable restaurants, I expected a little more.

33/50