Pairing Billecart-Salmon Champagne with Indian Cuisine

The restaurant, Mint Leaf of London, Dubai,  is housed on the 15th floor in Dubai International Financial centre’s South Tower and as the lift opens, the dim lighting in the corridor immediately sets the mood. A hostess offers to show me around first, which I gleefully accept.

I am shown the lounge area. Sofas and floor rugs here and there create warmth. It is not quite dark yet, but there is a Wordsworthian quality about the light outside as I look through the floor to ceiling windows and see the fabled Burj Khalifa. My timing is perfect because I see the skies grow darker and the lights outside become more prominent. The lounge to is now rich in ambience. I move to the bar, passing some private and semi-private lounging areas and am greeted by two mixologists on duty. Cool, carefree and 20 something – symbolic. The wooden ceilings, if there is any doubt about where you are, have mint leaf designs protruding as you look up. Tasteful. Stylish.

Tonight I am here to try some dishes created by Mint of London Dubai’s Head Chef, Vivek Kashiwale while enjoying one of my two favourite NV champagnes, Billecart-Salmon Brut Rosé. From my experience, Indian cuisine, if one must have bubbles, usually pairs better with Prosecco because the greater sweetness tends to balance the spiciness better than Champagne. However, the fruity elements in the rosé have emboldened me to try it with Chef Vivek’s dishes. Of course,  I am aware of the injustice one does when labelling Indian food spicy, which does not take into account the variations among the spices. Remember, spicy does not only mean heat. Nonetheless, I am seated at the stunning bar with views of Dubai at night, as I have a glass of Billecart- Salmon Rosé, poured from its distinctive bottle.

In the night view, one cannot appreciate the pale pink colour, but the fine, elegant bubbles are clearly visible against the low light of the restaurant. A sip reveals a satin-like mousse – quite enthralling. Notes of strawberry and almost burned cherry find their place on my palate, while I am left with a long finish. It is fresh and crisp. Words like style, timeless, finesse and delicately sensuous pop into my head.

Soon after, I am shown to the dining area. The flow from one space to the next is effortless and natural. I am seated and I have views of the tall symbol of the UAE and also the glittering lights of the Sheikh Zayed Road;  a city boy’s dream.

Dinner starts off with the Asparagus and Saffron Roast Scottish Salmon. The salmon is delicately spiced, with saffron the dominant flavour, while salmon caviar and raw mango chutney are the strong elements in the dish which balance each other nicely. The following, the Tandoori prawn makhni,  features a Black Tiger prawn which is cooked in the tandoor, a traditional Indian oven, with sundried tomato and garlic. The prawn could not have been cooked better, with moisture oozing from the prawn. The tasting menu continues as I am served the Sesame Gosht Ke Gole, which is basically Australian lamb mince crusted in sesame. it has a delectable texture, and served with tomato chutney, again strikes the right balance. Next, I have a very exciting dish, Cholley bhature papilotte – a  wonton parcelled dish of chickpea masala. The pastry is deliciously and sensually crispy, while not being heavy. As for the chickpea masala, it has just the right level of spiciness not to overpower the Champagne. The Billecart-Salmon’s success is how it manages to cool the palate with those strawberry and oft-times raspberry notes, making me want to eat more and more.

After this, I am served the Keema corn hari mirch which is a shepherd’s pie-inspired dish that brims with texture thanks to sweetcorn kernels, while generous coriander takes it to another level of enjoyment.

As I reach the end of my dinner, I take a glass of Billecart-Salmon Rosé and move to the terrace. It offers views of the iconic Burj Khalifa. The night is particularly stunning, with the lights of the Dubai skyline mesmeric. It is hard to believe I am standing on the 15th-floor terrace of an Indian restaurant. It says a lot about the restaurant’s concept that it has this power to move one to another world. I would like to think the glass in my hand is playing as big a role in taking me on that journey, for such is the dynamism of bubbles in hand, and with this elegant Champagne, it is easy to be transported to another place. As I have my last sip, Chef signals and I return to my table.

As I am seated, I see another dish on its way. It is a dish that really symbolises Chef Vivek. Mint Leaf of London Dubai is not about science meeting Indian cuisine and bringing liquid nitrogen and creating pizzazz, while at the same time innovating a dish. His Noori paneer sushi takes a quintessential ingredient in Indian vegetarian dishes and marries it with a sushi concept.

My final dish in this evening’s tasting menu is the Kadhai fish mussallam – seared seabass braised in Royal Awadhi mussallam gravy. The problem with a fish like a seabass, in fact, fish in general, is that it is so easy to overcook, leaving it dry and rather unpleasant in the mouth. Thankfully, Chef has again cooked it well and while this is not the ideal pairing with the Champagne because of the gravy, it is a very good dish in its own right. Bell peppers and shallots again bring balance to the dish. How important is that word on tonight’s menu?

Overall, my marriage of Billecart-Salmon Rosé and Indian cuisine turned out to be a pretty good one. Having Champagne with a rich and independent history with a restaurant that represents modern and chic. When almost 200 years ago (the 20th anniversary comes in 2018) Nicolas Francois Billecart and Elisabeth Salmon started a Champagne house, they had no idea that somewhere in a desert there would be someone drinking their Champagne. That speaks volumes that Billecart-Salmon continues to produce its exquisite Champagnes, resisting the commercialization that has beset so many houses. In a world of flux and constant Champagne, it is nice to know that some things stay the same. And in a world of necessary change, it is also good to know that in the case of Indian cuisine, the spices and flavours remain!

Written by Brandon Stoltenkamp