Colour me sheltered, but I believe Cinnamon Soho is the first restaurant I’ve ever been to that serves brains on the menu. Lamb brains to be specific and a winner of the ‘Best in Taste of London’ Award in 2012 for curious foodies. People, even carnivorous ones, can get rather precious about eating the actual cranium of a creature seemingly viewing it as somewhat more barbaric than consuming the rest of the animal. As if they could quite happily believe, while gnawing on a leg of lamb, that a three-legged sheep was quite happily ambling around on a crutch somewhere going by the name of ‘Hoppity’. I was fleetingly tempted to order the dish myself, if only to be able to impersonate a zombie with wailing cries of ‘Braaaains!’, but I know by now that restaurants don’t appreciate zombie impersonations, however good. That’s why I’m not allowed back to The Ivy.

Cinnamon Soho is the latest venture from Chef Vivek Singh who has taken pride in bringing his brand of ‘modern Indian cuisine’ to the city. Eschewing formal fine dining, it was his wish to provide a casual, relaxed environment where people could enjoy solid, flavoursome comfort food. In the heart of trendy Covent Garden, where people flock to seek out the most elite and ridiculously exclusive dining establishments (Don’t even think about entering unless your grandfather was a Lord and your grandmother an owl etc etc), this is an admirable move on behalf of Singh.

Thankfully, the food was not compromised at all in this more casual gastronomic approach. To start with, I opted for the ‘Burnt Chili Chicken’ which I was forewarned by our helpful waiter was especially spicy. It certainly has a kick to it but unless you’re completely spice-averse, I’d highly recommend it - and this comes from someone who would usually select the mild option. You may wonder, when preferring mild food, why I would still deign to have something described as ‘especially spicy’, but the rich mix of flavours sounded (justifiably) incredibly appetizing. Also, I don’t always follow common sense in these areas. I once ate a mouthful of wasabi, after erroneously believing it was avocado, and nearly died.

My dining companion and I both opted for the King Prawns in a Coconut Malai sauce for our main course, which was beautifully cooked and, indeed, presented. The ‘King Prawns’ truly lived up to their name as well and were just as rich in flavour and meaty as one might hope. This was particularly pleasing as I have been to other specialist seafood establishments where use of the term ‘King Prawn’ was dubious, the size of the crustacean rendering it worthy of a demotion to ‘Viscount Prawn’.

After devouring our mains, this was followed by a dessert of chocolate cake with pistachio ice-cream where quality took precedence over quantity; again, the flavours were strong and satisfying and satiated a sweet craving without being overpowering. The prices for starters and desserts are less than what you might expect in the Soho area with Mains being on par with other restaurants in the district. However, lunches start from an economical £4.80 with pre-theatre menus starting at £18 for three courses which is remarkably reasonable. Speaking as someone who frequents the theatre often, it is certainly refreshing to be offered a change from the usual ‘Prix-fixe’ menus that pepper the area.

The décor is comprised of racing-green lamps, teal-coloured seating and marble-topped tables. Illuminating the atmosphere are neon signs in the window and dark wooden walls that are interspersed with a strip of neon-orange lighting that cuts its way around the room, paying a fitting homage to the restaurant’s Soho surroundings. The restaurant kindly requests that patrons vacate their table after two hours (when dining between 5:30 - 7:30) which could make an evening experience feel slightly rushed but serves to highlight its popularity. I am additionally informed that if the meteorological gods look kindly upon us and we actually see a trace of this fabled “summer”, the restaurant will utilise its small outside dining area for patron’s people-watching pleasure. The whole experience is a great choice if you’re catching a show in the area and want to try something a little different and as long as you’re not looking for a lengthy four-hour dining experience, this place is well worth checking out. After Cinnamon Soho won ‘Best Menu’ at the 2012 London Restaurant Festival Awards, you may want to book a table before the restaurant’s popularity turns it down the same exclusive route as its long-established neighbours.

To book a table at Cinnamon Soho, please visit the website here.