All-day Indian café, bar and restaurant Kricket have pulled another winning outpost out the bag – this one in the heart of Shoreditch. Having enjoyed dinner and breakfast here, I can confirm that this is a spot worth crossing town over for. After all, Kricket have travelled a long journey. Starting life as a pop-up in the shipping containers of Pop Brixton, founders Rik Campbell and chef Will Bowlby have since opened sites in Soho (on which, see my review here), Brixton, Canary Wharf and White City (now closed). The duo also operate an inventive bar, Soma. Like the Soho branch, the Shoreditch outposts offers a delicate symbiosis of delicious, deeply considered food, disarmingly clever cocktails, in an effortlessly cool space.
Housed in a former Victorian dispensary, the space is buzzy around the clock, vast and beautiful. Extending to 80-covers, a 50-seat café and a beautiful horseshoe bar, the entire restaurant – including the exterior – has been painted in various shades of pink evoking Jaipur. The building itself is full of natural gifts: high ceilings, steel pillars, abundant light, and parquet floors laid in that perfect vintage herringbone pattern that improves everything it anchors itself under. The architects have lent into and played with those features, creating a bright and multi-faceted interior. Indeed, a core aim of Kricket is to ensure each location is unique and offers a space to enjoy beyond just the food and drink. The Shoreditch site definitely has an all-day appeal – which complements the clientele around here well – think, remote workers, “influencers” and digital nomads who move around effortlessly.
The combination of ingredients on the menu here exemplify what I love about Kricket – the kitchen thoughtfully put an Indian twist on the very best British ingredients, offering a unique take on Maharaji classics.
For both meals, I sat at my favourite seats in the house: the kitchen counter, watching the chefs dicing chillis and hooking naans out the oven.
On my evening visit, to start we ordered the very popular crunchy Bhel Puri (£8) laced with raw mango, coriander chutney and coconut yogurt. The puffed rice was crisp, yet somehow also fluffy, with hints of fruitiness, interspersed with the sweetness of date and tamarind chutney, and layered with creamy, refreshing yoghurt for a light yet flavoursome bowl. Having enjoyed the original in Mumbai a couple of weeks ago, Kricket’s take did not disappoint. This is also a dish that exemplifies why I love Indian food: quick, seemingly simple, yet complex.
To follow came Purple Sprouting Broccoli Badami (£10) finished with an Indian-style dukkah of Kashmiri chilli oil and almonds. Sitting on a effortlessly creamy cashew dip, this was true elegance.
For mains, we shared the Tamil take on Leek & Potato Hariyali (£14) topped with Monk’s beard and sitting in a creamy green coconut sauce. Though leeks and potatoes are a combination that go hand-in-hand, I’ve never encountered an Indian take on this classic and Kricket pull it off wonderfully. A soothing blanket of textures and flavours, it’s comforting thanks to the gentle spicing, with the crunch of the odd cashew and an intriguing tangle of seaweed-style Monk’s beard layered above.
To sip, one of their signature cocktails: an Indian take on a spicy margerita, the Jal Jina (£10). Skilfully combining mezcal, blood orange, cumin bitters and soda this hits my cocktail spot bang on: smokey, salty, and punchy.
Given Shoreditch marks the first time the founders have dipped their toes in the breakfast market, I returned for breakfast the following day. The space was just as effective in the daytime: airy, Spring-like and fresh, also helped by a very sunny Spring Saturday morning! Sitting at the kitchen counter at breakfast is again the best stool in the house – prime position to soak up the clattering of pans and heady brew of chai, so typical of early morning activity in India.
I went for Vanilla Shrikhand (£7) with spiced granola, jaggery and rhubarb. Though showcasing a British favourite, I was slightly underwhelmed by this bowl – particularly given the triumph of the previous evening. The portion was small, the coconut shrikhand lacked any vanilla beans or the classic combination of saffron and cardamom, and more sweetness would have been welcome. Though I was keen on trying their Masala Chai, the team haven’t yet started making this with Oat Mylk – a WIP.
The savoury breakfast options look very good here, though the team could do with offering some vegan plates. Nevertheless, service – at night and in the morning – is on point, with dishes arriving almost instantly (you might have to ask them to slow down). That means you can keep adding to your order without slowing things down. Kricket innovate with delicate, layered spicing and quality produce. If that isn’t something to applaud and reward with repeated custom, then I don’t know what is.
Kricket, 35-42 Charlotte Rd, London EC2A 3PB
Website: https://kricket.co.uk/shoreditch/
Rating: ****
Yumtini 