457. Baloci.

 

  I visited Baloci, Simpsons’ next door neighbour, soon after it opened just about a year ago (see Blog 372) and felt it was so interesting and enjoyable that I awarded it one sun though I did not anticipate doing so prior to dining there that particular evening. A single sun is my equivalent of being included in the Michelin Guide and, blow me down, Michelin did indeed add Baloci to its venerable guide on 8:January 2025. This seemed like a good time to revisit this source of central Asian dishes and this time it appeared to be reasonable to try the six course lunch on offer for a very moderate £60.

  After downing a pleasing house cocktail I thoroughly enjoyed a crispy, tasty falafel canapé.This was a good start.

  

  On to the first course which was named Aegean Dream which took the form of perfectly cooked poached Aegean sea bass with well cooked couscous - so often a depressing feature of meals served elsewhere - fennel which always brightens my day, an excellent lemon butter sauce, spiced pesto and a nice little cap of caviar - a very good dish.

  Next, A Taste of Persia, in the form of chicken koftas - perhaps a little dry - with sun dried tomato ezame and harissa butter - certainly not the stand out dish but edible enough. Then a real gem - a plump pan-seared lamb cutlet seasoned with garlic and ras-el-hanout with parmentier potatoes and Béarnaise and a bonbon otherwise known as Nihari croquette which though pleasingly crispy, was the least successful part o the dish. In fact, the cutlet would have stood its ground without any accompaniment - cooked precisely as I like it, succulent, tasting of sheep, generously sized. 

  I suppose the next course - Butter chicken representing Delhi - was intended to be the focal point but it was not up to competing with the lamb. The sauce was sumptuous and rich and nicely spiced but the chicken lurking under the surface was scanty (three pieces) and a little chewy and eating the crispy pastry cover was a matter of just going through the motions. It looked grand and its elegant presentation fitted in nicely with the surroundings but the sauce alone was what really stood out.

  The dessert was a photogenic medley of pan central and south Asian sweets - I enjoyed most of the elements - the gooey gulab jamun, the ice cream and the deconstructed baklava and pira but was less keen on the jalebi (batter spirals) which imparted rather more texture than I needed. 

 Taken in the round, this was an enjoyable and satisfying experience which ensured no more food needed to be consumed for the rest of that particular day. The meal represented profoundly good value and there seemed no reason for Michelin not to include Baloci in its holy text. Well done, Baloci, I look forward to a return match.

Rating - 🌞 

27 January 2025.