Indian Fine Dining in Cheltenham: Prithvi

Prithvi is one of those places that's on every local food lovers bucket list. It's the swish Indian restaurant that won't fill your letterbox with takeaway leaflets, won't give you shoddily made curry, and certainly won't let you order chips as a side for your main (not that I'm a chip-o-phobe or anything).

Despite being so unassuming, it's the place that everyone in town talks about. The place at the top of most Cotswold based 'best restaurant' lists. The place in all the national food guides. The place that is notoriously hard to get a table at on a weekend... Essentially, it's the place.

Although I've been on a handful of occasions (see my post from '14), every time I walk past I find myself peering in at the lucky diners sitting in the window, desperately trying to see what they're eating. It's no good. I never get there at the right time. I only ever see empty plates - sigh - or people casually quaffing their wines - jealous - and the blinds are always drawn to the perfect height so I can't see any further in - humph. Still, it makes the green-eyed monster in me hungry for another visit and at the end of last year my luck came in.

You've probably seen all the posts from various local bloggers about 'Lunch with Prithvi' already - I hope you're not bored of reading about it - but because I couldn't attend the event, I did get an invite to return for dinner at a later date. Side note: Tuesdays and Wednesdays often have availability if you want to avoid the wait.

Prithvi has had a spruce up since our last visit - new furnishings, jazzy carpets, classy wallpaper - and it feels much better for it. Greeted by the owner Jay as you walk in, it all just makes sense. He's young, softly spoken but sharply dressed. There's not a thing out of place - both on him and the restaurant - with all the staff moving like clockwork. Seamless and suave, not stuffy.

The Chap and I hastily ordered a glass of the Brut Rosé fizz from Luxembourg (£8) recommended by the guys over the road at The Grape Escape (best place for pre dinner drinkies FYI), and then decided that we'd splurge on the wine flight to accompany the tasting menu. The only way to do it, right?

Appetisers arrive. A Quaver-like rice cracker with crispy kale and a cinnamon, mango and chilli gel, followed by panipuri; hollow chickpea puffs filled with spiced chickpeas and a fresh chutney. A tart tamarind sauce was poured in then down in one (as instructed). A whole host of textures and tastes, I'd order more if I could.

First course was pan-fried sea bass, white truffle oil, smoked tomato and mulli salad paired with Fess Parker Santa Barbara County Chardonnay, California 2014. The truffle hits you first with the spice creeping in after - an interesting combo which gets revisited later - but we couldn't help but feel that the fish was overcooked. Crispy skin, yaaaasss, but as the piece of fish was so flat, it was just a little dry. The wine match was the redeeming feature, no surprise considering my love of Cali Chards; the smoked tomato hit it off with the oakiness and the flavours lingered long after the last mouthful.

Next was tandoor Welsh lamb, cous cous and legumes with another USA wine, Smoking Loon Old Vine Zinfandel, Lodi, California 2013. Blushing lamb, so tender, with a green coriander sauce to add extra oomph. The dark berried wine was another good pairing, soft with subtle cedary notes bringing out the nuttiness of the cous cous.

Upping the game, Newent chicken, wild mushroom, whole coriander, anise sauce with sultana and almond rice. So succulent, and with the jewelled rice and glossy sauce it actually felt richer than the lamb. Never underestimate the chicken dish.

As for the wine, Jay tested us out with a few. Firstly, Domaine Roger-Joseph Belland Les Champs-Gains, Puligny-Montrachet 1er Cru, France. An absolute beaut Burgundy, big with complexity, and with the buttery chicken alone would have ticked all the boxes. However, as soon as the fragrant anise made itself known, then it all got rather lost. It had spice, just without heat, yet we still agreed that it craved a wine with some sweetness. Jay then brought us over the Charles Sparr Gewurztraminer “Tradition”, Alsace, and the Werner ‘Annaberg’ Riesling Kabinett, Mosel, to try side by side with the dish. Styles you'd probably find us drinking on a weekend anyway, and like choosing children it was a tough choice. Both awesome, but the sweet spice and floral notes of the Gewurz did it for me. Save the Riesling for something hotter.

The star attraction was venison, butternut squash, ginger and cinnamon reduction served with a truffle oil naan bread. Indian and truffle aren't a likely coupling, but having it twice in one night has made me think otherwise, and truffle naan breads should definitely be a thing. Definitely. Chunks of rare venison and squash scream Autumn/Winter, and with a generous pour of the punchy ginger sauce, they'd well and truly been given the Prithvi magic touch. My one qualm would be the fact that our meat portions weren't quite even. I got the better deal with two thick pieces, but The Chap had one thick and one thin. Ah well. Quickly forgotten about whilst sipping the Pacifico Sur Carmenere Reserva, Curico Valley, Chile 2015, full of blackcurrants and black pepper.

The Tour of Prithvi ended with Passion fruit cream, mango gel, coriander and honey crumble. I think we're all more accustomed to an After Eight being brought out with the bill, but here we had an assortment of sweet treats. Fresh and fruity, with cream to soothe those taste buds and coriander to add a herbal citrus note; we're still in an Indian restaurant after all. Lenz Moser Prestige Beerenauslese, Burgenland, Austria, was our final wine of the night. Equally sweet with velvety honey notes to tie in with dessert. Happy endings.

Whilst we're not short of fine dining options in The Cotswolds, nor places to scoff a Ruby Murray on a Friday night for that matter, the unique line that Prithvi draws between the two certainly is something rather special. The food and service sure have gone up a notch or two since our last visit, so it's no surprise that tables are still so sought after and the dishes remain memorable.

Jay's pride beams throughout, making it an utter joy to experience everything that is Prithvi. Let's just keep our fingers crossed for more truffle naans when we return.

Prithvi is open for dinner Tuesday - Saturday and lunch on Thursday and Saturday. The tasting menu is £53pp, and they reopen from their annual holiday on January 19th. Get booking!

Markham Farm British Asparagus at The Lucky Onion

As the weather starts to warm up and the evenings begin to get lighter, we mark the sign of an exciting new season. Gone are those hearty winter stews with comforting carbs aplenty, now's the time to put a spring in your step and embrace all things green and fresh. And other than the sight of little lambs leaping around the nearby fields, I can't think of anything more synonymous with this change than the first bite of British asparagus.

It can be such a struggle to eat the seasons when supermarkets are saturated with fruit and veg from across the globe, but seeing the healthy glow of the fat British spears in comparison to the limp or woody kinds you get throughout the rest of the year, it's pretty obvious why we should.

And so we come to The Lucky Onion, who are no strangers in promoting seasonality to their Cotswold customers. Last summer we were treated to an offer for lobster, chips and fizz, in autumn there was partridge and port, at the start of 2017 saw six Wright Bros oysters and a glass of Nyetimber, and now we have a celebration of all things asparagus.

Director of food Ronnie Bonnetti, ex River Café and Soho House, has created a selection of dishes with locally grown Markham Farm asparagus as the focus. Until July you can go to any of The Lucky Onion establishments and pick one, alongside a glass of Cloudy Bay Sauvignon Blanc, for just £15 (though The Tavern's not included). Perfect lunch material.

Just before the offer launched in April, a whole bunch of fellow food lovers were invited to No. 38 The Park to test out the menu, and with the Cloudy Bay wine supplier on hand, we were definitely well watered too. Sauvignon Blanc is a classic pairing with asparagus - they often share similar grassy flavours - and New Zealand's Marlborough region is probably the most popular choice. We're all familiar with it, right? 

Grapes packed with punchy, crisp acidity can be an assault on the senses after a while, so I was so chuffed to find that we were being treated to other Cloudy Bay vinos too. Never-ending coupes of Pelorus non-vintage fizz were served before supper; 60% Pinot Noir and 40% Chardonnay, it had a quenching citrusy spritz more akin to an English Sparkling Wine over a toasty Champagne or sweet Prosecco. One I'll keep an eye out for. There was also a lovely Pinot later on in the evening; vibrant, youthful and perfect for drinking in the sunshine.

But back to the food... The first to come out was asparagus with Cacklebean poached egg and hollandaise. Those eggs (along with the chickens) are like local celebrities round here, and the rich orange glow from the runny yolk in contrast to the pastel coloured hollandaise is a thing of beauty. It tastes pretty beautiful too, just make sure you save some bread to mop every last morsel up off the plate; it's messy business.

Next was asparagus with brown shrimp butter. Pretty self explanatory. For something so small, brown shrimp sure make themselves known, and whilst I loved the flavour, there was something that didn't sit quite right with me. A few spears of asparagus don't get the chance to stay hot for too long, meaning the butter never really has the opportunity to melt. Don't get me wrong, I'm usually the first to be having bread with my butter, but I couldn't help but think a more liquidy shrimp butter would be better.

Saving the best until last, out came the asparagus with air dried beef, pea shoots and parmesan. The bresaola, from London charcutiers Cannon & Cannon, is nothing like the stiff cardboard kind you get pre-packed in the supermarket. It has such a clean flavour that it almost tastes sweet against the salty tang of the parmesan, and together with the greens it sings of spring. A total delight.

Now whilst you could just choose one dish to have with your glass of wine, it can be very tricky to make such a decision, so let me pose this idea to you... Chances are that you won't be dining alone, but if you were thinking of it be sure to grab a friend. Order all three dishes and get the three measures of Sauvignon Blanc put into a carafe, get a side of fries and have an asparagus sharesies feast fit for a king (or queen). It's a good idea, trust me. 

So be sure to visit No.131, The Chequers, The Wheatsheaf Inn and The Wild Duck soon to take advantage of The Lucky Onion's Markham Farm offer, but in the meantime here are some pointless asparagus facts...

• Asparagus can help cure hangovers and protect the liver against toxins… Though I can confirm that it did not prevent an almighty hangover the day after ALL THE CLOUDY BAY WINE. Ouch.
  
• Dubbed the Usain Bolt of the veg world, British asparagus can grow up to 10cm in one day!
  
• And apparently it can improve your libido. Let's just end it there.

Oxford Chelt Wine School: Champagne & Fizz at Wyastone Townhouse

At the end of last month I was invited to a Champagne & Fizz evening hosted by The Oxford Chelt Wine School. I'd seen a fair few things about them on social media - as well as other Local Wine Schools across the UK - but had never got round to attending any of their events... Until now.

Run by Nick and Serena Gay, The Oxford Chelt Wine School does what it says on the tin; it's a wine education company that runs fun and informal wine tastings and courses around both Oxford and Cheltenham. Independent and open to everyone; you don't need to be a wine geek to take part, it's much more about enjoying what you're drinking, learning a bit about it and avoiding all the pretentiousness that often surrounds the subject.

Even if you are a bit clued up about wine, don't think that there won't be enough to stimulate you; everyone seems to discover something new and worthwhile – whether it’s wine they haven’t tasted before or information from the detailed powerpoint presentations. You can even do your WSET's through them if you're keen.

Eight-week World of Wine courses (one night a week over eight weeks); four-week courses (again, a night a week), one-off evening events, and snazzy Saturday extravaganzas (a full day’s wine tasting with a two-course lunch); there are a lot of options!

What's great about the whole thing is that because they're independent, they're not tied to any wine supplier, enabling them to pick the best - as well as best value - wines from local merchants, national online suppliers and your standard supermarkets. This also means no sales push either, if that's something that worries you. You really do just sip, learn and enjoy.

So, the Champagne & Fizz evening, held at Wyastone Townhouse on Parabola Road, Cheltenham, was a perfect start to the festive season; 2 hours, 6 different sparkling wines, nibbles, interesting wine chats, and all for £30.

We kicked off with an intro to the world of fizz, discussing methods of making, and Champagnes vs. the rest of the world. People generally assume that the big price tag that comes with the label 'Champagne' means that it's going to taste the best, but many other countries make some bloomin' good sparklers, and even us Brits are challenging the French to the title of being the best in the business.

Prosecco was obviously going to be first on the list - everyone's still going nuts over the Italian stallion, and sales of the stuff are still going up! I didn't know that the percentage of wine that needs to be Glera (the prosecco grape) has been certified a minimum of 85%, meaning that there's scope for some slightly more interesting grapes being used and different flavours are able to come out; though on the whole I tend to find it's produced more for quantity not quality. It's a drink which is initially enjoyable, but I tire of it easily.

We pour our own glass, smell, taste, discuss, and then guess the price; simple. La Giosa Prosecco Brut 2014 DOCG is a lightly sparkling wine (frizzante), and is full of pear, peach and white flower aromas. I was surprised with its clean acidity, crisp apple flavours and the fact it wasn't overly sweet (which is what usually gets to me with Prosecco), and as such I guessed it as being an over £10 bottle... It's currently available for £13.49 from Waitrose, so I wasn't too far off.

Moving to the new world, we had Graham Beck Brut Rosé NV 'Cap Classique' from South Africa. It's been made in the 'traditional method' - don't call it 'Champagne method' or the Champagne police will be on to you - and is roughly an equal mix of Chardonnay and Pinot Noir. Pale salmon in colour, we learn that the grapes are picked early in the season to avoid any jammy flavours developing, and to increase the acidity in the wine. It has a bit of oaky toastiness thanks to being aged on its lees, but there's enough strawberries and raspberries to ensure its rosé status. I'm not sure why pink fizz always costs more, but it does, so I guessed £13... I was bang on this time, £13.99 from Majestic.

The third wine was a game changer for me; Heretat El Padruell Brut Cava, Spain. We all seem to have fallen out of favour with Cava, despite being a similar price point (and more exciting in my opinion), Prosecco seems to have taken it's place as the go-to cheap sparkling wine option. Made in Catalonia with the 3 classic Cava grapes (Macabeu, Parallada, Xarel.lo) using the traditional method, the second fermentation takes place in the bottle over 9 months. It seemed very savoury and almost a bit petroly on the nose - some of the things I associate with Rieslings - and lovely lemon and herb notes appear as it opens up. It's drier in style, with grippy minerality and a zing on the finish, and at £8.00 from Marks and Spencer (I guessed a tenner), I think this is excellent value... So much so that I bought a bottle to take to a party last weekend, and plan on getting some in for Christmas. What a find!

The next two wines we tasted blind; Champagne vs. English Sparkling Wine - Piper-Heidsieck Champagne Brut vs Nyetimber Classic Cuvée 2010. Nyetimber's a personal favourite of mine, so I had to guess it right out of the two - thankfully I did! Both are very similar in colour, both contain the classic Champagne grapes (Pinot Noir, Pinot Meunier, Chardonnay), with around half of each being Pinot Noir, but they're very different in taste and aromas.

With 3 years bottle maturation, Nyetimber's Classic Cuvée has a rich buttery scent with baked apple and lemon acidity. It's incredibly rounded, with a crisp persistent finish; there's a reason it often beats the French fizz in blind tastings! At under £30 depending on where you get it from, I think it's a good price for an exceptional English Sparkling Wine, and it's one that never disappoints. (Their Blanc de Blanc is just deeeelicious!)

Piper-Heidsieck Champagne Brut is a name that you'll recognise; it's one of the oldest Champagne houses in the region. A classic, easy going style with plenty of fresh fruit and faint toast aromas; it's not as punchy on the nose as the Nyetimber. It has a good fruity complexity and comes across as nicely balanced - just what you'd expect from a non vintage brut. It's probably not one that I'd go for in the shops, but Id consider it at its current price - £20 from Asda (full price £30).

The last fizz of the night was another Champagne, but this time Blanc de Blancs. Champagne Jacquart, Blanc de Blancs 2006 is made from 100% Chardonnay grapes grown only in Grand Cru vineyards. Straw gold in colour, it has a much deeper doughy aroma of buttered brioche, blossom and honey. It's a greedy wine; bright, fresh and full of juicy peaches at the start, mellowing out giving you an unctuous nutty richness and a creamy finish. A great Blanc de Blancs at a great price; £37.50 from Great Western Wine.

Overall, my experience with Oxford Chelt Wine School was a sparkly dream. There were a lovely bunch of people there - some like us who were just attending as a one-off, and others which come regularly - and with everyone keen to learn and talk about the wines, there were no awkward silences. Passing round nuts, smoked salmon and goats cheese helped us ease into it too - haha!

If you fancy getting involved yourself, then check out their website and book yourself onto one of their events (the Fine Port & Cheese Evening on 22nd January sounds like a winner to me). 

Alternatively, why not give the gift of wine to someone for Christmas? Oxford Chelt Wine Tasting Gift Vouchers start from £25, can be used for any of the listed events, and they NEVER expire! How good is that?! What are you waiting for?...

Thanks to Nick, I shall be having a fabulously fizzy festive season, and will be smugly sipping my £8.00 bottle of Cava on Christmas morning. Cheers!