Five Rivers à la Carte | North Indian
The new Five Rivers à la Carte in Walsall (just outside Birmingham) is named for the five rivers that flow through the northern Indian state of The Punjab. The restaurant’s cobbled front aspect sets it back from the street, preparing guests for an experience that is anything but middle-of-the-road.
[by Sanjeeta Bains]
atmosphere
Once inside, expect to feel like you’ve been transported to another world. The restaurant area approaches the size of a ballroom, giving it an elegant old-world feel. A three-storey alcohol ‘library’ in reclaimed wood towers behind the bar, underlining how Five Rivers contrasts with the average Balti and BYOB experience.
food
Award-winning chefRashpal Sunner may have cooked for world leaders including Tony Blair and Bill Clinton, but a home crowd is far harder to please. It was heartening to see several Punjabi diners during our visit. For starters we ordered the refreshing tandoori jingha (jumbo prawns marinated in spices and cooked on a skewer over the tandoor). I could individually taste each spice yet they didn’t overpower the succulent flavour of the prawns.
For mains, I was curious about the lasani chilli duck. The claims of our well-meaning maître d’ that it “can be a little heavy for feminine tastes” made me even more determined to order it, although duck is not a staple of Punjabi cuisine. The sauce itself (garlic, chilli, coriander, herbs and spices) was delicious but it it didn’t go well with the duck. After one mouthful, I mourned the huge potential of the Lasani Chilli Chicken. Our standout dish was the flavoursome lamb rogan josh. A simple side order of spinach cooked with cumin seeds, spring onions and garlic complemented the dish wonderfully.
The dessert menu befits a daring chef. Five Rivers serves chukander ka halwa, switching the traditional carrot for beetroot cooked in milk with cashews, raisins, almonds and cardamom. Sadly I found the beetroot quite bland and would have much preferred the Punjabi original. The assiette de chocolat (chocolate and orange mousse with a pistachio dome and mini chocolate brownie), however, was beautifully presented and very satisfying.
drinks
A special mention must go to the soft and mocktail menu. We could happily sip sweet passions (fresh passion fruit, caramel, and pineapple topped with lemonade) all evening. There is a healthy wine selection including the restaurant’s specially-selected white wine: the award-winning tamarind garden (chardonnay/gewürztraminer).
Five Rivers is a venue well-suited to marking a special occasion, thanks to both its grand decor and its inspired menu, which puts a creative gourmet twist on classic Punjabi fare.
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