Cooksister | Food, Travel, Photography

Food, photos & faraway places

  • HOME
  • ABOUT
    • About me
    • Contact me
    • Work with me
    • Legal
      • Copyright notice & Disclaimer
      • Disclosure
      • Cookies and Privacy Policy
    • Press and media
    • Cooksister FAQs
  • RECIPES
    • Recipe Index – by course
    • Baking (savoury)
    • Braai/Barbecue
    • Breakfast & brunch
    • Christmas
    • Dessert
    • Drinks
    • Eggs
    • Fish
    • Gluten-free
    • Leftovers
    • Meat
    • Pasta & rice
    • Poultry
    • Pulses
    • Salads
    • Soup
    • South African
    • Starters & light meals
    • Vegan
    • Vegetables
    • Vegetarian
  • RESTAURANTS
    • British Isles restaurants
    • Dubai restaurants
    • France restaurants
    • London restaurants
    • Montenegro restaurants
    • New York restaurants
    • Pop-ups and supperclubs
    • Serbia restaurants
    • Singapore restaurants
    • South Africa restaurants
    • Sweden restaurants
    • Switzerland restaurants
    • USA restaurants
  • TRAVEL
    • All my travel posts
      • Austria
      • Belgium
      • Canada
      • Dubai
      • Cruise ships
      • France
      • Germany
      • Greece
      • Grenada
      • Hong Kong
      • Hotel reviews
      • Italy
      • Israel
      • Jersey
      • Mexico
      • Netherlands
      • Norway
      • Portugal
      • Singapore
      • Ski & snow
      • South Africa
      • Spain
      • Sweden
      • Switzerland
      • UK
      • USA
      • Wales
  • PORTFOLIO
    • Freelance writing portfolio
    • Speaking and teaching
    • Photography portfolio
    • Buy my photos

Mint Leaf (Haymarket)

by Jeanne Horak on August 3, 2015 5 Comments in London restaurants

Mint Leaf restaurant on the Haymarket, London - upmarket Indian food in the heart of London's theatreland.

A few years ago, Nick and I were having drinks with friends in Soho. As the evening wore on, our bellies started rumbling and we decided that we needed to find somewhere to eat.  One of our friends suggested an excellent Indian restaurant that he had been to and called Directory Enquiries to get their number. Listening to one side of the animated conversation was very amusing. “Hello? Yes, I need a phone number for the Green Leaf restaurant in central London. Green as in the colour and Leaf as in part of a tree… Really?  No listing? Maybe check again.  It’s G-R-E-E-N… Yes, I’m sure it is in London.  No it hasn’t closed, I was only there last week. Please check again. Yes, definitely Central London… Of course I have the name right! What?  On which street? Oh, yes that sounds like the place… Curry?  What do you mean it’s Curry. Oh – you mean The Curry Leaf? Oh. Well, fancy that. My mistake!”.

As I approached Mint Leaf, an inconspicuous doorway near the southern end of the Haymarket, I could not help but grin at the memory.  Luckily, this time I hadn’t got my leaves mixed up and I was at the right place! Despite the fact that I had never noticed it before,  Mint Leaf has been open since 2003.  Step out of the maelstrom of tourists and theatregoers on the Haymarket and down into the chic and surprisingly large basement room.  The space is divided into the bar area, the restaurant area, and a private dining venue. The lighting is low with dark wood and accent spotlights, and sexy and the vibe is chic.  While we looked at the menu, we enjoyed some of the restaurant’s signature cocktails – in particular the Pornstar Martini which the waiter told me is one of the things that keeps bringing the punters back. 5 minutes later I could see why. It’s a cocktail of three parts: half a fresh passion fruit; a tart, alcoholic and blindingly good martini; and a shot of Champagne.  What’s not to like, really?  My dinner companion Michelle chose a  Tikky Takka, served in a fun mug looking like an Easter Island statue: a blend of spiced rum, Frangelico, banana liqueur, lime juice, chilli syrup and pineapple juice.  The menu is described as modern Indian so if you are looking for a vindaloo and a chicken tikka masala with coconut raita, you are probably in the wrong place. Head chef Rajinder Pandey was part of the original opening team for Mint Leaf and has now returned  to the kitchens after travelling through India and gaining experience in several fine-dining restaurants.

 

Mint Leaf bar area

 

Mint Leaf bar area 2

 

MintLeafMartini

 

MintLeafTikkiTakka

 

We started with a selection from the starter menu: bhel puri chat (puffed rice, wheat crisp and spiced chickpea tossed with shallot, pomegranate and sweet tamarind – £7.50); kurkure asparagus (tempura asparagus spiked with fennel, cumin and coriander, tomato garlic chutney – £9.50); and chilli calamari (tempura squid tossed with pepper and sweet chilli drizzle – £10.00).  The Bhel puri chat, classic street food were a fun mixture of contrasting flavours and crispy textures and definitely messy to eat in a fun way. The chilli calamari was a huge portion, easily enough to share, and was beautifully tender, sticky and spicy.  But the runaway star of the starters was the asparagus with its featherlight batter sparkling with the flavour of Indian spices – a simple and inspired dish.

 

MintLeafBelPuriChat

 

MintLeafAsparagus

 

MintLeafCalamari

 

For my main course I chose Mains:  meen moiley, a Keralan kingfish and coconut stew (£19.00) while Michelle went for adraki jheenga, a tiger prawn stew flavoured with ginger, onion, tomato and fresh coriander (£22.00).  The meen moiley was fabulous – chunks of the meaty, delicious fish in a sauce that was perfectly balanced between spicy and coconutty sweetness. Michelle enjoyed her generously-sized prawns too, although the sauce was a bit spicier.  Our side dishes were also unexpected hits.  Dal makhani (slow-cooked black lentils with tomato and butter – £7.00) is a deceptively simple dish on paper, but it needs long, slow cooking for all the flavours to meld and attain a depth such as the example we had at Mint Leaf. A supremely comforting and deliciously filling dish which is also perfect as a vegetarian main course. My favourite side, though, was the tandoori broccoli (£7.00).  This consisted of a whole head of broccoli that had been seasoned with ginger, chilli spices and soft cheese, before being roasted in the tandoor over.   The result is broccoli quite unlike any you have had before – still perfectly al dente and infused with the heady flavour of both the cooking spices and the smokiness of the tandoor.  I could easily have demolished this all by myself!

 

MintLeafFishCurry

 

MntLeafCurryCollage

 

MintleafBroccoli

 

By the time that dessert was brought out, we were both pretty full so we ordered a dessert selection platter to share. I had forgotten that I may have mentioned the fact that it was Michelle’s birthday at the time of booking… but the staff had not and she was duly surprised by a platter decorated in honour of her birthday – a nice unsolicited touch.  The plate comprised a selection of their best-selling desserts, including berry kulfi, a saffron-poached pear and a mango crème brulee.  Standouts here were the poached pear and the excellent crème brulee.  And as if that were not enough, we also enjoyed a plate of excellent chocolate petit fours with our coffee.

 

MintLeafDessertPlate

 

MintLeafDesserts1

 

MintLeafdesserts2

 

MiuntleafPetitFours

 

Service was very good throughout the meal – friendly, knowledgeable and professional.  The location is also outstanding, conveniently halfway between Trafalgar Square and Piccadilly Circus.  Despite the fact that I never knew the restaurant is there, it seems others are better informed than me – by the time we left there was not an empty table to be seen.  Mint Leaf is an excellent choice if you are in the West End for a show but do not feel like dining in a chain restaurant by default, and although the prices are not dirt cheap they are well within the average for London’s West End.  Both the chic ambience and the food is a million miles from the stereotypical Brick Lane Indian restaurant – no cookie-cutter menu of chicken tikka masala, vindaloo and korma here! I also loved that the vegetarian choices were easily as good as or even better than the meat-eater options, and I can’t wait to go back for more of that tandoori broccoli!

For another review of Mint Leaf, have a look at how my friend Rosana enjoyed her dinner there.  And you enjoyed this restaurant review, you might also want to have a look at my other restaurant reviews.

DISCLOSURE:  I enjoyed this meal as a guest of Mint Leaf but received no further remuneration to write this post.  I was not expected to write a positive review – all views are my own and I retain full editorial control. 

Let’s keep in touch!
You can also find me tweeting at @cooksisterblog, snapping away on Instagram, or pinning like a pro on Pinterest.  To keep up with my latest posts, you can subscribe to my free e-mail alerts, like Cooksister on Facebook, or follow me on Bloglovin.

Mint Leaf Piccadilly
Suffolk Place
Haymarket
London
SW1Y 4HX
Closest Tube:  Piccadilly Circus or Charing Cross

Tel. +44 207 930 9020
Email: reservations@mintleafrestaurant.com 

More deliciousness for you!

  • Bone-in rib-eye steak sous vide with a pepper sauceBone-in rib-eye steak sous vide with a pepper sauce
  • Christmas pudding semifreddo with cinnamon streusel and brandy sauceChristmas pudding semifreddo with cinnamon streusel and brandy sauce
  • Champagne brunch at St Pancras BrasserieChampagne brunch at St Pancras Brasserie
  • Apricot and pistachio galetteApricot and pistachio galette

Never miss a Cooksister post

If you enjoyed this post, enter your e-mail address here to receive a FREE e-mail update when a new post appears on Cooksister

I love comments almost as much as I love cheese - so if you can't leave me any cheese, please leave me a comment instead!

« Margherita pizza grilled cheese sandwiches
Taste of London 2015 with AEG »

Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Recipe Rating




This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

  1. Camilla says

    August 4, 2015 at 11:42 am

    Don’t you just love the jokey rude names cocktails have! The food looks glorious here as well as the cocktails;-)

    Reply
  2. Kavey says

    August 5, 2015 at 6:46 am

    Looks very delicious. Is it as dark in the restaurant as it looks? I love good food but do struggle a bit with places that light their interiors like nightclubs!

    Reply
  3. Jan @GlugofOil says

    August 5, 2015 at 7:07 am

    What a lovely restaurant – I think I’d have also picked the fish and coconut stew too, it does look good.

    Reply
  4. Rosana @ Hot&CHilli Food and Travel Blog says

    August 11, 2015 at 9:58 am

    Fabulous pictures darling! Thanks for the mention, indeed a great meal.R

    Reply
  5. http://www.twokitchenjunkies.com/ says

    August 12, 2015 at 1:46 pm

    Wow the restaurant looks really amazing, and the food has made my mouth water. 🙂

    The next time that I am in London I will give this place chance, From your picture I would love to try the tandoori broccoli.

    thanks for sharing

    Reply
  • Facebook
  • Instagram
  • Pinterest
  • RSS
  • Twitter
  • YouTube

Never miss a Cooksister post!

Get my latest recipes delivered by e-mail!

Search over 500 recipes

Recently on Cooksister

  • Cauliflower steak Welsh rarebit
  • The Melusine
  • Potted smoked salmon with quick pickle apple slaw
  • Discovering the wines of Pays d’Oc
  • Cranberry pistachio Bircher muesli – a Pret-a-Manger fakeaway
  • Roasted Brussels sprouts with chorizo & hazelnuts
  • Myristica Grenadian supperclub
  • 8 favourite Singapore food experiences

Archives by month

Archives by category

Popular posts

Peppermint Crisp fridge tart - a South African treat
Gem squash 101: how to find them, how to grow them, how to eat them!
Oxtail and red wine potjie
Roosterkoek - a South African braai essential
How to sautée Brussels sprouts
My big, fat South African potato bake

Featured on

Also available on

"Spring fever, my heart's beating fast. Get up, ge "Spring fever, my heart's beating fast. Get up, get out, Spring is everywhere" - Elvis Presley

What better way to celebrate the day when the clocks go forward to British Summer Time than with  a glorious photo of St Paul's Cathedral shyly peeping out from a cloud of pink cherry blossoms against a perfect blue sky! 🌸🌞

London is awash in glorious blossoms at the moment, from Greenwich Park in the east to Kew Gardens in the west, and the fun part is trying to catch each type of tree just when the blossoms are at their best.

The cherry plums have been exploding into clouds of small white blossoms and sweet fragrance for a few weeks already; and the early flowering cherry trees, camellias and magnolias are coming into their own right now. Plus we still have the late-flowering cherries, rhododendrons and wisteria to look forward to!

Do you have a favourite Spring tree or park for blossoms in London? Let me know in the comments 🌺

And please remember to share, save or like my posts if you want to see more of me in your feed 🙏
"The essence of being human is that one does not s "The essence of being human is that one does not seek perfection" 

I wonder what the author if those words would have made of the age of Instagram? We are fed an endless stream of perfect images of perfect bodies and perfect lives. In the back of our minds we KNOW this is not reality, but still the subconscious yearning for this imaginary world of perfection persists. Humans are funny that way.

But so often in life, things fall short of the perfection we imagined - seemingly perfect relationships fail, cakes look nothing like the picture in the book, clothes that looked good on the internet look ridiculous on our bodies, the wrong turn we took meant we never got to our planned destination.

Falling short of perfection is part of life. The big question is how you deal with it. Do you throw your hands up in despair and berate yourself for failure? Or do you find the positives in the imperfect outcomes of your plans? 

This photo taken almost exactly 4 years ago was meant to be a "perfect" Instagram shot of me in my signature pose, on a perfect sunny day on snowy ski slopes. Instead, as @explorista snapped the photo, our ski instructor decided to throw handfuls of snow at me - but as it turns out, this "imperfect" shot turned out to be my favourite of the day 😍

Do you find joy in life's imperfections?
What's your favourite way to eat cauliflower? Up What's your favourite way to eat cauliflower? 

Up until about a week ago I would have said cauliflower cheese... but all that changed when I made this low-carb cauliflower steak Welsh rarebit... I first made cauliflower steaks years ago, before cauliflower started enjoying its 15 minutes of fame, as a main course for vegetarian friends. But it wasn't till last week when I wanted to make Welsh rarebit for St David's day and discovered I had no bread that it struck me that cauli steaks would make the perfect base for Welsh rarebit! It's totally indulgent - like pouring a beery cheese fondue over your cauliflower - and totally addictive. You can find the full recipe in the link in my profile,  or SAVE this post for basic instructions! Remember to tag me if you try it -I'd love to see 😊

* Slice two 1cm steaks vertically from the middle of a large cauliflower, season and fry in  butter and oil till browning slightly.

* Oven bake for 10 mins at 200C while you mix grated cheddar, melted butter, Worcestershire sauce, mustard and beer. (The Duvel Belgian ale works a charm, BTW!).

* Spread the cheese mix generously over the 2 steaks and pop under a medium grill until golden and bubbly

You're welcome 🤩
Dyed Gwyl Dewi Hapus - or happy St David's Day if Dyed Gwyl Dewi Hapus - or happy St David's Day if you don't speak Welsh 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁷󠁬󠁳󠁿

March 1 is the day on which the Welsh people celebrate their patron saint, St David, and one of their traditions is to wear a daffodil, the national flower of Wales. Here are five daffodil facts to impress your Welsh friends:

🌼 There's no difference between a daffodil and a narcissus. Daffodil (or jonquil) is simply the common name for members of the Narcissus genus, so all daffodils are narcissi.

🌼 There is only one species if daffodil that is native to the UK - Narcissus Pseudonarcissus, or wild daffodils. You can spot them by the fact that their outer 6 petals are a paler yellow than the central trumpet, and they are usually smaller than the showy, giant yellow commercially grown daffs. 

🌼 It's not entirely certain how the daffodil came to be the national flower of Wales - one theory is that they are one of the few flowers in bloom on 1 March. Another is that the daffodil is less... antisocial to wear than the other Welsh national symbol, the leek 🤣

🌼 Daffodils are the official 10th wedding anniversary flower.

🌼 Daffodils contain a poisonous sap - keep away from pets and if mixing daffodils in a vase with other flowers, let them stand in water separately for 24 hours first I case they affect the other flowers. 

Are daffodils your favourite Spring flower? Or do you prefer something else?
As a girl who lived more than half her life in the As a girl who lived more than half her life in the African sun, February and March are the hardest months for me to bear in the UK. All the excitement of Christmas and New Year has faded; the credit card bill has arrived; the sun is still setting before I finish work; and the snow that we all hoped for at Christmas finally arrives and disrupts everything. This is why, every year in Feb/March since I moved to the UK (other than the year I broke my femur a week before I was due to fly!), I decamp to South Africa for 2 weeks to visit my family and get my fix of vitamin D (and vitamin Sea!).

This week I should have been here - the Beacon Island hotel in Plettenberg Bay, which I have been visiting since I was about six years old. It is where I go to lift my spirits and clear my head. But for the last 2 years, Covid has meant that I have not been able to go home - or see my family. 

For the most part, although I miss travel, I am secretly quite liking taking a breather and being able to be home without FOMO for a while. But not being able to see my family has been incredibly hard, particularly as I have no family in this country.  And my blood boils at people bending the rules (a dentist appointment in Tenerife when you live in Manchester? Seriously??) to go on holiday while I have not seen my clinically vulnerable brother in two years. Covidiots.

But you can bet your bottom dollar that as soon as vaccinations are widely rolled out and international travel becomes practical again, I will be on a plane to South Africa so fast it will make your head spin.

Where will YOU head to first once we are able to travel again,  and why?
Love is in the air... 💕 Are you making a speci Love is in the air... 💕

Are you making a special dinner for your sweetheart tonight? This potted hot-smoked salmon with a pretty pink apple and red onion pickle is easy to prep and oh-so-delicious! It's also gluten-free if you serve it with GF crackers. Full recipe now on the blog - tap the live link on my bio to view. 

Are you doing anything special to celebrate today? Let me know in the comments! 💖
Ready for a wine tasting? 🍷 [Press trip] Back Ready for a wine tasting? 🍷

[Press trip] Back before Covid put our lives on hold, I spent a few days in the Languedoc-Rousillon wine region of France learning about (and tasting!) Pays d'Oc IGP wines. 

Want to learn more about the region's wines? Read on, swipe through the images (remember to  bookmark this post to refer back to later) - and click the live link in my bio for the full blog post! 

🍷 The Languedoc-Rousillon region is the largest wine producing region in the world, and produces about a third of all French wine. Pays d'Oc IGP is a classification region within Languedoc-Rousillon, with vineyards that take up over half the total vineyard area in the Languedoc-Rousillon region. Pays d'OC IGP wines account for about 20% of the total of all French wine produced.

🍷IGP stands for Indication Geographique Protegée, meaning it is a protected indication of origin and wines must be made only from approved grape varieties that must be grown entirely within the region's geographic boundaries.

🍷 Most French wines are named for their region (Bordeaux, Chablis, Champagne) but you won't see the name of the grape variety on the label. In response to consumer demand and the New World trend to label wines with grape varieties, rules were changed in Pays d'Oc in the late 1980s and Pays d'Oc wines now account for 92% of French varietal wines (e.g. labelled Chardonnay, Syrah, Viognier etc.).

🍷 There are 58 grape varieties that are allowed to be planted in the region but the Pays d'Oc IGP varietal wines to watch out for include Chardonnay, Rolle (another name for Vermentino) and Viognier among the whites; and Syrah, Mourvedre and Pinot Noir among the reds.

🍷 All wines labelled Pays d'Oc IGP are sampled and approved in a blind tasting by a panel of professionals, meaning the label is a guarantee of quality to the consumer. 

🍷 Producers that you should look out for include Gerard Bertrand, Domaine Gayda, Les Jamelles, Les Yeuses, Paul Mas and Domaine Aigues Belles.

First 📸: @everyglassmatters
New year's resolutions: waste of time or the way f New year's resolutions: waste of time or the way forward?

I have mentioned before that I don't really make new year's resolutions. There is always so much pressure to make them BIG lofty goals and this is essentially what dooms them to failure. Instead, for the past few years I have made a list of... affirmations? Mantras? I have yet come up with a word that does not make my toes curl 🤣

These are essentially reminders rather than goals - presets, if you like, for the year ahead. I keep them in a handwritten list next to my computer and when I don't know how to react to something or how to shake a mood, I read them and there is usually an answer in there somewhere. 

Given the bruising year last year was, and how 2021 has so far proven itself to be not much better, I really wanted to add something practical to this year's list to lift my spirits on days when I am down. And for that I borrowed shamelessly from the wonderful @gretchenrubin:

🌈  ACT THE WAY YOU WANT TO FEEL 🌈

And this photo is a reminder of how I want to feel on so, so many levels: hanging out with friends; dancing in the sunshine; wearing my favourite red dress; travelling (this was in Carouge, Switzerland); and surrounded by a rainbow of colour. I can't travel and I can't see friends, but I can dance in my kitchen, singing at the top of my voice wearing my brightest clothes. 

What strategies do you use to lift your spirits? I'd love to hear! 

📸 by @tasteofsavoie
If you, like me, are mssing your Pret-a- Manger Bi If you, like me, are mssing your Pret-a- Manger Bircher muesli during lockdown, you will want to bookmark this post right now! 🔖

I have learnt a few things during lockdown. I have learnt that I am more comfortable spending long periods alone than I had ever imagined; that I suffer a lot more from FOMO (fear of missing out!) than I would like to admit; and that pre-Covid I spent rude sums of money on commuting and barista coffee...! 

I also learnt that although I miss travel and social events and meals out, it is often the smaller things that you miss most acutely - the freedom to call up a friend you haven't seen in a while and inviting them over. Hugging (or even seeing) my family. And grabbing a macchiato and a Pret Bircher muesli on the way to work. Don't ask me why, but it became a small obsession of mine to create a fakeaway Pret Bircher during lockdown - and I think I have succeeded! Here's how:

For 2 servings you will need:
100g rolled oats
200ml milk or water
1 Tbsp sunflower seeds
1 Tbsp pumpkin seeds 
1 Tbsp shelled pistachio nuts
1 Tbsp dried cranberries 
2 small apples
175g plain yoghurt
Honey
Pomegranate rails

Mix the oats, seeds, nuts and cranberries together then add the milk/water and a pinch of salt. Mix well, cover and refrigerate overnight. 

When ready to serve, grate the apples and mix them in with the oats and yoghurt (add a little extra milk to loosen if needed). Stir in honey to taste and serve topped with pomegranate arils and pistachios. Full recipe and more photos are available now on the blog - click the live link in my profile.

Did you try any fakeaway recipes over lockdown? Please let me know in the comments - I would love to hear about it!
Load More... Follow me on Instagram

Follow Jeanne Horak-Druiff's board Recipes by Cooksister on Pinterest.

Cooksister

The South African Food and Wine Blog Directory

Foodies100 Index of UK Food Blogs

The South African Food and Wine Blog Directory

  • Facebook
  • Instagram
  • Pinterest
  • RSS
  • Twitter

Jeanne Horak is a freelance food and travel writer; recipe developer and photographer. South African by birth and Londoner by choice, Jeanne has been writing about food and travel on Cooksister since 2004. She is a popular speaker on food photography and writing has also contributed articles, recipes and photos to a number of online and print publications. Jeanne has also worked with a number of destination marketers to promote their city or region. Please get in touch to work with her Read More…

Latest Recipes

Cauliflower topped steak with melted cheese
Plate of potted smoked salmon with slaw and a glass of champagne
bowls of pistachio pomegranate bircher muesli
Brussels sprouts with chorizo & hazelnuts
Plum upside down cake
plum flapjack crumble
Sesame ginger Brussels sprouts
Jersey-royals-salmon-salad2 © Jeanne Horak 2019

SITEMAP

Home

Contact

About me

Recipe Index

Restaurant Index

Copyright & Disclaimer

Cookies & privacy policy




blog counter

© 2004 - 2021 · Jeanne Horak unless otherwise stated - ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. You may not reproduce any text, excerpts or images without my prior permission. Site by RTW Labs

Copyright © 2021 · Cooksister on Genesis Framework · WordPress · Log in

Cooksister cookie consent
We use cookies to ensure you receive the best experience on our site. If you continue to use this site, you are agreeing to our terms and conditions. Accept
Privacy & Cookies Policy

Privacy Overview

This website uses cookies to improve your experience while you navigate through the website. Out of these, the cookies that are categorized as necessary are stored on your browser as they are essential for the working of basic functionalities of the website. We also use third-party cookies that help us analyze and understand how you use this website. These cookies will be stored in your browser only with your consent. You also have the option to opt-out of these cookies. But opting out of some of these cookies may affect your browsing experience.
Necessary
Always Enabled

Necessary cookies are absolutely essential for the website to function properly. This category only includes cookies that ensures basic functionalities and security features of the website. These cookies do not store any personal information.

Non-necessary

Any cookies that may not be particularly necessary for the website to function and is used specifically to collect user personal data via analytics, ads, other embedded contents are termed as non-necessary cookies. It is mandatory to procure user consent prior to running these cookies on your website.

SAVE & ACCEPT