“AD” – Why is this here?

Navadhanya is, quite simply, one of Cambridge’s best. Their offering of contemporary Indian fine dining never fails to hit the mark, whether for a spontaneous Saturday night meal or a special anniversary celebration. It is a consistently popular choice with locals and visitors alike, and a well-deserved fixture in the Michelin Guide.

Imagine my absolute delight when I was offered the chance to be one of the first to try their brand new, seven-course Special Seafood Tasting Menu. This is a bold and unprecedented move for Navadhanya and I was genuinely dying to see how they would execute it. Cambridge isn’t exactly blessed with an abundance of decent seafood restaurants, so to have an establishment of this quality and prestige putting one on was a hugely exciting prospect.

The menu is priced at £70 per person and requires pre-ordering.

Cocktails & Mocktails

There is more to Navadhanya than just fine dining, however. The restaurant offers an extensive list of expertly crafted cocktails and mocktails, alongside a dedicated wine flight option, specifically designed to complement the new tasting menu.

I couldn’t resist a Margarita, which arrived presented in a spectacular fashion. A giant, delicate bubble encased the glass, and upon being dramatically ‘popped’ by the waiter, it released a plume of smokey vapour. It was a piece of pre-dinner entertainment that set a high bar for the courses to come.

1. Jaltarang Expedition

The first course, aptly named the Jaltarang Expedition, delivered an eclectic selection of appetisers: a scallop bhelpuri tart, dhokla with caviar, and an oyster rasam. The presentation was as contemporary as it gets. Something as small as a single oyster was theatrically mounted on an entire stone bowl filled with grain salt. The charcoal colour of the bowl allowed the colourful red pepper in the oyster to truly pop. As someone who occasionally struggles with oysters, I found this one absolutely delicious – its cold, salty flavour was perfectly chased by a surprising warmth from the accompanying spices, an experience I have never had before. My entire concept of seafood has been challenged… and I loved it!

2. Tellicherry Soft Shell Crab

The tempura crab quite frankly blew my socks off! Its beautiful golden body was so light and crispy, adding a deeply satisfying crunchy texture. It acted as the perfect canvas for a dollop of vibrant red pepper chutney. A dusting of Tellicherry pepper and ‘gunpowder’ seasoning ignited this already well-executed dish with a feisty spice, elevating the crab with another dimension of flavour.

3. Hariyali Machli

After two such vibrant displays prior, I found the stone bass to be visually a little flat. This, however, was the great deception of the dish. It is made with curry leaf & local greens, a hint of lemon zest and garlic, and a small portion of mooli raita (radish) that added a surprisingly mild creamy flavour that allowed it to work with the delicate sea bass, rather than overpower it. The thinly cut potato straws added another exciting dimension to the texture, completing the dish to be my favourite so far!

4. Tandoori Octopus

I am quickly becoming an octopus fan, and this was a superb take on it. Made with southern spice for that truly Indian kick, it came with a corn chaat and mint chutney. The lime zest invigorated the dish with a sharp hit, while the mint had a punchy sweetness that, in theory, should have clashed with the tandoori spices. Yet, somehow, it worked, and I found myself eating every last piece on the plate.

5. Lobster Moilee

At this point, I was truly on cloud nine. Each dish took fine dining (a genre I can sometimes find a touch stuffy and dull) and brought it spectacularly to life with vibrant colour and bold Indian spices – a culinary approach that truly speaks to me. As an Indian food lover, I was incredibly happy to have this exciting take on fine dining right on our doorstep. I was especially eager for the next course, as it was the centrepiece of the tasting menu: lobster!

​As was the running theme of the evening, the dish was a festival of colour. The lobster was poached in butter and served swimming in a rich sea of coconut milk and turmeric, which brightened the dish with an almost luminous yellow.

It was accompanied by perfectly executed coconut rice and a spiced naan that was especially soft. Mopping the sauce up with the bread at the end was an absolute delight that I highly recommend.

The lobster itself was juicy with a wonderfully delicate flavour and, despite its small size, was surprisingly meaty. The only minor inconvenience was that some of the hard skin was quite chewy and often got in the way—a mild point, but worth noting.

6. Kulfi Sorbet

After such an extravagant banquet, I needed something light and sweet to cleanse my palate, and this kulfi sorbet was just what the doctor ordered. I wasn’t expecting to enjoy it as much as I did, mainly credited to the very thick, fruity flavour that had a sugary tang and truly hit the spot.

7. Rasmalai Entremet

We ended the evening with a rasmalai mousse, a dish made with cottage cheese. It was slathered in rabri cremeux (a type of cream), pistachio and cardamom, dark chocolate, and finished with a shimmering saffron glaze. It was tastefully garnished with a selection of fresh berries (strawberry, raspberry, and blackberry).

This was a divine and exciting end to the meal—a dessert that was as creamy and silky as it was delicious.

Seafood as you’ve never seen it!

Navadhanya is more than just another comfortable fine-dining experience; it looks to excite and invigorate with a bold use of Indian spices. These flavours are artistically reflected in the vivid colours that perfectly match the cuisine and capture the true essence of India. The service was impeccable from start to finish. The waiters were not only prompt and formal but were able to share a wealth of knowledge about the dishes upon arrival. All this, for £70 per person, felt like an absolute steal, especially when considering the quality received.

​If you love seafood or are looking to try it for the first time, then this is a superb place to start.

​Thanks for reading.