David Loved the Soup!

Armed with a bottle of Martinique rum and a bowl of atypically juicy organic limes, Cafe Drake welcomed old pal David Sellers with a fresh daiquiri upon moments of his arrival. (The first couple of minutes being devoted to greeting and stroking Sailor Page) Soon after we tucked into bowls of steaming Curried Cauliflower Soup, a thick puree of cauliflower, onions and long-fried onions, red chiles and fresh curry leaves. David pronounced the soup a veritable "journey through many flavor profiles", commenting on the earthiness of the veggies tempered with the fire of chile and the grassy sharp notes of the Indian herb. Our entree consisted of simple patties of ground lamb and many spices (garam masala, ground cumin and coriander, black pepper) and green chiles, garlic, onions and eggs. Two to a plate, nestled atop a mound of fluffy basmati rice with caraway and cumin seeds and crowned with chopped cilantro, slivered red onion and dollops of tangy yogurt sauce. If it all sounds too complex and a little fussy, it wasn't. Gluttons for flavor overload, David and Cafe Drake dipped from a saucer of hot mango pickles for extra palette punch. Thick and homemade espresso cordial - dark as treacle - ended the evening on a sweet note.