Dockmasters House has seen a lot of changes in its 200-odd years of existence, but its latest incarnation as an upmarket Indian restaurant might just be the best yet.

The Venue
In its 200 years in Canary Wharf, Dockmasters House has been through quite a bit, from various restorations to fires and even to brushes with the opium trade. Its most recent occupant was a curry house, but now it’s gone and changed again, with a new look and a new purpose – an upmarket Indian restaurant. From the outside, it looks like a grand old house with big columns and a large front staircase, but in the back it’s completely different, thanks to the addition of a huge glass cube structure.

Once up the stairs and through the entranceway, there are three dining areas to the restaurant. One is off to the right and contains a small bar with a few dining tables and some low armchairs and round bar tables. Off to the left the room is almost Victorian style, with a large fireplace, and a bit further through takes you into a room with large glass walls. The furniture is similar throughout, with boudoir-ish chairs, pale purple candleholders and white tablecloths, but in the back room in particular the decor is a complimentary contrast to the stark modernity of all that glass.Upstairs are private dining rooms along with another bar for private hire, and the basement is currently being converted into a DJ bar which will be called Cellar.

The location is ideal for Canary Wharf as it’s about a ten minute walk from the tube station, but on a quiet street. It’s right down the road from a string of restaurants and bars, but it’s a bit more off the beaten track than other venues in the area. The area does seem a bit strange for such a intricately designed building – it’s right across the road from a parking garage and those lovely windows don’t exactly provide much of a view.

The Atmosphere
Quiet and subdued, but the staff are amiable and charming, obviously taking pride in the restaurant. This would be a good spot for a luxurious dinner or a long, leisurely business lunch – although formerly a curry house, this is definitely not a place where you’d pop in for a chicken tikka masala after a round of pints. Although Canary Wharf isn’t the most romantic of areas, there aren’t very many intimate places around so this would probably be your best bet for a clandestine after-work meeting. A trendy, laid back soundtrack completes the atmosphere.

The Food
This is Indian food with a fantastic twist. Many old favourites are on the menu, albeit with some experimentation, plus interesting dishes you probably won’t have seen before. Prices are on the high side (about £7 to £12 for starters and £15 to £23 for mains) but not out of the ordinary for nice restaurants in the area.

A plate of bread is a perfect example of what to expect for the rest of the meal. Served on a rectangular piece of slate, it contains two small naan breads and two onion rolls. The naan breads are a great combination of soft and crisp, whilst the onion rolls are dense and subtle, twisted into a knot and sprinkled with seeds. An amuse bouche of a potato fritter is a great appetite enhancer, with creamy potato in a lightly fried outer layer with three stripes of colourful source.

Starters include charcoal grilled saffron prawns with clove smoked haddock kedgeree (£9.50). There’s only one prawn but it’s huge, enough to make normal tiger prawns look positively tiny in comparison. It’s well cooked too, with a strong texture and a slightly sweet, meaty flavour. The accompanying is thick and rich, almost like mash, but doesn’t overwhelm the prawns. Duck confit samosas (£7.50) are encased in triangles of crisp, light pastry – not too oily but not dry either – and filled with shredded duck meat. On the side is a scoop of apple and ginger chutney and a tiny pickled onion, so pink that it almost looks like a maraschino cherry. The chutney is intensely fruity, a great complement to the soft duck meat. Other starters include lamb kebabs and a Bombay street food platter.

Mains include baked halibut (£20.50) which is glazed in a tamarind sauce and accompanied by a pile of cumin-seasoned potatoes. The sweetly glazed fish flakes away at a touch of the fork, and the floury potatoes are perfect for soaking up the sweetness of the fish and the swish of apricot sauce on the plate. Oval shaped cheese dumplings (Kofta Alubhukara, £14.50) are filled with prunes and coated in a pale orange tomato and garlic sauce. The dumplings have an interesting taste, almost slightly bitter, and very tangy thanks to the prunes. It’s definitely unusual and worth trying if you want something out of the ordinary. Chettinad breast of guinea fowl (£18.50) with lemon rice is tender, the hearty, rich flavours of the guinea fowl lightened by the rice. A side of black lentils (£5.50) is served and a little copper pot and taste thick and creamy without being too heavy.

Pistachio creme brulee (£6.50) has a crisp caramelised top, and although you have to search a bit for the pistachio flavour it’s definitely there, hiding amidst all the creaminess. A long, thin shortbread style biscuit is perfect for reaching what you can’t scoop out with a spoon. Caramelised carrot pudding (£6.50) is spongy and moist, served in a little biscuit basket. You can see the shredded carrot throughout the pudding, similar to a quality carrot cake. A small scoop of homemade vanilla ice cream on the side is topped with a chocolate squiggle.

The Drink
An impressive wine list of over 20 pages includes every familiar wine producing country along with some not often seen locations. Red and white for each country is written in that language (rossi, les blancs, etc.), which is a nice touch. There’s also a full page of wines available from under £5, the cheapest being the amusingly named Tiddy Widdy Well from Australia. An Indian wine, Sula, comes as a white Sauvignon Blanc and a red Zinfandel for £5.25 a glass. The white is clean and light, with a fresh aftertaste, whilst the red is much deeper, with a ripe strawberry flavour. For the environmentally conscious, biodynamic wines and Champagnes on offer as well.

Cocktails start at £7 and include many classics like Margaritas and Daiquiris along with specialities. The Fig Fusion (£7), served in a martini glass, is a rich yellow colour. As it’s made with Cognac, it’s a thick and warming, almost old fashioned drink, with a slight hint of sharpness thanks to grapefruit juice. The Tantric Tong Twister (£7) is also served in a martini glass, with a little red chilli as a garnish. The chilli should serve as a warning for those who can’t handle their spices, as rum, Grand Marnier, pineapple juice and chillies is mouth-tinglingly spicy.

The Last Word
Great flavour combinations and interesting decor combine to make Dockmasters House an ideal spot for luxurious dining in Canary Wharf.

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