When P&O Cruises launches its new ship Britannia next March, creativity, quality, flavour and variety, combined with a touch of theatre, will be the principles behind the ship’s impressive culinary offerings, according to the cruise line.

These principles will be evident than in two of the ship’s fine dining venues – Sindhu and Epicurean.

P&O Cruises’ marketing director Christopher Edgington said: “In recent years, our guests’ palates have become increasingly more sophisticated and our culinary offering needs to reflect this change. In Sindhu, guests will enjoy unique and innovative Indian cuisine combining Atul Kochhar’s heritage with his love of British ingredients, while in Epicurean they’ll be treated to a brand new multi-sensory cooking experience with touches of molecular gastronomy that complement the more traditional dishes. Both restaurants demonstrate a passion for cooking and will satisfy the most discerning guest.”

Sindhu

P&O Cruises has always been proud of its long-standing affiliation with India and Sindhu celebrates this in style. Michelin star holder and ‘master of spices’, Atul Kochhar is the creator of Sindhu where he will showcase his unrivalled flair for fine dining using big bold flavours combining his homeland’s spices with quality British and European ingredients. Examples of dishes include:

Starters
– Jal Tarang: Pan-fried hand dived scallops with textures of parsnip
– Karara Kekda: Crisp fried soft shell crab with tomato, cucumber and passion fruit salsa
– Machchi Amritsari: Pan fried cod fillet with Ajwain seeds and crushed spiced peas
– Tandoori  Ratan: Rajasthani smoked lamb chop, chicken seekh kebab and basil marinated king prawns

Main Courses
– Konju Kari: Native lobster fricassée with rice pancakes, asparagus and Atul’s signature malabar sauce
– Batak Falliyan: seared gressingham duck breast in Punjabi masala with three bean stew and crispy duck skin
– Khumb Khichidi: Stir fried wild mushrooms with lentils, seasonal truffle and rice kedgeree
– Tandoori Machhi: Taggiasca olive marinated salmon, cumin baked potatoes and white asparagus
– Atul’s Signature Plate: Lamb rogan josh, chicken murgh kesari korma and tandoori salmon macchi

Desserts
– Masaledar Chaklet: Warm five spiced chocolate pudding with tarragon and blood orange sorbet
– Mungfali aur Chaklet: Peanut butter parfait with palm sugar ice cream
– Berry Bhapia Doi: Yoghurt cheese cake with Hibiscus tea jelly and textures of raspberry

In addition to this extensive and varied menu, Sindhu also offers a bar menu featuring Nashta – Indian tapas.

Epicurean

This fine dining restaurant offers an extraordinary experience where a sense of occasion is always on the menu. Fusing classic dining elements with the best of modern British cuisine in a sophisticated and contemporary setting, the emphasis is on grand style and flawless service. Using the finest and freshest produce presented with great skill to achieve maximum flavour, the dishes are simple allowing the ingredients to be the stars of the show. The menu features a selection of classic and contemporary dishes including:

Starters
– Chicken and morel mushroom mousseline with pistachio crumble: duck liver parfait, sweet and sour pickled vegetables and spinach anglaise
– Devonshire white crab, langoustine and caviar cocktail: pea and chervil custard, parchment bread and a cucumber Mojito
– Salt and pepper oyster and jumbo prawn tempura: horseradish ice cream, umami seaweed dip and a sweet pimento squeeze
– Buttered green and white asparagus: crisp deep fried egg and textures of bacon, ham and pancetta

Main Courses
– Salt Marsh lamb rack with slow cooked glazed lamb breast and mini crafted shepherd’s pie: samphire shoots, butternut squash purée and a rosemary and mint jelly
– Butter poached lobster tail and glazed pavé of boneless beef short rib: sour cream crushed new potatoes and a melting cheese lollipop
– Loin of wild boar with a smoked pork cheek croquette and Lancashire black pudding: beetroot and blackberry cabbage, vanilla charred pear and boulangère potatoes
– Herb roasted poulet de Bresse: chicken pastilla, vegetable dauphinoise, baby leeks, morel velouté and chorizo Foam

Desserts
– Black Forest popping candy torte: Dorset cherry ice cream and a shot of New York cream soda
– Caramelised apple crumble: flaming apple and sherry sorbet and a rhubarb and custard cream
– Lime leaf pannacotta and coconut butter milk foam: caramelised puff pastry and Alphonso mango relish
– Glazed banana with a Caribbean demerara rum tot: peanut butter parfait and aerated dark chocolate