[Disclosure: I was invited to a launch event for the Indian food offering at Sky Blue Tavern.]
If you don’t like beer or football, you could be forgiven for overlooking Coventry’s Sky Blue Tavern as a place for a day or night out.
Until now.
As well as being a great place for anyone who loves both Coventry City Football Club and some great locally-brewed beers from Dhillon’s Brewery, the Sky Blue Tavern has just launched a brand new Indian food menu.
I was invited along to the launch at the Sky Blue Tavern on Hertford Place to check out the food, and came away thinking this could well be a new go-to for a great curry, even if you’re not into watching people kick balls around a field.
If you haven’t heard of the Sky Blue Tavern, it’s a collaboration between Coventry City Football Club and Dhillon’s Brewery, a local Coventry brewery that’s rapidly expanding into a hospitality group, running Dhillon’s Spire Bar in the city centre as well as the recently reopened Drapers’ Hall.
I may not be a football fan, but I understand the appeal of a place dedicated to your favourite sport and your favourite team. It’s safe to say that even for someone who doesn’t know much about football, the Sky Blue Tavern oozes all things Coventry City, from the colour scheme and decor to the memorabilia on the wall. There’s a rather cool function room upstairs with its own private bar, plus a terrace for a bit of outside space.
But enough of that, I know you’re here for the food.
The Sky Blue Tavern only opened last year and previously did a burger and fries kind of offering, but they’ve decided to change things up a bit and have launched a brand new Indian cuisine menu, from starters to small plates, Indian mixed grills, curries, biryanis and even loaded naans.
That means this isn’t just a balti from a jar and some stodgy rice. Having tried Sky Blue Tavern’s food, I can safely say it’s much more than that.
Chicken tikka was up there with some of the best I’ve had (I’m told they’ve got top of the range tandoors in the kitchen here to create the authentic flavour), while cubes of paneer were soft and squishy inside and beautifully charred on the outside.
Fish pakoras were light and crispy, while Punjabi fried chicken was brilliantly executed. Jamie’s favourite was the ‘Bang Bang Manchurian’ – deep-fried vegetable dumpling smothered in a tangy sweet and sour sauce – and okra fries were simple but delicate and crispy, perfect beer snacks in my humble opinion.
The mixed grills could be smelled long before they came into view, their fragrant spices and sizzling meat aromas prompting a long queue of us desperate to get our chops round sheekh kebab, lamb chops and more of that great chicken tikka.
For those keen to dig into a classic curry and rice paired with one of Dhillon’s great beers (they even suggest pairings on their menu), the list is long with everyone’s favourites on it. If you tend to order something more unusual, you might have to come back to the classics, but these definitely seem to be done well.
A simply chicken curry was full of flavour, laced with plenty of ginger and garlic, but it was butter chicken (something I never order) that stole the show. Moist, well-spiced chicken tikka nestling in a rich, buttery, creamy sauce. The stuff of dirty dreams.
There are plenty of other dishes to try. Jamie’s got his eye on a Vindaloo, while I might head for one of their biryanis.
For those who don’t fancy Indian food but want to join in the football fun, there are still a few English dishes on the menu, from fish and chips to burgers, and those with a sweet tooth can pick from a small but perfectly formed dessert menu. There are even kids’ choices to make it a family-friendly spot.
As mentioned, Dhillon’s own the Spire Bar too, and you’ll be able to order some of these dishes there which will be biked the few minutes to you from the chefs at the Sky Blue Tavern as an added option.
We all know that launch events are a bit of a snapshot and can be a slightly different experience to the real thing, and we’ll be heading back to try it again once things have calmed down. But it’s safe to say the Sky Blue Tavern’s new food offering is looking really promising and as a venue it’s another great addition to Coventry’s scene – whether you’re a football fan or not.
[Disclosure: I was invited to a launch event for the Indian food offering at Sky Blue Tavern.]
