Calico Bar & Eatery takes its name from the fabric that carried cultures along trade routes, and its Indo-Japanese menu brings both kitchens to one table. This restaurant in Reading town centre is part of Hotel 1843, a building dating back to 1843 that was first a literary institute, then a chapel, a theatre and The Great Expectations pub. Behind the cooking sit two ideas of hospitality: the Indian Atithi Devo Bhava, 'the guest is God', and Japanese omotenashi, which means looking after every guest wholeheartedly.
At Calico Bar & Eatery, starters show the pairing at its most playful. Karaage chicken wings are tossed in 65-style spice and served with wasabi-curry leaf mayo, while thecha king prawn tempura brings the heat of the coarse chilli relish, balanced by ponzu gel and yuzu crab mayo. The Calico tempura mixes baby corn, aubergine, oyster mushrooms, sweet potato and okra, there's spinach-pastry paalak gyoza, and malai lamb chops come out of the clay oven with silken tofu marag and furikake munshi naan.
Mains run from a slow-braised Mughlai miso lamb shank to a kadai-spiced confit duck leg with smoked butter beans and fermented miso spinach, or teriyaki salmon over saffron-scented zafrani pilaf. The Master grill is a platter of miso chicken tikka, malai lamb chops, lamb Tsu kebab and tempura king prawn, and a vegetarian version swaps in tandoori miso paneer tikka and ghee roast tofu skewers. Vegan dishes are marked on the menu, and tofu replaces chicken in both the karaage and the katsu bowl.
Calico Bar & Eatery's desserts carry the idea through to the end: uruchimai kesar phirni is a saffron rice pudding made with Japanese short-grain rice, served alongside burnt cheesecake with matcha mousse and kasutera sponge with caramel custard. The bar leans on gin, whisky and classic cocktails, best taken in the quieter library room or in the circular booths beneath the blossom tree, and "Bottomluxx Brunch" adds a bottomless option.