Spice is my favorite Indian restaurant I have ever eaten at.
I can stop writing here because it sums up everything but I will explain. Now I'm by no means an Indian food expert but I have to say I have never had a bad meal there. The restaurant is an Indian/Thai place but not Indian Thai fusion as you might think but two separate kitchens basically that produce very different styles of food. For this review I will focus on the Indian side of the menu frankly because I think it is so superior compared to the Thai side.
Our meal started with three appetizers. Tandoori Lamb Chops, Shrimp Tadka, and Pakoras. The tandoori lamb chops were cook about medium well to well but had the right amount of curry and gameyness that made it very tasty. The mint sauce help cool the heat a little but the dish it self is maybe a medium spicy so not too bad. there was some char on the meat which i enjoyed and I definitely found myself trying to get every last little bit of meat. The shrimp tadka was also very good and you can taste hints of curry, fenil, garlic and cumin. This preperation style is similar to the chinese concept of "baw guo" which litterally translated means to explode the pot and it involves flash frying whole spices in oil before adding the rest of the ingredients so that the essential oils are drawn out and enhance the flavor. The pakora was also very good, light and flaky on the outside and spicy and savory on the inside. the potatoes were not too mushy but still gave the right balance to the flaky shell.
Our entrees were Lamb Korma, and Buttered Chicken. While both were creamy, the Lamb dish definitely had more curry, cumin flavor. I have to say I did not notice much nuty flavor but it did have a familiar and at this point unidentified spice which upon biting into one gave a bit of a sweet and sour flavor that's quiet good. The lamb was also cooked well and tender just as you would expect. The butter chicken was also very good, rich red sauce which although I'm sure had tomatoes and butter, neither was too over powering so the chicken was still the star of the show. To help us get it all down we shared an order of garlic nan, which according to the owner they had a special chef that only made nan and nothing else. To me this is the kind of dedication to excellence where you are willing to hire a person just to make bread, that really shows in the quality of the food. Basmati rice was also served with the entree and serves as a good vehicle for sauce and meat.
To help us get it all down we shared an order of garlic nan, which according to the owner they had a special chef that only made nan and nothing else. To me this is the kind of dedication to excellence where you are willing to hire a person just to make bread, that really shows in the quality of the food. Basmati rice was also served with the entree and serves as a good vehicle for sauce and meat.
The restaurant is BYOB and comes equipped with their own PA wine and liquor shoppe next door which is usually open till 9. This is perfect if you either forgot to bring it before arriving or need to refuel mid dinner. The owner Raj is also a absolute delight, every time I've been to the restaurant he takes times to come say hello and makes me and my guests feel welcomed. Of all the restaurants I've been to this is the one that not only I will introduce my friends to but they in turn have introduced to others who love good food.
So atmosphere of this restaurant would get about a 9/10, with the majority due to the owner Raj, food 9/10 for an overall score of 9/10. Which to me is about as high as you can get. If you are a fan of Indian food in the Philadelphia area you should not miss SPICE. They have two locations, one in Newtown Square and one in West Chester downtown. I recommend the one in Newtown Square because it is the original and in my opinion still the best. OK friends, hope you get a chance to try this place out.
Till next time, eat better friends!!:-)
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