Now if like me, you’re British and have been on the search for a really good curry since you arrived in Sydney, let me tell you right now, the search is officially over. I was invited to review The Spice Room and honestly I was blown away.
Previously there were about two places in Sydney that I felt I could rely on for a good Indian (for my personla tastes, obviously eevrybody is different and I have some friends that think that Sydney does the best curry in the world – it’s so subjective). I love Maya Da Dhaba in Surry Hills and Jewel on the Bay in Rose Bay – both lovely and great restaurants, however I still always craved Indian food from ‘back home’.
Back to the reivew… The Spice Room is situated in the heart of Circular Quay, opposite Wharf 2 in The Quay Building, 2 Phillip Street. The exotic colours and heady aromas of spices are combined to create a sublime banquet for all patrons and the amazing Harbour views really are the icing on the cake. The interior is absolutely stunning (it’s the kind of place I’d love to take my family when the visit!).
The Spice Room, part of The Jewel Fine Foods group, is the newest instalment to Circular Quay dining that has set tongues wagging with its delicious, exotic Indian meals.
What I loved about the food was the combination of Indian street food and upmarket dining, it really set The Spice Room apart from other Indian restaurants in Sydney.
The Spice Room has a passionate team of chefs who believe in absolute perfection and are offering a true feast for all the five senses with a range of signature dishes. From street foods in Old Delhi such as Jhal Muri and Mumbai Padpi Chat to Royal Banquets and Tandoori delicacies such as Chicken Tikka Hyderabadi and Paneer Sizzler Skewer Ajwaini, The Spice Room has a taste for everyone.
As a guest of The Spice Room, it quickly became apparent how extensive the menu offerring is, we were simply spoilt for choice (so we let the lovely staff decide for us. let’s just say, they didn’t let us down!).
The in-house specialities that we were lucky enough to sample literally burst with flavour such as the King Prawn Gulmohar – tender king prawns in a special Tandoori Masala flavoured with rose petals, hung yoghurt, cream cheese and mustard oil cooked in a clay oven. The Chicken Khurchan really is something to behold consisting of spiced chicken tandoori strips slow cooked with capsicum, onion, tomato and red chillies with hints of ghee and garam masala.
We quickly realised that the authenticity of the meals really stands out and is retrospect is no surprise. Head Chef Darbyan Singh has over 20 years experience as a curry and tandoori cook, having worked in Indian 5 star hotels such as the ITC Grand Maratha Sheraton and the Oberoi. Singh specialises in Peshawari style cuisine of North India bringing mouth-watering flavours from the sub-continent including succulent kebabs and glorious curries.
Working alongside Singh is Chef Ratan, who has close to 20 years experience in various 5 star hotels in India including the Intercontinental Hotel in Mumbai. Ratan is skillful in Tandoori style cooking in which meats (or vegetables for vegetarian dishes) are marinated in yoghurt, spices and smoke roasted in a clay oven to keep the meats tender and succulent. The blending and preparation of spices is a century old craft and is indispensable to Indian cuisine and critical to achieving perfection of flavour.
To match the exquisite high level of mouth-watering, cultural cuisine is the beautiful, unique interior design of the restaurant. Indra Matta, owner of The Spice Room says that the interior design is based on an old story of a home in the Indian town of Chittor Aquila.
“The residents of this Grand Kothi no longer live here, but the home is full of memories, beautiful heirlooms, family photographs and treasured possessions which contain more than a whiff of royal lives gone by. In the Interior Courtyard, amongst the antiques and faded grandeur, The Spice Room serves authentic Indian food,” says Indra.
The interior designer, Jill Hoffenberg who has extensive work in interior design and mural painting, says that in designing The Spice Room they wanted diners to be transported to the days gone by and to the period of opulence and grandeur, royal and princely kingdoms, stately homes and lavish lifestyles. The Spice Room can be hired out for corporate functions, product launches and birthday celebrations, among others. It is open for lunch and dinner from 11am until 11pm, seven days a week and accepts bookings.
The Spice Room opened on Thursday, 9th October, marking a start to a new and exciting dining sensation for Sydney’s circular quay.
Mains vary from (a very affordable and delicious) $15-$27.
For more information, please visit www.thespiceroom.com.au
Leave a Reply