Like many people, I have always liked Indian cuisine, and I have always felt we’ve been fortunate in Harare over the years to have had dining venues with a good selection of traditional dishes from the south Asian sub-continent.
Restaurant Review with Epicurean
As I have said before, the description of the cuisine as being “Indian” is perhaps restrictive, as the menus in these establishments feature cuisine not only from India, but also from Pakistan, Sri Lanka and Bangladesh, sometimes including content from what is often called Indo-China. The expectation of the cuisine is “hot and spicy” although most venues offer a range of heat options from mild to hot, which in turn means even the folk who steer away from the slightest levels of heat can still enjoy it.
I suppose the generic term “Indian” stems from the days of the Raj, when India actually meant the whole sub-continent. Whatever the background, these restaurants are popular across the world, and we in Zimbabwe share that enjoyment of this kind of cuisine. I have had a few disappointing experiences in this area of cuisine in the past few weeks, which has offset my excitement over having access to so many Indian restaurants; I think there are no fewer than six of them in Harare.
So it was a delight to have another superlative experience this past week at The Spice Lounge, Gita Ranchod’s very welcoming Indian-themed restaurant in Milton Park, close to the Kensington Shopping Centre. I have dined there a great many times and have never been disappointed, so last Monday night’s suppertime visit made up for the disappointments elsewhere in recent weeks.
In our party of three, each of us was an enthusiast of spicy food, my two guests being keen on something hotter than what I wanted. It was very pleasant to be able to hand over choice of what we wanted to Chef Rakesh, one of the two Indian chefs in the Spice Lounge kitchens; he decided on our starters, main courses and desserts and we shared them rather than taking individual dishes.
Starters were Veg 65, a plate of chicken rolls and tandoori prawns. The prawns were substantial in quantity and tops in quality; on a base of vegetables there were three beautifully presented and very tasty prawns prepared in the tandoor oven. The chicken rolls were also very tasty, with a hard crust exterior containing very spicy chicken meat. Of exceptional enjoyment was the Veg 65, a complex mix of flavours in the form of vegetable dumplings covered with a very exciting chilli yogurt sauce.
Four main courses arrived, accompanied by naan and other breads. The lamb rogan josh was hot and satisfying, as were the fish masala and chicken peshawari (this had a superb cashew sauce). There was also a vegetarian dish, aloogobi capsicum, featuring cauliflower, which I would probably never have chosen for myself and was glad to have been given it. It was a heady mix of flavours, but a very clever selection to have made with the variety and style of each being totally different to the others.
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Desserts came in modest portions, as we were unsure of managing anything else after the starter and mains, which had been preceded by a potato appetiser with accompanying sauces. The gulab jamoob was treacly and sweet, while the sevia (a creamed vermicelli rice concoction) was much less sweet and, crunchy with crushed nuts, proved exceptionally enjoyable.
It was a splendid meal and I was delighted to have been reassured that we have what I believe to be a world-class restaurant serving great Indian-style cuisine. I usually eat outdoors or on the veranda, but as Monday evening was surprisingly and unexpectedly chilly, we sat indoors. There was a selection of other diners and bar patrons, unsurprisingly quiet on a Monday night. I gather Fridays can be very busy and reservations are a good idea then.
The Spice Lounge is open daily for lunch and stays open through to supper, which allows for service to late-afternoon and early-evening diners. It’s now open on Monday evenings, which previously was a night off for the team. As I have written before, one of the restaurant’s claims to fame is a tandoor oven, a traditional clay cooking facility that is the only one of its kind in Harare.
The menu is a large one, with a wide range of offerings that run across most meats and with a substantial vegetarian selection, of course. Accompaniments are plentiful, from rice to naan and roti, noodles, papadoms and other “starches”. The beverages list has a good range of suitable and interesting wines, also featuring other drinks, including teas, coffees, milkshakes, soft drinks, a full bar of alcoholic beverages and cocktails. Entertainment is laid on in the bar from time to time, usually on Friday evenings and Sunday lunchtimes.
Charges for food are competitive: starters range from $5 to $12 while mains are on offer from $10 to $20 and desserts are $5 or $6. Accompaniments are in the $2 region. Parking is good — there are spaces within the premises or in a guarded park just outside the perimeter wall.
The Spice Lounge is a very welcoming dining venue that offers a consistently high standard of service and cuisine. Reservations and enquiries: call 0779 581000 or e-mail: [email protected]. It’s on the corner of Lezard Avenue and Prince Edward Street, Milton Park, about 100m from the Kensington Shopping Centre.
