I love Indian food from punjabi restaurant brisbane. It’s always a delight to have your taste buds buzzing with excitement from a perfect blend of herbs and spices that I admittedly could not replicate in my home kitchen.
Upon entering The Spice Room, one quickly realises that the meals served within this restaurant are something rather special – focused on providing guests with an authentic and memorable dining experience.
Located in Circular Quay, The Spice Room immediately transports you to a new place with their exquisite interior design and a grand menu housing a combination of dishes from street food to finer dining. 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.
We openly admired a beautifully carved wooden door displayed next to our table and learnt that it had traveled all the way from Rajasthan!
Like all Indian meals, our first taste of what was to come was the pappdums with mint sauce. There is nothing like the taste of crisp pappadum to munch on whilst you peruse the menu and await your meal.
Our first dish was Pani Puri Shots a definite must try entrée as suggested by several of the staff. Crispy hollow semolina puffs filled with potatoes, sprouts and a side of tangy tamarind water. A traditional street food dish providing a burst of intense flavour!
This was followed by Lamb chops mustard masala cutlets. Spicy lean lamb cutlets marinated in mustard, spices and aromatic herbs, coriander and cumin and roasted in the tandoor. Served with mint sauce. Thoughtfully presented and the flavours were amazing.
The next dish would have to be the standout dish that we’ll be back for time and time again. The King Prawn Gulmohar, king prawns in a special Tandoori Masala flavoured with rose petals, hung yoghurt, cream cheese and mustard oil cooked in a clay oven. The meat was tender and succulent and the rose petal sauce was surprisingly refreshing! It can be hard to cook a prawn dish in the oven and maintain the moistness and taste but these were absolutely delightful and if you go you must have this as a must-try.
Chicken Khurchan, medium spiced chicken tandoori strips slow cooked with capsicum, onion, tomato and red chillies with hints of ghee and garam masala. Not surprising, this is a house specialty and was delicious with the notably fragrant basmati steamed rice. We had a Cheese Naan as an accompaniment to our meal and it was definitely the right choice – fluffy and fresh out of the tandoor oven. I can’t wait to try one of the other 8 Naan options including Nutella Naan!
We rounded off our meal with the Creamy Pistaccio Kulfi on a stick and calming Chai Tea a lovely finish to our meal.
The kitchen has a passionate team of head chefs who originate from India with 20+ years of experience each, adding to the authenticity of the meals.
The Spice Room is open for lunch and dinner, seven days a week and accepts bookings. It offers a creative lunch menu served in 2 tier or 3 tier tiffin boxes and contain a collection of exotic curries, rices and naan breads and can be hired out for corporate functions, product launches and birthday celebrations, among others.
For more information www.thespiceroom.com.au
The Spice Room, 2 Phillip Street, Sydney NSW 2000, (02) 9251 7722