21 Jan 2012

Spice Village

12 Jan 2012 - Spice Village – Or Curry City?

Spice Village; don't be fooled. Despite its diminutive name in the relative terms for population settlement sizes, this truly is a bastion of curry induced pleasure.


Our decision to go to Spice Village was one taken whilst still firmly within the curry coma that was the initial euphoria surrounding this blog. Whilst spice-infused, this certainly was not a rash decision. We decided to invite our friend and colleague Louise Hitchen AKA 'The Penguin' to join us in this experience (congrats for being the first name drop on the blog, unlucky for being compared to an Antarctic flightless bird on account of your waddling).

Sadly, and I'm sure to her endless regret, The Penguin stitched us up - she met with her sister and sister's friend instead. Despite the obvious embarrassment of being stood up by, not one, but three young females, we soldiered on. However, by the end, the joke was firmly on the birds, who ventured independently out on their own hunt for nourishment, but who could not compete with the indulgent males who chilled together and nursed an infinitely rewarding egg i.e. the curry (for any readers who didn't get this analogy, look no further than Sir David Attenborough's recent series Frozen Planet).

WBA Heavyweight champion, David Haye said of Spice Village (see the website) - 'Great food and exceptional service, will definitely return’. Although an intrepid reviewer is only right to take Haye's sound bite with a pinch of cumin, after polishing off a fair amount of food at this south east Asian embassy, it's hard to disagree - after Kebabs, curry, rice and the like we were left like beached orcas after feasting on some helpless seal pups (apologies for the second, and even more tenuous frozen planet reference).

We arrived and were met by a tall confident waiter who looked as though he would be equally at home providing high level security in Kashmir as working the pass, or so his in ear comms set would suggest. Thankfully he showed us to our table in the heart of the bustling eatery and not a war zone.

 

We were placed just near a raised area which, although not labelled VIP, housed clients who had an air of ‘haves’ whilst we very much felt like the ‘have-nots’ in our lower-tiered seating. However, after a long day at work and a pre-curry tipple in the ‘Sheaf we weren’t fazed, but rather excited about the prospect of sampling what the ‘2009 Tiffin Cup winner’ had to offer (subsequent validation of this bold title claim has proved difficult).

Here’s the breakdown...

Venue

This curry house dominates the local geography. Despite the bold red signage of Chicken Cottage next door (rumoured to be Europe’s largest), the chameleon-like, ever-changing neon sign of Spice Village draws local residents like moths to a flame.

After a recent re-fit, Spice Village has added to its strength in size with plush furniture and a nice chrome finish to the kitchen area. As the largest of the canteen-style restaurants in the area, one expects a lively atmosphere on entering, and we weren’t disappointed with the curry-buzz that welcomed us. There is no danger of over-crowding or falling over other customers’ feet either - a credit to both the efficient staff and the decision not to cram tables in, but rather allow space for the punters’ enjoyment.

Adorning the wall is an ornate clock which is a nice touch, but also a timely reminder (see what I did there?!) of the relative luxury enjoyed here compared to other establishments.

However, whilst we are always respectful of other cultures, beliefs and lifestyles, there is one huge drawback to dinner at ‘The Village’, and that is the no alcohol policy. So, for those of you who want to combine two of Britain’s biggest loves, eating and drinking, you will be left feeling a little thirsty. Whilst we were happy to tuck into a mango lassi on a Thursday, on another night this may have led us to do an about-turn at the door.

In general, though, the positives far outweigh the negatives and, as a venue, Spice Village is pleasant and spacious, and really sets the benchmark for contemporary curry dining on the Upper Tooting Road. 7/10.

Sides and starters

Bottle of table water
2 Mango Lassi
4 Poppadoms
1 Pilao rice
1 Peshwari Chapli Kebab
1 Keema Naan
2 Onion Bhajis

We started with the standard poppadoms and dip to warm the palette - they were faultless. How wrong can you go with poppadoms?, you might ask – I don’t know (yet), but you’ll struggle to top these at Spice Village. Crispiness and gram taste were at optimal levels and the sides were a different gravy (so to speak). The mango chutney was exquisite with minimal lumps; the raita, mint yoghurt dip was perfectly mixed and the chili was of equal standard – and all three complimentary (take note Mirch Masala).

Whilst waiting for our poppadoms a waiter provided us with a litre bottle of table water – we rightly suspected this was not complimentary, but cracked it open anyway. It was ultimately £1.99, so, take it or leave it as you wish; I’m sure tap water could be provided on request. As mentioned, this restaurant is dry, so, along with the water we ordered a mango lassi each.

The mango lassi tasted like the rich creamy (albeit not that mango-y) tears of an angel. Beautiful though it was, we would have liked to have seen a wider selection on the menu and get a little more bang from our lassi (please note bhang lassi is unavailable).

In addition to the poppadoms and lassi we ordered pilao rice, a keema naan, a peshwari chapli kebab and one portion of onion bhajis (two in a portion).

The rice was standard – nothing to report here, but the naan was delightful. At Spice Village, the naan’s are freshly prepared in a tandoor like in most Tooting establishments, but size-wise come out as some of the largest. The Keema contains a rich minced lamb filling and a sprinkling of sesame seeds on top really lifts the flavours – a lovely touch. A meal in itself, the Keema is ideal for a man who likes his stodge

The choice of the Peshwari Chapli Kebab was made after following the advice of Umar Gul, Pakistani fast bowler, who says the Chapli Kebab is the best he’s ever had (see website). It’s our belief, Gul should’ve stuck to spin, as this is arguably a gross exaggeration. It has to be said that both the bhaji and kebab tasted quite dry, almost as if they had been left on display for some time, only to be warmed and served up when ordered - one can only speculate. Still, the kebab had a nice kick and the bhajis were perfectly adequate – the two in the portion being a definite plus.

On this occasion we’re going to give the sides and starters here 8/10.

Mains

Fish Tikka
Lamb Makhni Ghost

The menu read well with both the chef’s recommendations and specials highlighted - we opted for a fish and a lamb dish.


As the Fish Tikka arrived on a sizzling platter, heads turned and big things were expected. On first taste our expectations seemed to have been met, but on further investigation it was a little over-cooked and the tikka lacked that cutting edged that would have elevated it to food rosette level. Also, we found it strange that to accompany the delicate flavour of fish the chef elected to serve it with more onions than a Frenchman’s fruit bowl. Although cod is a meaty fish ideal for such recipes we would have like to have been served one of its more sustainable underwater neighbours. This also raises the point that although it was branded fish tikka it was in fact cod tikka. In order to help set future expectations, and for further menu clarity, our recommendation would be to insert - (singular) - between the word fish and tikka, however, that’s being picky. These points aside, it did have good flavour and the sense of theatre from the sizzling is always a plus point. But, maybe next time we’ll go for the Masala fish that, none other than, Ainsley Harriot boldly claims is ‘the best in the country’ (see website).

As for the Lamb Makhni Ghost, there was certainly something heavenly about this. The lamb was very tender and the onion, tomato and herb curry had a sweet piquancy to it. The ratio of meat to sauce was consummate and the latter’s consistency was similarly well measured. Nothing to fault on portion size either, whilst certainly not the largest it was certainly ample, especially if, like us, you like to go a bit trigger-happy on the sides. A sublime curry.

All in all it’s an 8/10 for the mains.

Service

The staff here are certainly no disservice to the exquisite food. As mentioned already, whilst some have the appearance of bodyguards, don’t be too hasty in assuming they have a cool demeanour as they’re actually thoroughly warm and friendly chaps. Not only are the staff numerous and welcoming, but smartly turned out in shirts and ties. Whilst our waiter changed a few times to start with we weren’t phased as each comported himself professionally and with efficiency. However, there was one luddite, who seemed single-handedly determined to throw a spanner in the works. We clocked him trying to give us a second bottle of table water when there was already one unopened on the table and he (we’re assuming mistakenly) gave us two extra unordered poppadoms – rooky behaviour. Luckily his colleague covered for him and gave us, not only the extra poppadoms, but the originals, for free. This same colleague also competently answered our questions on the fish and made a cheeky joke about the poppadoms (although, I have to confess I personally didn’t hear the joke, but Tom, as a Teessider was more than adequately equipped to deal with the mumbly accent and thoroughly enjoyed the banter, either that or he was being suitably polite).


In addition to good service from the staff it was nice (as both professional market researchers) to see a questionnaire offered alongside the bill. However, this positive sentiment didn’t stop us critiquing it (something we are duty bound to do given our professional capacity):

Whilst the customer details on the back gave us the opportunity for some cheeky marketing by popping down tootingcurry@gmail.com, there were some obvious flaws in the survey. There was a good breadth of questions covering most, if not all customer experience touchpoints, and the card it was delivered on was finished professionally. However, the English in places was suspect, for example the use of ‘U’ instead of ‘You’ , and the uniform rating scale was inappropriate for some of the attributes being rated. This said, we were thoroughly impressed with the curry and scored Excellent for everything, and the commitment to stakeholder management and customer retention shown by asking for feedback can only be applauded. It’s an 8/10 for Service from us.

Value For Money

Our meal came to just over £33 for the two of us, including drinks and a tip, and we were absolutely stuffed. Value For Money? I bloody think so. And we got the best in poppadum cuisine for free. Enough said - 9/10.

Summary 

Jahangir Kan, World Squash Champion, says ‘Spice village is the only place I visit every time I come to UK’ (see website). Given he lives in Karachi, Pakistan, this might seem like a hell of a trip each time, but it’s hard to question his motives behind it. Spice Village is a truly great curry experience and a real ambassador for the Tooting scene. The number of people that can be seen inside each night speaks volumes for the standard of food and service, and leads us to question the choice of name for this esteemed curry emporium. Spice Village? - more like Spice Capital or Curry City or any other augmentative combination of curry and settlement size would probably be more apt. However, perhaps Village is actually quite apt given the relatively understated feel of this curry house given the treasures it holds within.

In summary, a great meal and a great experience, one that I’m sure will keep us and the locals coming back again and again.

With one X Factor point being awarded for the post-meal market research, but quickly removed again for the flaws in the survey (harsh but fair), we are left with a staggering grand total of 40/50, a score that will no doubt prove hard to beat.

See what others thought:



Square Meal

Zomato - Restaurant search and Food Guide

12 Jan 2012

Mirch Masala

Please read this review and others on our new site www.londoncurryblog.com

6 Jan 2012 - Mirch Masala – Starter (and main) for ten

I met Tom at The Wheatsheaf pub opposite Tooting Bec underground station at approximately 1700 hours (Actually, I saw him get off the same tube as me and followed him outside – don’t worry I clocked his headphones and avoided making a tit of myself by shouting at him only for him to be completely oblivious due to aforementioned headphones)

Once in the pub, we enjoyed a nice sup of lager (Amstel) and caught up on news and gossip as most friends who haven’t seen each other for a while tend to do. (At times like this, I personally avoid the hard hitting, deeply philosophical and intellectual debates I’m renowned for, as there’s a time and a place, but each to their own).

After a cheeky couple in The Wheatsheaf, we had another jar in the King’s Head, which has a nice picture of Henry VIII on its sign. Unlike his several wives, we left with our heads very much intact, and with our appetites nicely wetted (deliberate spelling mistake) by the beer.

We stopped off in Tesco to pick up some BYOB and left with a cheeky four-pack of Sols each. Not the best start to our curry marathon on the lash front it has to be said, but they did the job and were pretty much the only thing on a sensible offer. (FYI Mineral water and a clear head are the ideal accompaniment for impartial curry appraisal but we are mavericks blazing a trail down the Upper Tooting Road)

We then made our way to Mirch Masala after ruling out Masaledar (queue) and others (there were no others, Mirch Masala was our immediate second choice). On arrival we found ourselves waiting for space to become available. We were greeted with a smile and were seated reasonably quickly by the door (there was some musical chairs taking place with the current occupants being relocated to the opposite side of the restaurant for no apparent reason). Early fears of a draft were soon quashed and we settled down to enjoy, what was a worthy debut.



Venue

Mirch Masala is an old favourite amongst Tootonians (just made that up), and rightly so, but it's fair to say its strength doesn't lie in its architecture. I must confess, when I first came to Tooting a couple of years ago it was perhaps with an air of out-of-town snobbery about what a curry house should look like. However, my initial prejudice against the canteen-style restaurants of the Upper Tooting Road has subsided, in most part due to the quality of curry on offer. Whilst you might take your Mum or a date (hopefully not one in the same) to a slightly more refined establishment, Mirch Masala's charm, like many other places, is in its food and value; but more on that later. In general, with two floors and table versatility, there's plenty of room for pairs and groups alike. Geographically it's located equidistant between Bec and Broadway tubes for the convenience of those travelling either North or South. However, the decor is fairly drab, as is the furniture, so, whilst not the highest priority, I'll have to give Mirch a Tooting benchmark of 6 on 10 for Venue

Sides and Starters

Poppadums
Butter Naan
Peshwari Naan
Pilau rice

Starting with the poppadoms, there was nothing really to complain about here other than the sides. Whilst I appreciate the business sense in charging extra for mango chutney, as it is essentially an inelastic product, it leaves a bitter taste in the mouth (metaphorically not literally) when rivals in area are fairly liberal in offering it. In addition the chilli and mint dips were not, in my humble opinion, of a standard to adequately replace the mango. If we’re going to be fussy, the poppadoms were also provided as standard, at a nominal fee. I respect the foresight and business sense (again), as obviously only a fool turns them down, but to quote Alan Partridge, I want that decision to be mine. This said, I’m picking on a minor part of the sides and starters experience.

The rice at Mirch Masala is served in large portions which is a definite positive – ideal for a couple, or famished male. The naans, it has to be said were a mixed bag. The butter naan was a tad dry, but the peshwari was as moist as an otter’s pocket and succulent to boot, and, whilst not as sizeable as some on the Upper Tooting Road, they were more than ample. What about the bhajis I hear you cry? Well, whilst I appreciate, from previous experience, they are rather unique here at Mirch, on this occasion we did not partake and therefore have to remove them from our 100% objective assessment (I’m sure we’ll come again). On the whole though we’ll have to give starters and sides a steady 6 out of 10.

Mains

Chicken Karahi Methi
Chicken Jalfrezi

As a first port of call, I like to consult the specials, but Mirch doesn’t offer any explicitly on the menu. Instead, if my memory serves me correctly (we carried on drinking after the curry), we decided to put the waiter through his paces and asked for a recommendation, he suggested the Karahi Methi. When consulted further he waivered under the immense pressure and panicked somewhat - I believe he said ‘Karahi means curry’ (I’ve since looked it up and the Karahi is the cooking pot the curry is cooked in). Despite a lack of clarity with what we were eating it was very good – creamy, garlic sauce (potentially a hint of spinach). The jalfezi was similarly very tasty (note to self: get a food thesaurus), but not the best I've had in the area. The chicken in both dishes was similarly decent, being both tender and succulent. All in all both dishes were of the above-average standard one associates with Mirch’s reputation. However, it must be said neither blew me away. Based on these dishes and these dishes alone, I will give the mains here 7 on 10.

Service

We’ve already mentioned the quick service to be seated which is a definite plus point. Similarly, whilst being a BYOB venue, they were very proactive with offering a bottle opener and in clearing away our empties. Despite the lack of knowledge about the curry, the recommendation was nonetheless strong. Service was prompt and professional and always came with a friendly smile. With no complaints, I’ll give an 8.

Value For Money

Whilst making a point earlier about the lack of choice over poppadoms and the extra cost for mango chutney, all in all the prices here are very fair. Our meal cost £10 each (including a less than generous tip (it was easier to keep it to a round tenner)). Portions are generous (especially the rice) and service was decent. With low cost and quality food to boot, Mirch ranks highly on VFM (certainly falls in the top quartile of our normative database), and will be hard to beat – I’m giving it 8 out of 10.

Summary

Mirch Masala lives up to its reputation and comes highly recommended – a fine place to start our curry quest indeed! Whilst this blog has nothing to rank against as yet, from my previous experience of Tooting I’m happy to use this as the benchmark. All in all, a thoroughly enjoyable meal and the perfect start to a Friday night (for those interested – my house, The Sun in Clapham and then the classy joint that is Artesian Wells).

Totalling the scores up, that gives Mirch Masala, our first officially rated curry house, a respectable 35/50 (no x factor points were awarded)

January 5th A challenge is born

Picture the scene; a young, intrepid market researcher is at his desk, revelling in the joys of customer satisfaction questionnaire writing, when an inconspicuous email pops up in his inbox…it’s Tom, haven’t heard from him in a while… (the following is heavily paraphrased)

Tom: Murf, I’ve moved to your vicinity, we should go for a beer or curry sometime
Murf: I bloody love beer and I bloody love curry -as it’s a now 2012, a momentous year for our nation’s capital, would you like to help me fulfil my dream of sampling and reviewing all the curries of Tooting and writing a blog about it
Tom: I bloody love beer and I bloody love curry too. That sounds like the best idea I’ve heard this year [and probably ever]. Let’s go for a beer and a curry this Friday

…and the rest, as they say, is history…

In order to compare and contrast the curry house’s we visit we will be rating each of them using the following metrics (out of 10):

Venue
Sides and starters
Curry
Service
Value For Money
Total (out of 50)

Introducing the ‘The X Factor bonus'’ – this will be awarded to any establishment that goes above and beyond the call of duty in an area not covered within the traditional score card – the points awarded will be at the discretion of the judges, and, although a explanation will be provided, justification will not. Let me provide you with an example:

While in India the following dialogue takes place between a fellow traveller and a waiter:



‘Excuse me, do you speak English?’


‘Yes of course sir, how can I help?’


‘Does this *points to menu* contain nuts as I’m allergic and one nut will kill me?’


‘Okay sir, I will tell chef to give you nuts, would you like a rice or naan with that’



Award 5 points for comedy, remove 3 for inadvertently looking to kill customer overall X Factor score +2

10 Jan 2012

Introducing our blog...

2012 is upon us and our nation’s capital is bubbling with anticipation for the year’s big events. This year Her Majesty, Queen Elizabeth II celebrates her Diamond Jubilee, and after what feels like a decade of waiting the Olympics come to London this summer. However, in the small suburb of Tooting something undoubtedly more refined and cultured than The Games is going to be taking place. This year, my friend, colleague and co-curry enthusiast, Tom Scrimgour and I (Michael Murphy) will be sampling and reviewing all the curry wares Tooting has to offer. Like Paula Radcliffe, we’re going to put our bodies and bowels on the line and run this marathon, for the good of our nation (and because we bloody love curry). Who will come home with the medals? Who will have us making a 100 yard dash to the bogs? Only time, and curry, will tell.

Fans of the genre and locality may well be familiar with the Tooting Curry Club blogspot, which we hold in high regard, but we felt it time the scene got a new lick of paint (a new dip of chutney on the proverbial poppadum , if you will). We hope to, if not better, but emulate and rival this esteemed blog, and give our own take on one of London’s perhaps most underrated cultural delights, and hopefully entertain and inform in the process. Also, as both market researchers by profession, we feel it only our duty to offer first grade analysis and valuable insight into this wonderful scene (albeit with little to no objectivity, and minimal base robustness or data integrity).

So welcome aboard! We hope you enjoy reading as much as we’ll enjoy doing it