Cafe Spice Namaste

I saw an article at the Evening Standard about Chef Patron Cyrus Todiwala and his restaurant Cafe Spice Namaste’s commitment to the environment and sustainability. The restaurant holds a Green Apple Award for Environmental Best Practice and was Highly Commended in the Sustainable Food Category of the 2009 City of London Sustainable Cities Awards.

Well, let's say from the entrance you see lots and lots of certificates and pictures on the wall, and one can't stop thinking...if you are really good, do you really need to prove it or can you just let people acknowledge it? That entrance put me off a little, I must say, but I was decided to check for myself.

Anyway, I went in and I was greeted by an Asian (Chinese) man which was a surprise! Did I get the wrong address I wondered...

The decor is an “India meets Egypt” kind of thing, very warm and vibrant colours, the menu is innovative and I could see their commitment to staff training.

I had the £15 at 15 Menu celebrating their 15th anniversary.

For starter I had Shammi Kebab, Mughal yellow peas cake served with date and tamarind sauce, which was very spicy (too spicy for my taste) and sadly dry.

For my main I had Goan fish crurry with coconut extract, butternut berry served with organic unpolished red rice. It was creamy and tasty with not very much on the plate. Nevertheless I enjoyed it.

The pièce de résistance was Mr Todiwala’s Rose and Cardamom ice cream - simply the best item of the menu.

Cafe Spice Namaste:  16 Prescot Street, London E1 8AZ

closed on Bank Holidays and Sundays