Cafe Spice Namaste

Having enjoyed fantastic dining experiences at the old Cafe Spice Namaste we couldn’t wait to pay a first visit to their new place. The location of the new restaurant is in a fabulous spot on the Royal Docks in east london on the River Thames giving you amazing views back up the river past City Airport to Canary Wharf. They really have found a great location and when you look around you’ll see that the area is also well populated. This can only be a benefit to the restaurant to make it as successful as the old place.

So on a cold and misty day we headed of to Gallion’s Reach on the DLR. From here it’s just a five minute walk to the restaurant but before you enter do admire the view. When we entered there was Pervin herself to greet us. As they now have a lovely bar area we decided to have a drink first as well as have a chat with Pervin and of course the man himself Mr Cyrus Todiwala. It was great to see them both again and they seemed very pleased with the new venue. We enjoyed a fabulous cocktail while also getting advice on the menu.

Now it was time to be escorted to our table where we were given a fabulous view of the river. So now to the menu which is also a bit different than before as it is now designed for sharing. You start with the Small Ones an extensive selection of small plates. Then there’s the Famous Saucy Ones which are larger portions. The recommendation was for two or three plates each. Then on the other side is a selection of Veg/Vegan dishes along with Breads , Rice and delicious desserts.

While enjoying some Poppadoms & Chutneys we chose a delightful Alvarinho Regueiro 2020 Portuguese wine with flavours of citrus , lime , peach and a mineral finish really was a great pairing.

It’s now time to move to the real reason we’re here the food itself and wow were we in for a treat. So sit back because there’s lot of food on the way. We started with a selection from the Small Ones including Paneer Halloumi Shashlik , Venison Tikka Aflatoon , Garlic Chilli & Ginger Prawn Balls , Roast Chicken Cafreal Zambeziana , Ginger Seasoned Lamb Cutlet & the amazing Five Cheese Chilli Toast. The dishes were perfectly cooked and the flavours on each plate were simply amazing.

We then had a little break before moving on to the Famous Saucy Ones. Here we chose the Goan Vindaloo of Pork Alenteijo Style with shelled clams and Pulav rice as well as the Lamb Dhaansaak. To accompany these dishes we opted to have a Kerala Paratha and a fantastic Badaam Narial Wali Naan (peshawari). We absolutely loved these dishes and really were in an Indian paradise. All this while enjoying watching Cyrus and the team in action in the open kitchen.

Now it was time to finish with desserts and the delights didn’t end here either as we enjoyed the Bebinca ( a multi layered portuguese coconut pancake) , Bombay Creme Caramel , Pistachio Kulfi and a scoop of Parsee Apricot Toffee Caramel ice cream.

We finished with a Masala Chai to bring to an end a fabulous dining experience and one I’ll look forward to repeating as soon as possible. The location is fabulous , the bar area is a great addition , the food is absolutely stunning , the service was very friendly. So yes it will now come as no surprise that I would highly recommend a visit here even if you just want to pop in for a drink , a quick bite or a long relaxing lunch/dinner. Cyrus & Pervin are a fantastic hard working couple and an absolute pleasure to meet. Their knowledge really is second to none and they are also welcome to any feedback you give as they only want to make your experience the best it can be.

Thank You Cyrus , Pervin and all the team for a fantastic lunch and look forward to seeing you all again soon.