16 Prescot Street, London E1 8AZ

 02074889242/http://cafespice.co.uk

www.curryforchange.org.uk/

Fiona from London Unattached and I have been invited along to Cafe Spice Namaste for lunch and to support Curry for Change.

The campaign is led by the charity Find Your Feet, a small charity founded in 1960 helping families in Asia and Africa to build a future free from hunger, poverty and discrimination. They work in the poorest and most remote places in India, Nepal, Malawi and Zimbabwe, with a focus on supporting vulnerable rural families, marginalised tribal groups, women and young people.  

Cafe Spice Namaste’ s chef Cyrus Todiwala OBE of BBC2’s Incredible Spice Men and his wife the redoubtable and charming Pervin Todiwala have been great supporters of Curry for Change along with some of London’s best known Indian restaurants such as Carom, Benares, Chakra, The Cinnamon Group and Roti Chai. Throughout June they are offering clients the opportunity to sample their culinary creations whilst supporting Find Your Feet through adding a donation to the bill or enjoying a special dish in aid of Curry for Change.

So with all these charitable thoughts in our mind it seemed like a good time to check out the menu over a long cool mango lassi (£3.95) however Fiona needed something a bit stiffer and opted for a glass of Tempranillo/Cabernet, Alsur
(£8.5-250ml) that was robust enough not to wilt under the upcoming spice. We were looking forward to top-notch Indian cooking with pan-Asian, European and Parsee influences.

Mr Todiwala’s Pickle Tray (£0.90 per person-pappadums £0.70) was first up with a mixed veg pickle that showed great depth of flavour alongside a mild burn, a sweet and spicy pear,date and raisin chutney, a refreshing onion salad, and a calming mint, coriander and yoghurt raita. All were freshly made and delicious.

The Vegetarian Starter Platter (£8.25) delivered a really authentic Bombay style Bhael poori that combined crunch with the sweet-sour of the tamarind. A beetroot and coconut samosa was unusual with the the deep earthy tones of the beetroot coming through. The mixed vegetable bhaji was crisp and light whilst the potato  dosa with its warm, pillowy spice of potato, was topped with an enlivening coconut and mint purée. The final element was the elegant tandoori paneer which had great texture and the classic flavours of the tandoor.

Seafood Balchao (£7.95)  possessed a beautifully deep, rich flavour from the sauce’s blend of tomato, coriander and shrimp in a Goan red masala with palm sugar and toddy vinegar.

Mutton Goda Masala (£17.95) is the dish that Cafe Spice Namaste are using to promote Curry for Change, donating £2 from every portion sold to the charity. The sheep are sourced from the Orkney island of North Ronaldsay and fed on seaweed and kelp giving a rich minerality to the flavour of the meat. The curry spices hail from the Karwar region of Maharashtra giving an intense coconut flavoured heat and the slow cooking has created an intensely tender and beautifully flavoured dish. 

The Goan prawn curry and organic red rice (£16.95) was again very authentic tasting with juicy prawns, coconut and the subtle earthy tones of turmeric coming through.

Bebinca (£8.25) is the most popular Goanese dessert-a pancake batter made with coconut milk is flavoured with nutmeg and baked in layers for six hours. Served warm with vanilla Ice cream it was the perfect comfort dessert after all the spice.

The food at Cafe Spice Namaste combines integrity and sophistication providing a real taste of India for its City audience. It’s well worth a visit and especially at the moment to support Curry for Change.