Found on the first floor of popular restaurant hub the Old Brewery Quarter in Cardiff city centre, Spice Quarter is a contemporary Indian restaurant that draws in the crowd with its menu of both authentic and modern Indian dishes.
Unlike the scores of ‘cheap eat’ restaurants in the Welsh capital, Spice Quarter’s prices are placed a little higher, but still very much within the realm of affordable. The dining room boasts a cream and chocolate colour scheme, with a few splashes of red for good measure. The intricate light fixtures and traditional artworks nod to the restaurant’s Indian heritage, but for the most part Spice Quarter has a vibrant, modern feel.
The glass-fronted kitchen is also one of the room’s more attractive features, looking into Spice Quarter’s kitchen which is manned by five chefs that have all been recruited from luxury hotels in Delhi and Bombay, who specialise in cooking from their regional home. The menu is extensive and kicks off with appetisers such as vegetable samosas and chicken pakora, while groups can begin with sharing platters of jumbo-sized king prawns and Welsh lamb chops imbued with spices.
For your main course, try the likes of prawn jhalfrezi and Punjabi butter chicken and note that all mains arrive at the table with accompanied by a basket of peshwari, garlic and traditional naans as well as pilau rice. There are also a few chef’s specials to choose from too, with choices including roasted duck and pan-fried sea bass.
To finish up, you can tuck into tempting dessert options including kheer (a traditional Indian rice pudding) and gulab juman, or keep it simple with a selection of ice creams and sorbets. Spice Quarter’s drinks menu is as extensive as its food offering, encompassing red, white and rose wines, as well as Champagnes, bottled beers and a list of cocktails that includes all the classics – think Cosmopolitans and Pina Coladas.