Lizzie Wood - Freelance Journalist

Spice City - Ely

'The atmosphere is loud with jollity, the restaurant both lit and decorated brightly, with staff expertly wheeling laden silver trolleys and delicately carrying trays of oversized beer bottles.'

Indian restaurants have the unfortunate habit of merging into one – the formula is often the same, and it can be down to the chef’s uniquely foreign, traditional ‘specials’, or the attentive nature of the service staff to differentiate the venue. Spice City has the added struggle of being nestled neatly between two competing restaurants, offering Thai and Chinese cuisine. Located at the bottom of Ely’s charming High Street, the distinct aromas meet you early, and fight for your attention as you get nearer; the powerful smell of the Chinese just winning out, masking the presence of the Indian restaurant. Nevertheless, as the restaurant opens up ahead of you, all thoughts of Chinese are quickly abandoned.

It’s a large and popular restaurant, with the capacity to seat large parties in arrangements of long tables. The atmosphere is loud with jollity, the restaurant both lit and decorated brightly, with staff expertly wheeling laden silver trolleys and delicately carrying trays of oversized beer bottles, weaving in between the arrangement of tables. The formula is spot on: poppadums need hardly even be ordered, they arrive almost automatically as you’re settling in your chair, with a selection of pickles – the tangy lime cutting through the otherwise searing heat of the chilli pickle, and mango chutney offering a milder option. Traditional Indian beer is also available, on tap or in large bottles; it’s the perfect accompaniment to a heavily spiced curry.

It’s not the place for a quiet, romantic dinner – the atmosphere of the restaurant overtaken, not adversely, by the large groups, where voices need to be elevated just to reach friends located at the other end of the table. Popularity can, however, have an adverse effect on the service – taking perhaps slightly longer than comfortable to be served once the initial appetizers were delivered, simply because the restaurant was, on this occasion at least, overwhelmed. However, it’s certainly the perfect local venue for a laid back party, with a large group of friends, and if you’re prepared to wait, the food is undoubtedly worthy.

Marinated, Tikka-style chicken is served with thick sauces, and the well-cooked naans are fragrant and still soft. Amongst the more traditional Balti, Madras and Jalfrezi are more unusually spiced curries – one heavily flavoured with fenugreek, which proved different but pleasing – and there is certainly plenty of choice. As with almost all Indian restaurants, the food is adjusted to suit the British palette, and many of the familiar curries are at odds with authentic Indian cuisine, brightly coloured and heavily oiled. However, the food, ambience and high spirits enjoyed in the restaurant make this a well liked and successful restaurant.