RESTAURANT REVIEW: SPICE WATER TRAIL - CURRENTLY CLOSED

For South Indian Non Vegetarian Food

Chutneys that could change the world. Seriously.

Why is this jewel of a restaurant hiding in an almost defunct market?!

 

LOOKS LIKE
 

 

Spice water trail looks like it was decorated in the early 90s much before the invasion of fairy lights and poorly painted, mismatched chairs. The décor is functional and the design touches perfunctory. Faux temple pillars and a smattering of wooden screens (with not really very south Indian motifs) and some sort of trance bhajan piped over the speakers is pretty much it.
 

 Don’t get me wrong, there’s nothing terribly wrong with it. There’s just nothing to get very excited about either.  

I'm sorry about the phone camera photos but even hyper bloggers sometimes leave their cameras at home. Kane Fry.

TASTES LIKE
 

The menu is a scenic, long winded path through south India. The Sole Kadi and Kokam Martini were lively and busy with tangy flavor. The Tamarind Jacuzzi masked the taste of vodka with an expertly blended tamarind and ginger mix with just enough sweet to keep each ingredient’s flavor balanced.
 

The meal starts with papad served with 4 chutneys – sharp raw mango, sweet and sour tomato, insanely fresh coriander and shy, retiring coconut. The Kane Fry was not the fried fish from my companion’s hazy college memories but it was fresh and the batter perfectly tart – making the effort of picking out the tiny persnickety bones completely worth it.  
 

 The dry Ghonghura Chicken Fry was not as spicy as the Andhra cooking I’m familiar with but each piece was well cooked in Ghonghura leaves. The same feeling struck me with the Mutton Puli Manchi and Kerala Prawns in Raw Mango – the meat and prawns were expertly cooked and all the seasoning in sync but at some point the chef seems to have decided to sap the spice from the preparations. I don’t have a particularly high threshold for heat but there was definitely a certain piquancy missing.
 

 Don’t get me wrong, this is very good food but don’t expect the mouth on fire, sweat dripping off your brow, hard to breathe, sort of wallop that a Gunpowder can give its food.

 

The appam was excellent, pillowy soft but unfortunately a little cold. The steaming, immensely filling Ghee Rice is an indisputable star in its own right.

Clockwise from Left: Mutton Puli Manchi, Ghee Rice, Appam and Prawn and Raw Mango Curry

FEELS LIKE

 The service is good and the restaurant great value for money. My only regret was an overzealous waiter who duped us into ordering 2 curries when 1 is more than enough for two people – I was so full I couldn’t try out any of the promising dessert options.
 

 

THINGS YOU NEED TO KNOW

 

Should you go: Definitely!

Vegetarian Options: Yes

Liquor License: Yes

Smoking Area: No

Address: M 24, 1st Floor, M Block Market, Greater Kailash (GK) 1, New Delhi

Phone: +91 8860080710, 011 30185746

Chunks of Jaggery with your cheque