Variety – and quality – at Tsaretta Spice.
OUR VERDICT
It’s February and the ski season is in full swing. Perhaps you are off to a swish French resort for half term? If you’re heading to Méribel, then be sure to take a break from the usual gastronomic challenge of death by cheese to pop into Tsaretta Spice, the only Indian restaurant in the Trois Vallées and a hit with all comers since it opened in 2016.
If skiing is not your bag, then worry not for friends and co-owners Simon Gander and Mark Pilcher have recently opened a UK branch in Twickenham.
Robert Scriven
Tucked away in a picturesque corner of Church Street, Tsaretta Spice opened back in July and is proving a hit with local diners and visitors alike.
Rugby day lunches are fully booked and the recent, inaugural Spice Club, which featured a tasting menu and matching wines was also a success.
With funky and stylish design, there is not a flocked piece of wallpaper in sight and Simon and Mark are keen to point out that they try to buy local where they can, even down to interior design elements, many of which have come from Church Street neighbour, Allissias Attic.
Sandy’s also provides some of the fish and Sophie at The Bloomery supplies the flowers.
But what about the food? The head chef is Yousuf Mohammed, who divides his time and expertise between London and France. Having trained at some of the UK’s most renowned Indian restaurants, including Dishoom, Tamarind and the Bombay Brasserie, Yousuf also draws on his childhood in the Indian city of Hyderabad for inspiration.
Robert Scriven
If you want to try a range of small plates, you could sample the tapas available at lunchtime, which include ingredients not often found on the menus of everyday curry restaurants.
Shami kebab, with minced venison and spiced with garlic, coriander, turmeric and cloves, are available alongside goat and pickled onions, as well as a host of vegetarian delights such as Anarkali Tikki – spiced beetroot and quinoa seeds, crumbed in panko and deep-fried.
Want something more substantial? Then the evening menu will not disappoint; it’s full of gutsy flavours and daring ingredient combinations.
Who would have thought delicate (and perfectly cooked) scallops would marry well with curry leaf and roasted tomato chutney? And what about three beautifully trimmed and tender Hyderabadi lamb chops marinated in sweet red chilli, coriander, ginger, nutmeg and honey? Delicious.
It’s easy to get carried away with the ordering in Indian restaurants, especially when everything looks so irresistible, and that’s exactly what we did.
Robert Scriven
Alongside Mangalorean prawn curry in a coconut, tamarind and asafetida sauce, we also had butter chicken (with an extra kick as requested), Bhindi Amchuri – okra tossed with dry mango and spices – yellow lentils, naan bread with truffle oil and plain rice so perfectly fluffy that every individual grain was visible.
A bottle of River Retreat 2016 Pinot Noir and a digestif shot of Génépi, brought back from Méribel by Simon and Mark completed the experience. Boy, we were stuffed.
With no room for dessert, though I had an internal struggle about the iced coffee soufflé, we rolled out into Church Street determined to return soon equipped with elasticated waistbands. Perhaps we could even wear our salopettes, they’re nice and roomy.
Tsaretta Spice, Church Street, Twickenham. For more information and bookings, visit: tsarettaspice.com
