Has it really been over 15 years since my last visit to Chutney Joe? How time flies!
It just goes to show how hard it is to keep up with the dozens of Indian restaurants in the Cambridge area. For the sake of keeping up to date on what’s happening in Cambridgeshire, I decided to swing back and check how the place is still doing after all these years. It has been open for an impressive amount of time, especially considering how many “flash in the plan” restaurants open and close – so they clearly must be doing something right.
In terms of interior, the restaurant hasn’t changed much…and that is no bad thing. It is a restaurant with lots of light and an attractive wooden bar, equipped with Kingfisher beer on draft. It has a distinctive style while not being too in your face.
Papadums
We started off with some papadums, which came equipped with 3 sides – onion salad, yogurt, and that red onion chutney. I found this to be an unusual mix that didn’t really seem to go together well (even though individually they were all well executed). I requested some lime pickle as extra, that turned out to be lovely and smooth. I know mango chutney is a popular option, so you may need to request this yourself while ordering.
Saag aloo
The saag aloo was presented in a metallic bowl and garnished with onion. The potatoes were nice and fluffy with some well cooked spinach that had a balanced texture of crispiness, without being too dry.
Peshwari Naan
The peshwari naan was served cut up into four slices, making it much easier to share. There was a good portion of peshwari in the centre, adding a lovely sweetness which made a nice change from the predominantly savoury meal. The naan was cooked really well with no crispy burned parts and a soft base.
Taste of Nepal
My son ordered the “Taste Of Nepal”. A boneless chicken dish with minced lamb cooked in a mild spicy sauce. This came with some salad and complimented the pilau rice quite nicely. I didn’t get a chance to try it myself but it was thoroughly enjoyed by my son. I felt £15 for this may have been a little steep but it does come with two different types of meat in the dish.
Vindaloo
Needless to say, I ordered my usual staple – the vindaloo. I noticed that they had duck tikka vindaloo on the menu. Something I haven’t had in years but is still one of my all time favourites.
The vindaloo had a nice spicy kick with chunks of well tikka’d duck breast. Each piece of duck was thick and juicy, while adding something a little different in my curry that many places won’t do.
It was a great take on a curry I have many fond memories with. If you haven’t given it a try then I highly recommend it.
The bill came to what you would expect for two people but controversially an automatic 10% service charge was added to the bill. We were then given some chocolates but no hot towel or wipe was provided.
Conclusion
Chutney Joe is a pleasant and competent Indian restaurant that also offers a selection of Nepalese dishes, making it more than “just another Indian restaurant”. I wasn’t too sure about the sides that came out with the papadums, but otherwise I found it to be a decent restaurant with great customer service and well executed food. I will certainly meet the standards of anyone that loves a good curry and I can see why it is so popular in Cambourne. I bet it serves the town incredibly well.
I promise I won’t leave it another fifteen years until my next visit 😂
Thanks for reading
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