I’ve been asked by one of our Cambridge Foodies members to review a few independent Cambridge chefs to see what I think about a fast growing foody sub culture in the area. This series starts with Salma’s Tiffin Kitchen based in Cherry Hinton, who I’m told makes authentic home cooked Indian food that her Grandmother would enjoy!
Salma’s Kitchen is only open on Fridays and unusually for a takeaway you start by placing your ahead of time. I got around to placing my order on Wednesday, and had the pleasure of ordering the whole menu! Don’t worry, this only consisted of two Biryani dishes (chicken & vegetable), chicken 65, and a few poppadoms. This is authentic Indian home cooked food made by an independent chef, and the menu changes each and every week. Giving the curious amongst us a new experience to look forward to week after week. I selected the delivery option and sat back, excited for Friday night’s dinner.
My food arrived at 18.45 on Friday, delivered by a smiling and friendly delivery person. The smells emanating from the bag were mouthwatering, and I eagerly opened everything up. After the smell, the next thing to strike me were the vibrant but natural colours and I was very pleasantly surprised to find I’d been delivered some raita and pakoras alongside my own items. I scooped out a portion of everything, and sat down to eat.
I’ve never been much of a Biryiani fan, I find it’s usually too dry and if it isn’t then it’s too wet. It is not something I usually order but the nature of the independent chef game is experimentation. Starting with the Chicken Biryani I scooped up a big fork full and I was very pleased to find they’d gotten the texture just right. The rice was as it was meant to be, a touch al’dente, and was coated in just the right amount of ‘sauce’. More importantly the flavour slapped! Starting with just a tingle of spice, and incredibly aromatic, the spice slowly built after each mouthful. The chicken was juicy, tasty, and benefitted enormously from being left on the bone.
Chicken on the bone
After a while the spice built to such a level that it was time to give my tongue a rest. Thankfully Salma saw this coming, and had sent some raita and pakora so I could take a break. Breaking off half a pakora I dipped it into the very chunky raita and had at it. The pakora was dense, and flavourful without being spicy and the sour raita cut through the lingering spice, acting together to get me ready for another round of Biryani.
Pakora
Now I’m not a vegetarian, but I do appreciate a well put together vegetarian dish. The Vegetable Biryani was every bit as delicious as the meat dish, and I was particularly impressed with the additional vegetables throughout. Each vegetable held it’s own and really popped with flavour as you came across them, the tomato and courgette in particular were excellent. Salma decided to include a soy based meat substitute, which for me felt unnecessary, but I had chicken to get back to! It certainly didn’t take anything away from the dish, which felt summery and bright. It has got me curious though, how do vegetarians feel about meat substitutes in vegetable dishes?
The Chicken 65 was absolutely outstanding, and offered a beautifully rich, sticky and nuty answer to the vibrant, tingly and aromatic biryani dishes. Every mouthful offered a heavy hitting alternative to the rest of the plate, and helped to balance out the rest of the meal incredibly well.
Chunky Raita
I thoroughly enjoyed this experience. If people are prepared to shift their habits and plan ahead then there is a lot to be excited about here. Genuine, home-cooked, and authentic Indian recipes that change every week, and are cooked with the love and care of someone cooking for their Grandmother. Put it this way, I don’t think I would fit through my front door after about a year of being Salma’s Grandma. It was just that good.
After a very flat and uninspiring meal at Cuba Libre for mother’s day, we decided to pop in to the Prince Regent for a couple of pints.
I used to drink here all the time but it has been a couple of years since my last visit. I was not expecting much to change as it is one of those places which you always expect to stay the same. I have always had that image of “Cambridge in the future” with flying saucers and transport tubes from Futurama but still have the Prince Regent plodding along exactly the same but I was surprised to see how much of the Prince Regent has had a face lift.
The first thing I noticed was the back patio garden. Previously, it was a very bleak place reminiscent of an old London pub but they have really brought the place to life. Wooden tables that were almost permanently soaked in rain water have been replaced with a rather fetching canopy which not only looks great but also keeps everything (and everyone) dry while it rains. They even had an outside TV with the live rugby on. 👍
Going into the bar, I was pleasantly surprised to see a wide selection of craft beer available. Ranging from local Harston brewery Brewboard to Welsh Brewery Tiny Rebel. This is a far cry from the rather generic taps of beer where your best bet was the Peroni (though that is still available).
I often go for Brewboard, as it’s one of my favourite breweries (and I try to support local!). I was disappointed not to see my Beasticus but Bambino is a worthy pale ale coming at 5.1%.
There were also appearances from Steady Rolling Man by DEYA brewery, Big Wave from Kona, and, of course, Neck Oil from Beavertown.
I decided to settle on the Tiny Rebel ‘Clwb tropica’, mainly because I have not had as much experience with this brewery. I love a tropical beer and at 5.5% made it a great balance of sessionable and flavorful IPA. Top Draw!
Now I know that the Prince Regent does a selection of craft beer, there is no doubt in my mind that I will be back! Especially in the summer!
Cuba Libre is a new Latin American inspired restaurant and bar located in the heart of Cambridge. It opened in 2022 replacing the old Pizza Hut which had been there for as long as I can remember. They claim to be one of the first Latin American restaurants in the city, adding more diversity to it’s rich tapestry of international cuisine.
We decided to visit for Mothers Day. My mum works across the road and has been wanting to visit for a meal for a while. She popped in for cocktails a while back and said it was very good, so she was keen to see what dishes it had to offer. We were also blown away by Urban Fresh in Ely which offers similar South American food and only made us more excited to give it a go.
It was quite empty in the restaurant upon entering. As we sat down it soon filled up and was absolutely bustling by the time we left. I didn’t take many photos, as I hate being that guy sticking a camera over people’s head while they are trying to eat. For a better idea of the interior, make sure to visit their website.
The interior is very modern with a strong Latin theme. Cuba Libre does a great job in that regard. There was even a Latin style band playing live music, adding to the atmosphere. The live music won’t be for everyone, especially for people dining in, as it is very loud and makes it hard to talk and take orders. I found it an odd choice for 1-2pm and was probably better suited for the evenings while the cocktail bar is more lively. The noise resulted in a few miscommunications with drink orders but the band added a character, excitement, and personality which other restaurants in the city do not.
Looking at the drinks menu, I noticed a good selection of beers. They came to a staggering £6 a pint, which I suppose is normal these days but is something I will never get used to. At least the options were draft and Vedett is a great Belgium beer. You had the choice between blonde, IPA, and a Camden Pale ale available which meant there is a choice to satisfy even the more adventurous beer drinkers.
My mother was keen to try their cocktails again and went for a ‘Jungle Bird’. This is rum and campari bitters, fee orange, pineapple, lime, vanilla gimme. It cost £10 but after having a sip myself, I must admit it was very well made. This is definitely an area where Cuba Libre shines!
The menu was not huge but offered a lot of options you won’t find anywhere else in Cambridge such as llama and ox heart. You can find the full menu here. Prices looked reasonable at first glance.
I was quite taken by the pork tacos which stole my heart during my previous visit to Urban Fresh and I was very keen to relive this. I am very aware of my big appetite, so decided to order a skewer to get me over the line.
The pork tacos came in a trio and were presented on a slate with a lemon. Frankly, I was not a fan and it was very oily. My sister’s was also oily to the point where it was streaming out of the taco and all over the plate.
This was after a huge gush of oil and kept on goingFancy a dip?
The tacos lacked a lot of flavour and were absolutely tiny. They were borderline appetisers and I was still left feeling hungry afterwards. This might have passed in a tapas restaurant but we were both left feeling short changed. Prices were reasonable on the menu but we were starting to notice that you don’t get a lot for your money.
These are pork tacos from Urban Fresh – that’s more like it!Chicken thigh taco
My son had the mixed tacos which came was a choice of pork loin, chicken thigh, and beef fillet. This looked slightly more exciting as it had a variety of choice but even he was left feeling hungry afterwards. Very disappointing for a twelve year old boy.
Bistec de llamas
Luckily, I had thought ahead and ordered a skewer to make sure that I would not leave hungry. This was called the ‘bistec de llamas’ which translates to beefsteak llama. The meat quality was very good due to the marination, which made it succulent and flavorful but it was a very disappointing size. Maybe I have been spoiled by Turkish restaurants or trips to restaurants in the Mediterranean but it was measly. For comparison, I would say it was canape size. In fact, this could have been double the size and I would consider this to be average. Unfortunately, even with this, it still left me feeling quite hungry. Considering this came to £20 with the tacos, I was starting to feel like this restaurant is more expensive than first assumed when reading the menu.
Papas criollas doradas – £7
My wife fell for this trap too. She has never had a big appetite and thought that a skewer and a few potatoes would suffice. She described the skewer as ‘very tasty but luke-warm”. This is something a few of us had noticed on our order too but it was not cold enough to make any noise about. The potatoes were called papas criollas doradas which are a form of yellow roasted potato. I never had a chance to sample the dish but they were well received across the table. They looked great but again, portions looked small.
You are given the option to buy 4 mixed skewers for £25. This saves you £2 but I fear that though this might be enough to fill you up, you’d essentially be eating an unbalanced meal of pure meat and you would still need to buy a few sides racking your meal up to £35-40.
My step dad ordered the ‘seco de cordero’ or lamb shank. This was the star of the show for me and felt like the only dish which was a full portion. It was served with beans in a dark creamy sauce which was absolutely sublime. The lamb itself was decent enough though my step dad said that it was nothing out of the ordinary in terms of quality. The dish was (what would seem) a fair price of £19 but it did not come with any greens or carbohydrates, so he had to order some asparagus for £8 on the side to make it complete. This soon racked up the price and was touching nearly £30 in total and still came without any potatoes.
Esparragos choclo huancaina
The asparagus was fantastic. The portion was good and the sauce really brought the dish to life. It came out luke-warm but it was not enough to ruin the dish. I was unsure if this was supposed to be served cold or warm but luke-warm felt wrong for either example. Even with that in mind, I would still recommend it to anyone thinking of visiting. My mum and I ended up scavenging the remains of this as we were still hungry after our meals, so we got a really good sample.
Most of us at the table felt unfulfilled after our dinner and were even feeling resentful ordering even more just to feel like we had a good meal. It was mother’s day however, so we decided to indulge in some desserts. If it was not a special occasion I think I would have left it there and ordered the bill.
We decided to try the brigadeiros, a dish of 4 chocolate coconut balls served with cream. I must admit, I am glad I decided to give the desserts a try, as I thought they were spectacular. The balls were very thick and the chocolate was dense which (luckily) filled you up. For £7, I thought it was a good deal.
After our desserts, we ordered the bill. Between six of us it came to around £185 A 12.5% service charge was added which I thought was very high, especially considering drink orders were mixed up and some of the food came out luke warm. We discussed our dissatisfaction with the waitress but it was mostly met on deaf ears. There was an accent barrier and the music was very loud, making communication hard. We decided to pay and move on. After all, the restaurant was not about to change their portion sizes for the sake of us.
My wife decided to change our new born baby in the baby/disabled toilet. She unfortunately reported that the toilet had a table and a high chair inside, essentially using the toilet as a cupboard. This is sadly a common thing in restaurants, as reported on my friend’s blog Jim’s Perspective (make sure to check out this blog as it’s absolutely fantastic! He’s reviewed nearly every Cambridge restaurant on their wheelchair access!).
Upon leaving, we were in agreement that we did not feel like we had a satisfying meal, especially we for the money we had spent. In fact, we had to order my son a burger and chips at the Prince Regent afterwards as he was “starving”. The quality of the food here is good and the prices seem reasonable on the menu but once you sit down and start to eat you realise quickly that you should have ordered more. Expect to pay £35-40 a person before drinks if you want to feel like you’ve had a good (and balanced) meal.
Would I recommend Cuba Libre? With all things considered, not really. If you are looking for quality cocktails in an exciting, lively, and stylish surrounding then this is a great place to be, otherwise, there are much better options on the hyper competitive Regent Street. If you are insistent on Latin/South American food then I would personally catch the 12 minute train to Ely and visit Urban Fresh. Especially considering both restaurants are close to the train stations on each end. Cuba Libre feels like a tourist trap.
Maybe I am not the “target market”, or maybe I “don’t get” Latin food. I saw a lot of people really enjoying themselves, so perhaps my expectations were all wrong. Either way, considering the competition out there, I cannot see myself coming back again.
Has anyone else been? What did you think? Get in touch and I am more than happy to add their views.
Cambridge Foodie Gerry makes his blog debut by sharing his Baklava recipe. Gerry has been experimenting with this recipe at home for a while now and I have tried this myself and it’s well worth a go – Simon
Ingredients:
• Chopped up pecans, almonds, and dried mango mixed with honey.
• 250g of Ghee (butter which is melted and strained).
• 200ml water with roughly 250g brown sugar and half teaspoon cinnamon.
• 300g pastry in 30/40 sheets.
Spread ghee on the pastry then layer it.
Halfway, add your sweet nuts mixed with honey.
Once finished, cut to portion. Careful not to disturb the layers then warm oven to 150c.
Bake for 20min, then lower to 130. Make syrup.
Warm syrup till dissolved then boil for about 10 min. Reduce heat to simmer.
Once baked pour the syrup on and allow to cool. I do this in the oven after I have turned off as the residual heat reduces the syrup further, while keeping it fluid longer. This gets it into all the layers.
Dear Foodies! Get ready to take your taste buds on an exotic and flavourful adventure with Sri Lankan cuisine! From aromatic spices to succulent meats and fresh seafood, the culinary traditions of the island nation are a feast for the senses. But be warned, the mouth-watering aromas and bold flavours might just make you forget your table manners and dive in headfirst! So come hungry and get ready to experience the explosion of flavours that is Sri Lankan cuisine.
Sri Lankan cuisine is a unique blend of spices, flavours, and textures that are heavily influenced by its geography and history. Located in the Indian Ocean, Sri Lanka is an island nation that was colonised by the Portuguese, Dutch, and British, each of whom left their mark on the country’s cuisine.
Today I am presenting the iconic and irresistible Sri Lankan pork curry and roti. This dish is a perfect example of the rich, complex flavours that Sri Lankan cuisine has to offer. It brings together tender chunks of belly pork, simmered in a rich and fragrant curry made from a tantalising blend of aromatic spices and creamy coconut milk. Paired with soft and fluffy coconut roti, this dish is the ultimate comfort food that will warm you up from the inside out. So, get ready to indulge in this mouth-watering delight that will transport your taste buds straight to the vibrant streets of Sri Lanka!
Pork Curry
To make the pork curry, you will need:
500g of belly pork and/or shoulder, cubed
1 onion, chopped
Pinch of Curry Leaves and Pandan leaves
4 garlic cloves, minced
5g of Tamarind and/or Garcinia
2 full tablespoon of roasted Ceylon curry powder
1/2 teaspoon turmeric
1/2 teaspoon cumin
1 teaspoon coriander powder
1/2 black pepper powder
1/2 teaspoon of Ceylon cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon cardamom
1/2 teaspoon fennel seeds
1/4 teaspoon fenugreek seeds
1/2 teaspoon black mustard seeds
1/4 to 1 teaspoon chilli powder (to your taste)
3 to 4 Cloves
5g of grated Ginger
5g of Lemon Grass
2 to 3 Green Chillies
300ml of thick coconut milk (can be prepared with Maggi coconut powder)
Salt, to taste
Coconut/Vegetable oil
Instructions:
Mix salt, pepper, and tamarind/garcinia with pork cubes well and leave at least 45 minutes to marinate.
Heat a tablespoon of oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the pork and cook until lightly browned on all sides, about 5 minutes. This will get the meat tender, warm, and absorbent.
Heat a tablespoon of oil in the same skillet over medium heat. Now sauté the onion, garlic, cloves, cardamoms, curry leaves, and mustard until soft and fragrant, about 2-3 minutes. Mix the curry powder to the mix and heat for another 1 minute.
Add the pork back to the skillet and stir to coat with the spice mixture.
Pour in the coconut milk and bring to a simmer. Reduce the heat to low and cover the skillet. Cook for 30-40 minutes, or until the pork is tender and cooked through.
Add grated ginger and lemon grass in the last 10 minutes and test for salt and adjust accordingly. This will preserve their fragrances and flavour in the curry. Now it’s done!
Coconut Roti
To make the coconut roti, you will need:
2 cups of all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup grated/shredded coconut
1/2 cup water
1/4 cup coconut/vegetable oil
Instructions:
In a large bowl, mix together the flour, salt, and shredded coconut.
Add the water and vegetable oil and stir until a dough forms.
Knead the dough for a few minutes until smooth and elastic.
Divide the dough into 8-10 equal portions and shape it into balls.
Flatten each ball into a thin, round disc.
Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add a teaspoon of oil and cook each roti for 1-2 minutes on each side, or until golden brown and cooked through.
Now serve the pork curry and coconut roti together for a delicious and satisfying meal. The creamy, spicy pork curry pairs perfectly with the sweet and savoury coconut roti, making for a truly unforgettable taste experience.
It was that time of year again – My wife’s birthday. Sushi & Salad is one of our favourite restaurants and we come here every year without fail (more often than not, we come here several times a year). We have reviewed it time and time again explaining why we love it so much but I was a little anxious tonight, as I was not sure whether there was anything left to say on this visit other than “it’s still awesome”.
Luckily, Sushi & Salad gave us another example as to why it is one of the top restaurants in Cambridgeshire that perfectly demonstrates why we keep coming back. Tonight, there was a lesson on how to maintain unparalleled customer service and keep long term customers returning.
Brazilian style Japanese sushi
Even the best restaurants will have an off night or the occasional error. Those of you who say that they don’t are quite frankly lying. It is impossible to run a restaurant for several years without the occasional problem or technical issue, though it isn’t the ability to avoid problems which define a restaurant but how they handle it which makes the difference.
During our latest visit, we placed our order with the team and continued to chat while our food was being prepared. Sushi & Salad make a point of making their dishes fresh to order, so we were aware that their orders can take longer than some other restaurants (and for good reason). After 50 minutes nothing came, yet we had noticed that 3 other tables had gotten food before us despite arriving after.
Avocado
We brought this to the staff’s attention who decided to look into why this was. It turned out that our order had been lost in the computer system which communicated with the kitchen (let this be a lesson in always communicating with the restaurant). Naturally, the staff were mortified and apologised profusely. Not only did they rectify and problem promptly but also gave us a bottle of wine on the house (and a deduction in our bill). This was entirely unprompted by us and initiated by the staff team. Wow! No muss, no fuss!
Naturally, the food was to their usual high standard and came out shortly afterwards. The white wine is simply excellent and was perfectly suited to sushi; being crisp, light, and zesty.
Error aside, the meal was another outstanding success. This is and always will be one of the top restaurants in Cambridgeshire. Make sure to try their Spicy Crunch and Crunch rolls. Even during my tour of Japan I had never found anything I have enjoyed this much (which is a bold statement, I know!). Needless to say, we will be back!
Have you had any examples of top quality customer service? Have you had any nightmare customer service experiences in Cambridgeshire? Let us know in the Cambridge Foodies Facebook group.
We are painfully lacking in Asian content on the Cambridge Foodies, especially Korean food. Which is a shame, as Korean food is one of my favourite cuisines. I used to eat it all the time in my twenties, back when I used to spend a lot of time with Korean friends cooking different dishes after visiting the Seoul Plaza on Mill Road.
My wife and I decided to pop into Cambridge for some lunch and a bit of shopping last weekend and we found this lovely looking Korean place called Yori, so we decided to give it a try.
The restaurant is very small and we had our new born son with us (who had the inevitable push chair and bags with him) so we were unsure whether we were going to fit. Luckily, it was between lunch and dinner time, so it was not too busy. The staff were also very helpful in accommodating us and were kind enough to move a table across so we could fit in and enjoy our meal.
The tables have QR codes which, when scanned, brings up the menu on your phones so you can place your order digitally. For an old bugger like me, this felt very innovative. Though for some bizarre reason my phone kept bringing up something entirely unrelated, so I had to use my wife’s phone.
I was surprised how quickly the orders came through on the app. Ordering an extra rice during my meal, it must have been on our table within 30 seconds.
The waiter went through all the food on the set menu to give us an idea of what was coming. He also explained how the food was supposed to be eaten, which is great for people who are either inexperienced or have not had Korean in a long time.
Bang bang
I decided to go full Korean and try a can of ‘Bong Bong’. This is a very sweet grape soda. In fact, it even had lumps of grapes in the drink! I absolutely loved it! Surely that counts towards your 5 a day? 😂 Either way, I found it a great novelty being able to try some Korean products that you would unlikely be able to find anywhere else in the UK.
We ordered something called ‘BBQ Set 1’ which is made for two people to share. It cost to £45 and came with a bottle of Jinro Chamisul. This is soju, a clear colourless alcoholic beverage. It’s quadruple-filtered with bamboo charcoal and blended with Finish fructose. This is a very clean tasting drink which won’t be to everyone’s liking as it has a sharp aftertaste. It comes to around wine strength but is drunk in shot glasses.
We were given a selection of bean sprouts, cucumber, and seaweed as a complimentary starter. Naturally, it came with a big bowl of kimchi too. These were versatile dishes that were great to pick at while we waited for the rest of the food in their own right but were also good at complimenting the rest of the dishes which were due to come out.
We were also given a bowl of rice which accompanied a spicy pork, kimchi, and tofu hot pot. This was one of the more exciting dishes of the meal, especially for people who like that added kick. Though it was spicy, it was not so hot that my wife couldn’t enjoy it, making it very accessible to everyone.
We were also given some of the freshest lettuce I think I have ever had. I am not a big lettuce fan but this was so bold, crisp, and succulent. The leaves were huge and big enough to use as a wrap. This added a great texture and an added crunch to what we were eating. It did get a little messy but was all part of the fun.
The star of the show had to be the pork belly served with onion and peppers. Portions were about right for two people and were great to pick at with the chop sticks. We were given BBQ side sauces which really complimented it well. The pork was great quality and ever so juicy. The best thing about the meal is that you could make it your own. The pork went really well in a lettuce wrap but also was good enough in its own right to dip in the BBQ sauce.
My wife and I thoroughly enjoyed our lunch at Yori. We had zero complaints about any of the food. It was also great sampling Korean products that you would otherwise not see in the UK, such as the ‘Bong Bong’ and the Soju wine. Prices hovered around the £55 mark, which is a lot for lunch, but the service was very fast and the staff were extremely accommodating. My only complaint was that I didn’t feel as full as I would have liked. This is likely not to be an issue with most people as I am quite big and can really put the food away.
I have been around the block a few times when it comes to curry in Cambridge. In that time, I have had the pleasure of sampling some truly special dishes which stand out from the rest. Here is a list of some of my all time favourite experiences that you should go out and try RIGHT NOW!
8. Masala Dosa @ The Banana Leaf – Milton Road
It’s hard to find a good masala dosa in Cambridge, with Vedanta offering a rather anemic take on the dish and other restaurants falling flat on either quality or consistency. Banana Leaf always knocks it out of the park and even gives a generous portion to boot!
If you are one of those people who always goes for the usual British-Indian dishes and is looking to branch out and explore more traditional Indian cuisine, then this is an absolute must!
It feels strange having a side sauce to a papadum on the list but the lime pickle at Curry Palace has always had a special place in my heart. The owner has told me that he goes to London especially to pick it up especially and it is clearly worth the journey (in my opinion). My wife is a lime pickle connoisseur and she absolutely loves it too. It’s chunky, salty, zesty, and sour – everything lime pickle should be! It may not be everyone’s ‘cup of tea’ but it is certainly ours!
I have only had this dish once but it’s all I have ever needed. Till this very day, I have no idea how they managed to make such a tough cut so tender.
The dish is ox cheek in slow roasted spices, aloo chole and chickpeas, in an onion and tomato sauce, with greens, rice, and served with a honey and ginger naan.
The flavour, the presentation, the colour… absolutely remarkable! An absolute must for anyone who enjoys fine dining.
It’s not often I try a dish for the first time and rush back within a week because I can’t get it out of my mind! That is exactly what happened when I visited Khaani in St Ives and tried their chicken ruby! So thick and creamy, bursting with flavour, and best of all is accessible to everyone! A chicken tikka masala on steroids!
Everything at Cam Spice is cooked to perfection and is consistent in doing so too. One thing which always stands out for me is Russell’s lamb tawa. It’s delicious and very exciting when brought out on the sizzling platter (which livens up any evening out) but can also be ordered ‘vindaloo hot’ for that added kick!
3. The dreaded Bengal Tiger @ The Taj Tandoori – Cherry Hinton Road.
Warning: May melt spoon!
The Bengal Tiger is infamous with the regular customers at The Taj Tandoori. Nowadays, it is off the menu but Syed and Jools are more than happy to accommodate on request. Slow cooked mutton in a naga sauce! Need I say more?
Not for the faint hearted but still equally delicious. I have it every time I visit!
Lalbagh are well known for their seabass dishes and one of my favourite dishes of those is their legendary rhubarb seabass. This pan fried seabass fillet is sweet, sour, and refreshingly unique. It’s the sort of thing many people wouldn’t order by themselves but I assure you that if you take the plunge then you will not regret it!
If you order their seabass special then it’s even served in an adorable fish shaped dish, d’awww!
1. House black daal @ Dishooms takeaway – Cambridge
Dishooms is legendary for its Black Daal. It took the city of London by storm and is now available in Cambridge through a takeaway set up. It is not often something like this lives up to the hype but this truly does in this example. My biggest gripe is that it is not served in bathtub sizes, as I would be more than happily to bathe in this thick and creamy daal. It compliments everything it touches, so just a humble naan will do to accompany it. It is utter heaven in a pot and only costs £4. It’s just a shame that it only delivers to Cambridge. 😭
Cambridge Curry Community moderator visits the House Of Spice.
“I finally had the opportunity to eat at the new House of Spice in Haslingfield on Friday. This new restaurant is possibly closer to me than one of my favourite Indian restaurants so I have been quietly absorbing comments and feedback about the place.
What I’ve heard has been along the lines of “it’s really great, really good food, nice place” at best to “not as good as x but it was good”, nothing bad per say so I went in with an open mind kind of expecting to be able to pick up on multiple forgivable faults while still expecting it to be good, does that make sense?
I can honestly say I was pleasantly surprised to be completely wrong. I can’t really find fault in my experience. Lovely warm welcome, pleasant decor, excellent service and really, really good food.
I was particularly pleased with the 5 condiments in plentiful supply with the papadums, very rarely have I ever not eaten every last spoonful.
The mains were impeccable, I had a spicy king prawn Naga dish and the gentleman serving quickly cottoned on to my desire for heat and brought out a bowl of delicious Naga pickle on the side. My mum had a chicken tikka Rogan Josh wish she said was really good. The rice was perfect, the naan was perfect, the onion bhajis were crispy and full of flavour and we were given complimentary Bombay aloo.
I was absolutely stuffed, the portion sizes were formidable.
Honestly, I was impressed, if I were to really dig for criticism I’d say it’s slightly pricier than other restaurants in the area but what isn’t going up in price these days? And you certainly get what you pay for here.
Brown Bread is a family run artisan bakery stall which features at Ely Market. It is a stall which I have been visiting for years now and I find almost impossible to walk past without spending a fortune.
There is always a queue…for good reason!
The team at Brown Bread pride themselves on using traditional methods and shuns what they call ‘industrially manufactured produce’. Everything is hand made, fresh, and with twenty years experience under their belt.
The range is vast, starting with humble snack items, such as scotch eggs, pastries, and samosas, to more substantial foods like sourdoughs, breads, and one of my personal favourites, foccacia. They even offer desserts, cakes, and muffins, so watch out!
I am just going to come out with it and apologise from the start, my photos of Brown Bread over the years have been terrible, so please visit their Instagram page to see what they offer. With that said, the photos I have taken give you a good idea of what they are about and the quality they offer…It all looks so so good!
One thing I want to make a big ‘song and dance’ about is their croissants. I have always disliked croissants, even during my time visiting Paris and Carcasson numerous times. I have often found them to be very unfulfilling, small, and mostly full of air. That was until I saw these absolute beauties at Brown Bread the other day!
Their almond croissants are absolutely huge! Not only are they big enough to fill up a man my size but they are substantial on the bite. Historically, with my experience with croissants, they mush down into nothingness and it feels like you haven’t eaten anything at all. The ones at Brown Bread feel like actual pastries. After sampling this monster, my opinion on them is entirely turned around.
M-m-monster!
They have a great range of desserts, taking up several tables. They do a mean cheese cake but also offer a selection of brownies.
Speaking of brownies, I am quite partial to their Ultimate Brownie. They are quite steep at £3 each but you can get them for £2 a pop if you buy 4. I think this is a fair deal, considering they are hand made, Belgium chocolate, and consist of 70% cocoa. In my opinion, it certainly pays off to buy in bulk.
Brown Bread is growing in popularity and is now at dozens of locations across Essex, London, and Cambridgeshire. Their Ely stall visits on Thursdays and Saturdays and their Cambridge stall opens on Mondays, Wednesdays, Fridays, and Sundays.
My boy when he was younger, making the toughest decision of the day
The Brown Bread market stall really adds to that wholesome afternoon walking around with the family, especially in historic Ely with the cathedral looming over us and the river a short walk away. My son always likes to pick himself out a little treat which is why it’s important to know that such love and care has gone into making everything here.
Bliss
One of my guilty pleasures is their foccacia olive bread, which is one of my favourite foods on the planet. Freshly baked that day, I will take some home after picking up some Black Bomber cheddar from the Cheese & Pie Man (who I have lovingly dubbed ‘the most dangerous man in Ely’). These two compliment each other perfectly. So many half hearted diets have been utterly shattered by this combo!
Make sure to get yourself down to one of their stalls the next time you are in Cambridge or Ely. For those of you who haven’t tried Brown Bread yet, I know you will love it!
It’s that time of year again, where I pop to Royal Spice for my annual takeaway.
With my never ending journey of Indian and Bangladeshi restaurants in Cambridgeshire, I always manage to find time to come back and visit Royal Spice on Michams Corner year after year.
Kusboo (spicy)
Royal Spice offers that perfect Saturday night takeaway. Spicy curry with a great kick, consistent quality, and a competitive price (check out their menu here). You can still get a curry here for £7.95, which, for central Cambridge in the age of inflation, is pretty good going!
The lamb is always good quality too, which is something I always keep in mind when ordering a takeaway, as it’s an easy meat to get wrong and is often scrimped on in some restaurants.
Lamb tawa
Dishes can be a little oily but that’s something I don’t mind for a cheap and cheerful Saturday night takeaway. This is also hardly surprising considering that most of these dishes are oil based. It still doesn’t take anything away from the great flavour you and is perfect comfort food!
Lamb chops
The lamb chops are juicy and succulent, which is important because I can find some (from takeaways especially) very dry. These are perfect for sharing between the family!
Chicken tikka
The chicken tikka is also done well with the skewer hole and tikka colouring clearly viable on the bite. What I like about Royal Spice is that the meat texture is always very juicy. Not too bad for just over £4!
Saag Aloo – extra hot
Saag Aloo is hard to get wrong and today was no exception. The best friend of any curry and great for sharing!
Portions at Royal Spice are fairly standard but are still more than enough to fill up your plate. The food is presented very well and it all looks great when it’s all put together into a plate of glory!
The Cambridge Foodies 