Spice of India - where Indian celebrities dine in KL

In my recent trip to Kuala Lumpur, I met an interesting personality – Datin Kuges Salva – her family owns several businesses in Malaysia and South Africa.

For someone who owns several successful business including Austin Chase Coffee outlets, Spices of India restaurant chains and Athena, a premium Mediterranean restaurant – she is one of the most humble of ladies I ever come across in the last few years!!

Her son, Thesan Salva, the CEO of Austin Chase Coffee chains and she hosted me to dinner at Spice of India located at KLCC and Athena at the Pavilions, both in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.

The management had head hunted the chefs from renowned hotels and luxury hotels in India. All the chefs have experience of cooking traditional food as well as the versatility to handle the current trendy demands toward to Indian cuisine. The Lamb Samosa had a generous filling of spiced minced lamb and spices. If the pastry was a little thinner, it would have been perfect. All the food came together and I enjoyed the dinner and more so the company of Datin who shared with me the history of the various restaurants they have. The Roomali Roti was so tender, deliciously thin without rolling and folded like a handkerchief or roomal as it is called in Hindi! I enjoyed mopping the gravies with it. The Sikandiri Raan was highly recommended as the best selling dish in this restaurant. This is a marinated whole leg of lamb slow braised in an oven or on the stove and then finished in the tandoor. The meat was so tender due to the slow braising technique, almost falling off the bone.

The Tandoori Jinga – large prawns dipped in creamy marinade laced with sprinkles of ajwain seeds. The prawns were not overly done like in some Indian restaurants – it was still juicy and flavorful. The Mutton Briyani was not my favorite but it had a generous serving of well flavored tender mutton pieces.

The Palak Paneer was my star dish for the day! They make their own paneer – Indian cottage cheese, at Spice of India. Somehow, home-made cottage cheese is so different from what you buy outside, maybe because the commercial ones come with additives etc. The Palak Paneer at this restaurant is by far one of the best I have tasted in Malaysia. The Baigan Bharta was the traditional mashed smoked eggplant cooked with spices and tomatoes. The Dhall Makhani, typical high fibre Punjabi dish was very outstanding in that the spices were so balanced and at this restaurant they use only black whole lentils and red kidney beans –these are simmered overnight until it is almost creamy and tempered with butter and some cream is added.

I am not a big fan of Indian desserts but enjoyed the Gulab Jamuns, one of the most celebrated sweets of India served at this restaurant. Somehow, the taste, shape and color of gulab jamuns always attracted me! Gulab means rose in Hindi and Jamun is a kind of deep purple colored Indian berry. The name fits this dessert because the syrup used for Gulab Jamun is flavored with rose water and the little dumplings very high in milk.

I was told that popular Indian actors and actresses from all over India make it a point to dine at the Spice of India restaurants during their trip to KL as this restaurant is known for serving food that taste almost like  those served in India!

Spice of India Restaurant
Suria KLCC
Level 4
Kuala Lumpur
Malaysia 50088

Tel: +603 2164 9221

www.spiceofindia.com.my