Cafe Spice feels just like any one of the trendy restaurants springing up across Philadelphia. In the heart of Old City, this restaurant has the paper lanterns and bright colors of the city's newest hot spots. When my guest and I were seated in a booth with a giant photograph of beans, I expected the latest in fusion cuisine.
But don't let the contemporary atmosphere deceive you. Cafe Spice serves traditional Indian dishes, specializing in curries and grilled meats. This restaurant artfully pairs classic Indian food with lively, chic decor. The combination is surprisingly hard to find, but Cafe Spice does it well.
We started our meal with lassi martinis ($8.50), a Cafe Spice original. Lassi is a flavored yogurt drink, to which the bartender adds rum and cinnamon. The martinis were a little too strong, but a creative twist to an authentic Indian beverage.
The murg tikka lababdar ($16.95)-- chicken in a creamy tomato sauce -- was flavorful and spicy. Cafe Spice changes their menu regularly, but this dish has remained an option since the restaurant's inception and for good reason.
The Tandoori mix grill ($19.95) offered an assortment of tasty meat and seafood. The lamb was excellent but the shrimp a little fishy. I would stick to Cafe Spice's meat dishes instead of seafood.
The side dishes were notably boring compared to the well-spiced entrees. Both the lababdar and the mix grill were paired with bland lentils, rice and potatoes. While the intensely flavored dishes needed an accompaniment, these were a disappointment.
Instead, order naan ($2.25) -- a soft flat bread that is the way to judge an Indian restaurant. Cafe Spice's version was fresh out of the oven and a perfect complement to our dinner. Ordering it with your meal is a must.
I recommend finishing with one of Cafe Spice's traditional Indian desserts. We asked the manager for his recommendations, and he brought us gulab jamun -- sickeningly sweet and sticky milk dumplings that taste like doughnuts -- and kulfi, a delicious pistachio-flavored frozen dessert (both $5).
With the fancy atmosphere, however, come fancy prices. This is not your campus Indian buffet -- most entrees are a little pricey for a student's budget. Yet Cafe Spice is worth the trek to Old City if you like fresh, innovative interpretations of traditional Indian cuisine.
