[HK] Noble Spice - a taste of Indian and Nepalese cuisines!

Monday, August 12, 2013

Considering that majority of the population in Hong Kong are Chinese, it might seem uncommon to review about authentic Indian and Nepalese food but this was one of the rare finds which made our calories counted. It might take some effort to locate this eatery since it is located on the 7th floor down one of the many buildings at Central, Hong Kong but once you manage to find it, be prepared for some really good food.

Spoilt for choice, we decided to go for the set dinner which was priced at an affordable HK$128/+ per person for 6 courses to get a teaser of what Noble Spice has to offer. We were particularly intrigued by the complementary papadum which was served shortly after we warmed up to our sofa seats.


The papadum tasted fresh unlike the usual factory-produced ones and we enjoyed that it was not overly greasy and sharply crisp.


We fell in love with this titillating appetizer which was a perfect complement to the papadum or even on its own. It was so good that I had to stop the very polite and courteous lady (which I presumed to be the owner) to check what ingredients were in the dish. With a mix of pickles, mangoes, chilli, carrot slices, it was a harmonious combination of spiciness, sourness, saltiness and a savoury after-taste to sum it up. Apparently, according to the owner, only the Indians and Caucasians love this, many Chinese locals found the flavours too overwhelming.

Verdict: 9.0/10

Soup of the day - Curried lentil soup (Mulligatwany Soup) - (Part of Set)


Quite honestly, despite the creaminess and richness of the lentils soup, I found the accompanying herbs and spices in it too strong for my liking and I struggled to sip more than half the bowl.

Verdict: 6.5/10

Complementary Mango Lassi and Masala Tea


The masala tea brought some fond memories of the teh tarik that we have in Singapore, a flavoured tea beverage made by brewing black tea with a mixture of aromatic Indian spices and herbs. This was a milder version which had a stronger fragrance of the tea than the taste of milk. The mango lassi on the other hand was well-received in terms of the levels of sweetness but we found that it lacked depth in terms of viscosity and richness. The server kindly asked if the level of sweetness suited our palate and added that they could adjust according to our preference.

Spiced cubes cut of Potato Salad (Aloo Chaat) - (Part of Set)


There was the option of samosa or the potato salad but we decided on the latter as we try to avoid fried food in general. This was simple and surprisingly good. The calories-conscious me has a love-hate relationship with carbs so I generally avoid potato dishes but the dressing on it was good enough to make me want to finish the dish! The potato cubes were firm yet tender in texture which I enjoyed a lot more than the mashy renditions. The dressing had a nice fragrance infused by the fresh coriander leaves added. It had a good balance of acidity and sweetness and served its purpose of awakening our taste buds for the mains to come!

Verdict: 8.5/10

Chicken Tikka - Charcoal grilled boneless chicken - (Part of Set)


The serving size of the main, chicken tikka was halved that of what you would normally get if you ordered it ala carte, which suited us well since we were really just after the tasting. This was one of the recommendations that the lady advocated and it was indeed one of the best chicken tikkas tried. Served on a sizzling hotplate, the chicken portions were tender and juicy on the inside. It seemed like an easy dish to master but few chefs managed to perfect the technique by locking in the moisture in the protein when it gets baked in the clay-based oven. 

Drizzle in the wedge of lemon provided upon serving and that extra touch of acidity was enough to make me swoon.

Verdict: 9.5/10

Chicken Vindaloo - Chicken cooked in freshly ground hot spices - (HK$82/-)

 

I figured that it would not make sense to add something spicy to the dining table since we were in an Indian and Nepalese restaurant so I asked for the spiciest curry available to add to the set dinner. We were then recommended the Chicken Vindaloo which is a popular Indian curry dish which originated in the region of Goa.

This was SPICY and mark my word for it. We were warned and we went ahead with the order anyway and we were left perspiring silly like the couple we are. The fiery curry had a very innocent introduction on our palate when we first sampled it and just as we were about to question the heat, expect to feel a sudden rush of burning sensation starting from the back of your throat and all the way through to your head. I am not kidding about this when I say that this curry is potent. My lady had to stop after the second serving because it was simply too much for her to take and I pretty much stomached all that fiery spiciness alone! Regardless the heat, the chicken portions were plentiful and very tender. The curry was rich and creamy and I actually scooped all that goodness onto the rice and accompany naan. It was really a good rendition of the traditional Indian curry but I cannot emphasize enough the level of spiciness.

Verdict: 9.0/10

Seasonal Vegetables (Part of Set)


We left it to the kitchen to decide the seasonal vegetables that they wanted to serve. We were given the option of stir-fry but I was not too keen on it and the rendition served was more than pleasing on our palate. The seasonal vegetables of green peas, carrots and potatoes were soaked in a beautiful, mildly sweet creamy curry which helped to neutralize some of the heat from the earlier spicy vindaloo dish.

Verdict: 8.0/10

Pulao Rice (Part of Set)


The steamed rice which was cooked in a seasoned broth was fragrant and we liked that the grains were individually separated. A perfect carbohydrate complement to the dishes.

Verdict: 8.0/10

Garlic Naan - Naan coated with spiced garlic - (Part of Set) + Tandoori Roti - Whole wheat unleavened bread - (HK$18/-)


As part of the set dinner, one could choose from the garlic naan or the aloo paratha and we went for the former and ordered an extra serving of tandoori roti. Both were cooked and served fresh, there was nothing to fault about the crisp flat breads that were soft on the inside and were not overly dry, though the taste of the garlic in the garlic naan could be stronger.

Verdict: 8.0/10


Noble Spice offers a all-you-can-eat buffet lunch at HK$75++ but reservations are a must as the waiting list can stretch past weeks! Definitely value for money!



We certainly left impressed by both the quality of food and the level of customer service rendered. The conversation we had with the lady owner felt sincere and genuine and there was that additional element of personal-sharing when it came to the recommendation of dishes which touched us. It was nowhere close to that cold commercial vibe which we got from Fook Lam Moon.

Being fans of the Indian cuisine, we felt that this was deserving of a 'Must-Try' recommendation with the quality of ingredients served, techniques employed in the cooking and of course the authenticity in tastes.

Noble Spice
7/F, Cheung Hing Commercial Building
37 - 43 Cochrane Street, Central
Hong Kong
Tel: (+852) 2854 0916

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