PLANET SPICE, 5 SEVENOAKS ROAD

Modern looking restaurant which has been there for four years. No street parking outside but a car park in the parallel Western Road has an exit opposite the restaurant. Smaller than it looks from outside, seating some 40 plus downstairs although there are a further six tables upstairs. However as these were not in use when I visited, which was on a Saturday evening, I imagine the upstairs is used for functions or parties only. The main dining area downstairs has fairly comfortable seating, with a couple of circular tables which always adds something, although some of the tables are fairly close together. Ambience OK although slightly spoiled on our visit by four men who were the worse for drink and loud with it.

The menu features all the usuals with a few less common names appearing amongst the ‘Chef’s Specials’. We got off to a disappointing start as the starters were uniformly dreadful, mainly because they were far too greasy. The Onion Bhajias were steeped in oil which was probably the result of being fried in oil which had not been hot enough resulting in the oil seeping in and giving soft, oily bhajias. I was going to complaint (I should have done really) but we were with friends with whom we hadn’t been out with before and my wife was reluctant to cause a fuss. Hopefully the fact that most were sent back uneaten got the message home. Similarly the Chat Puree was very oily, to the extent that the puree on which it was served looked like a piece of cardboard soaked in oil (although the chat itself was quite tasty).

After a disappointing start we awaited our main meals with some concern although not high expectations. Fortunately however the main courses were a vast improvement. Both the Pathia and the Dhansak were pleasingly hot and spicy, both having distinctive tastes (which is not always the case as apart from the lentils in the Dhansak they are not dissimilar dishes). My wife’s Chicken Tikka Biriani was excellent, the rice nicely baked (ie not too moist) with the chicken and spices in it and not too heavily garnished and served with a fairly bland vegetable curry. The Dry Vegetable and Aloo Gobi side dishes were spicier although fairly standard curryhouse fare (as was the rice and other accompaniments). The Chicken Korma was extremely creamy and heavy on the coconut which made it far too sweet and sickly for me, but there again I am not one to provide meaningful comment on this dish as it is not particularly to my taste - I just scrounge a mouthful when a companion has it for comparison purposes. In this case one taste was enough, but the recipient seemed happy enough.

If one disregards the starters then the meal was fine. The service was good and we were offered a complimentary drink at the end (which we uncharacteristically declined) and the two ladies were presented with a rose on departure. The only comment on the service was that I did feel that the waiters should have tried to quieten down the quartet of raucous (and in one case foul mouthed) men at one table. Indeed, far from trying to contain it a waiter asked them if they wanted any more drink! This may not be typical of their clientele but does little to encourage further visits from people visiting for the first time.