Cooksister | Food, Travel, Photography

Food, photos & faraway places

  • HOME
  • ABOUT
    • About me
    • Contact me
    • Work with me
    • Legal
      • Copyright notice & Disclaimer
      • Disclosure
      • Cookies and Privacy Policy
    • Press and media
    • Cooksister FAQs
  • RECIPES
    • Recipe Index – by course
    • Baking (savoury)
    • Braai/Barbecue
    • Breakfast & brunch
    • Christmas
    • Dessert
    • Drinks
    • Eggs
    • Fish
    • Gluten-free
    • Leftovers
    • Pasta & rice
    • Poultry
    • Pulses
    • Salads
    • Soup
    • South African
    • Starters & light meals
    • Vegan
    • Vegetables
    • Vegetarian
  • RESTAURANTS
    • British Isles restaurants
    • Dubai restaurants
    • France restaurants
    • London restaurants
    • Montenegro restaurants
    • New York restaurants
    • Pop-ups and supperclubs
    • Serbia restaurants
    • Singapore restaurants
    • South Africa restaurants
    • Sweden restaurants
    • Switzerland restaurants
    • USA restaurants
  • TRAVEL
    • All my travel posts
      • Austria
      • Belgium
      • Canada
      • Dubai
      • Cruise ships
      • France
      • Germany
      • Greece
      • Grenada
      • Hong Kong
      • Hotel reviews
      • Italy
      • Israel
      • Jersey
      • Mexico
      • Netherlands
      • Norway
      • Portugal
      • Singapore
      • Ski & snow
      • South Africa
      • Spain
      • Sweden
      • Switzerland
      • UK
      • USA
      • Wales
  • PORTFOLIO
    • Freelance writing portfolio
    • Speaking and teaching
    • Photography portfolio
    • Buy my photos
You are here: Home / Restaurants / London restaurants / City Spice, Brick Lane review

City Spice, Brick Lane review

by Jeanne Horak on February 19, 2017 2 Comments in London restaurants

CitySpiceExterior
Image © and courtesy of City Spice

A late-night curry in Brick Lane is one of those rites of passage that everyone experiences when they live in London.  More often than not, this follows on a long evening of after work drinks somewhere in the City and suddenly the soberest person in your group notices that it is ten thirty in the evening.  Some food is becoming increasingly imperative, but the options for dining venues are beginning to narrow as kitchens start closing. This realisation is usually followed about 30 seconds later by the hailing of a cab and a request for the driver to drop his passengers off in Brick Lane. As a general rule, the group will fall into the restaurant where the tout at the door offers the most free booze and the table’s order will be split roughly 50/50 between overly-sweet chicken korma and tongue-searingly hot beef vindaloo.  Few of them will remember the following morning how that orange stain appeared on their good silk tie. 

I recently had a very different experience on a visit to Brick Lane to dine at City Spice, a restaurant that has occupied its prime corner position opposite the Old Truman Brewery for 28 years and where I am pretty sure I have eaten before on some hazy evenings in the dim and distant past, under previous management.  As with pretty much all of Brick Lane’s predominantly Bangladeshi and Indian restaurants, there was a staff member on the pavement to entice potential customers inside – but unlike many other restaurants, I soon learnt that this was the owner himself, Mr Abdul Ahad.  “Just protecting my patch”, he chuckled when I asked him why he chose to stand outside himself rather than delegating this job. He told me that he had only taken over the restaurant in September 2015 and undertaken a complete refurbishment as well as an overhaul of the menu which now reflects an unusual fusion of influences from the North Indian Mughal Empire and Bangladesh. The investment has clearly paid off as in the past 12 months alone, they have scooped a number of awards including Best London Restaurant 2016 at the Bangladeshi Caterers’ Association Awards 2016;  Best Tower Hamlets Restaurant at the Curry Life Awards 2016; a Tripadvisor Certificate of Excellence in 2016; and Best London Restaurant in the Masterchef Curry Awards 2017. So it was with understandably high expectations that we sat down to our meal!

 

City-Spice-Menu

 

Wwe started off with excellent crisp and not at all greasy poppadoms (£0.75 each) and a selection of traditional dips (£0.75 per person) including chopped onions, spicy lime pickle, mango chutney, mildly spiced raita, and a sweet coconut chutney with the crumbly consistency of a Bounty Bar’s filling and an alarming day-glo orange colour.  The latter turned out to be the surprise hit of the evening, being both strangely addictive in consistency and an excellent foil for the spicy lime pickle. While we nibbled we examined the menu which is extensive and includes a good selection of vegetarian options in both the starters and mains. Dishes are divided into all-time favourites (which is where you will find the chicken tikka, rogan josh, madras and the like); balti dishes; dansak dishes; jalfrezi dishes; biryani dishes; and dishes done in the tandoori oven.  Unusually, there is also a separate section of freshwater fish dishes  as well as sections of Bangladeshi dishes  namely rezala, ureebisi gatta, and lightly spiced dishes cooked with shatkora fruit from the Sylhet region of Bangladesh.  For starters we shared lamb chops, marinated with fresh ginger, garlic, herbs, yogurt and ground spices, slow cooked in the tandoor (£5.95 for 2) and shingara pastry parcels filled with chicken tikka, vegetable and cheese (£3.95 for 2).  The shingara were tasty and generously filled, if a little doughy for my taste, but the lamb chops were outstanding: juicy, tender and pink in the centre with a good smoky char on the outside and subtle spicing.

 

City-Spice-poppadoms

 

City-Spice-Dips

 

City-Spice-Coconut-Dip

 

City-Spice-shingara

 

City-Spice-lamb-chops

 

We decided to choose my main course from a list dishes exclusive to City Spice, which are highlighted in a separate section.  My choice was the City Spice Delight (whole spring chicken marinated with a spicy sauce baked in tandoor, stuffed with spinach and paneer  – £12.95) – a dish that turned out to be exceedingly hard to photograph well but was very tasty and generously proportioned! The chicken was fork tender and the sauce creamy and satisfying. My only regret is only finding out afterwards that the dish is available as a spicy and a non-spicy version – next time I would ask for the spicy one.  My companion tried the Bangladesh special thali (£14.95) which included ureebisi biran (flavoured with runner bean seeds), biran maas (fish marinated in Bangladeshi spices), chicken rezala (a hot and creamy Bangladeshi curry), shatkora dal (lentils cooked with Bangladeshi shatkora fruit), pilau rice and fresh paratha – all delicious and also a generous portion. As our eyes were larger than our tummies (!) we also ordered a side of fluffy garlic naan bread (£3.25)and dal masalder (chana, moong and masoor dal cooked together with spice and herbs in ghee – £7.95) – the dal on its own would make a fantastic vegetarian main with the naan bread!.

 

City-Spice-chicken

 

City-Spice-Thali

 

City-Spice-naan-bread

 

City-Spice-Dal

 

The restaurant is licensed and w enjoyed a pre-dinner whisky and a beer as well a bottle of Rioja with dinner -possibly not a textbook match with spicy food but perfect for a wintry evening and a welcome change from the days when almost none of the restaurants on Brick lane were licensed! Desserts were not a strong point – I had a gritty vanilla ice cream confection in a not-so-crispy chocolate wafer cup – but in the restaurant’s defence they are not made in-house as the owner told me demand for desserts is minimal and therefore not an area they focus their energy on.  My companion fared better though with a decently flavoured mango kulfi, and I was pleasantly surprised to find that they serve irish coffees, which made for a good end to the meal.

 

City-Spice-Dessert

 

Service was friendly and far more efficient than I have had at most other Brick Lane restaurants – and I think much of this can be attributed to owner Abdul’s watchful eye and hands-on approach.  I liked the menu and the fact that it goes beyond the standard British curry house offering of familiar dishes like chicken tikka masala, lamb rogan josh and chicken jalfrezi and the like – for those curious about traditional Bangladeshi cuisine there is much to explore on the menu and i am certainly keen to return to try a few more of the City Spice specialities. If you have ever wandered up and down Brick Lane not knowing which restaurants are the good ones and which are to be avoided, fret no more: City Spice will satisfy all your needs.

Nearest station: Shoreditch High Street/Liverpool Street
Approx. cost per head: Approx. £40 per head for starters, mains, a side dish, dessert and shared bottle of wine

CITY SPICE
138 Brick Lane
London
E1 6RU

Tel. +44 (0) 20 7247 1012
Email. [email protected]

DISCLOSURE:  I enjoyed this meal as a guest of City Spice but received no further remuneration to write this post.  I was not expected to write a positive review – all views are my own and I retain full editorial control.

Let’s keep in touch!
You can also find me tweeting at @cooksisterblog, Instagramming as Cooksister, Snapchatting as Cooksisterblog or pinning like a pro on Pinterest.  To keep up with my latest posts, you can subscribe to my free e-mail alerts, like Cooksister on Facebook, or follow me on Bloglovin.

 

More deliciousness for you!

  • Saturday Snapshots #150Saturday Snapshots #150
  • Asparagus a la Flamande and a stroll through Rue Grenelle market in ParisAsparagus a la Flamande and a stroll through Rue Grenelle market in Paris
  • Aunt Dulcie’s tomato and marmalade soupAunt Dulcie’s tomato and marmalade soup
  • Saturday Snapshots #46Saturday Snapshots #46

Never miss a Cooksister post

If you enjoyed this post, enter your e-mail address here to receive a FREE e-mail update when a new post appears on Cooksister

I love comments almost as much as I love cheese - so if you can't leave me any cheese, please leave me a comment instead!

« Saturday Snapshots #311
Saturday Snapshots #312 »

Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Recipe Rating




This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

  1. Becky Excell says

    March 3, 2017 at 10:01 am

    Wow, the food here looks amazing!! I’ll definitely stop by next time I’m in town 🙂

    Reply
  • Facebook
  • Instagram
  • Pinterest
  • RSS
  • Twitter
  • YouTube

Never miss a Cooksister post!

Get my latest recipes delivered by e-mail!

Search over 500 recipes

Recently on Cooksister

  • Perfect broccoli and Stilton soup [keto, low carb, GF]
  • Masalchi by Atul Kochhar – Indian street food in Wembley
  • Barbecued salmon with blood oranges and capers
  • Roasted Brussels sprouts with feta, pomegranate and pine nuts [GF, V]
  • Love Yourself healthy meal delivery [Review]
  • Antillean
  • Festive roast lamb with pomegranate glaze
  • Rustic blood orange and pistachio galettes

Archives by month

Archives by category

Popular posts

Peppermint Crisp fridge tart - a South African treat
Oxtail and red wine potjie
Nigella's Bakewell slices & the Big Bakewell Taste-off
Jan Ellis pudding - a classic South African dessert
My big, fat South African potato bake
Gem squash 101: how to find them, how to grow them, how to eat them!

Featured on

Also available on

[Ad/Press sample] Love beer? Love peaty Islay whis [Ad/Press sample] Love beer? Love peaty Islay whisky? Then you need to get your hands on this delightful collaboration between @innisandgunn (their original beer is billed as a beer for wine drinkers and is one of my all-time favourites) and @laphroaig (makers of one of my favourite super peaty whiskies). 

Innis & Gunn’s limited edition Islay whisky cask beer is a Scottish red beer which is double matured - first in used Laphroaig whisky casks and then in used port casks. The result is a deeply smoky beer with notes of coffee, dark chocolate, malt and rich toffee, all balanced by a clean and almost saline finish, much like Laphroaig whisky itself.  It comes in a limited edition gift box with beautiful artwork by @scottnaismithartist and is available from the Innis & Gunn website for £6,00 for a 330ml bottle while stocks last (it’s also vegan!). 

I paired it with crostini topped with cream cheese and smoked oysters - the salty, smoky, creamy oysters complemented the flavours of the beer very well. I can also imagine it working well with green olives or smoked almonds. A perfect gift for the beer or whisky lover in your life!

What do you think of combining the flavours of beer and peaty whisky? Let me know in the comments 🍺

#innisandgunn #laphroaig #islaywhisky #beerlove #beerloversofinstagram
This week I made a flying visit to the RHS Chelsea This week I made a flying visit to the RHS Chelsea Flower Show in  London’s leafy Chelsea, courtesy of @babylonstoren and @thenewtinsomerset [INVITED] I was fortunate to have an early morning tour of the beautiful show gardens and by far the most inspiring was the Best in Show winner, Horatio’s Garden, designed by Charlotte Harris and Hugo Bugg. Horatio’s Garden is an initiative to provide spinal injury patients in NHS hospitals with an accessible garden and private respite rooms within the garden. There are 8 across the UK and the design we saw at the show will be rolled out in Sheffield once the remaining funds needed are raised. Have you visited the Chelsea Flower Show? Let me know in the comments 🌺🌷🪷🪻🌼🌸 #rhschelseaflowershow2023 #rhschelsea #horatiosgarden #horatiosgardenchelsea
Today is the official coronation of King Charles I Today is the official coronation of King Charles III and London is literally awash with red, white and blue flags, bunting and souvenirs. I don’t have bunting… but in celebration I can offer you this plate of red, white and blue deliciousness that is sticky toffee pudding with berries! I had this last weekend at the @bristolbarbrighton - the pudding alone makes the trip from London worthwhile 😍👑🇬🇧 Long live sticky toffee pudding!!
Happy Easter to everyone celebrating! My Easter ch Happy Easter to everyone celebrating! My Easter chocolates are from Ukrainian chocolate producer @roshen_ukraine - gorgeous hazelnut praline-filled dark chocolates, and how beautiful is the packaging? #easter2023 #easterchocolate #easterchocolates #roshen #ukrainiantraditions #roshenchocolate
Great exhibition on at the V&A Museum in London ri Great exhibition on at the V&A Museum in London right now for anybody interested in textiles, fashion or Africa. Such fascinating info about the cultural significance of various traditional African cloths (kente, kuba, bògòlanfini and many more) and a great display of modern African designers from around the continent. It’s on till 16 April so catch it if you can! #africafashion #thingstodoinlondon #londonexhibitions #londontourist #londonbylondoners #kentecloth #kubacloth #bogolanfini #chrisseydou #ladumangxokolo
The wonderful Museum of the Moon installation - a The wonderful Museum of the Moon installation - a 7 metre diameter scale model of the moon suspended in the Painted Hall at the  @oldroyalnavalcollege in Greenwich this week, by @lukejerramartist. A surreal and fabulous sight!
Do you enjoy free art installations? Then you need Do you enjoy free art installations? Then you need to get down to @canarywharflondon between now and Saturday 28 Jan to catch the free Winter Lights 2023 event, back for the seventh year.

My favourites include @lukejerramartist ‘s Floating Earth; Tom Lambert’s Out of the Dark; Fluorescent Firs; Toroid by This is Loop; and the surreal and mesmerising Anima by MEATS - a tunnel filled with hundreds of thin optical fibre lights that change colour and move in the breeze 😍 

Have you been to Winter Lights? What was your favourite?
“When we look down at the Earth from space, we s “When we look down at the Earth from space, we see this amazing, indescribably beautiful planet. It looks like a living, breathing organism. But it also, at the same time, looks extremely fragile.” - International Space Station astronaut Ron Garamond

To experience the “overview effect” (a phenomenon experienced by astronauts viewing the earth from space), head down to Canary Wharf in the London docklands this week where you can see @lukejerramartist ‘s beautiful Floating Earth installation as part of the Winter Lights event. 

This giant 10m diameter installation is created using high resolution NASA images to create a floating scale model of the Earth, lit from within so that it glows from its current home on the Middle Dock, surrounded by the headquarters of international banking and finance corporations.

The artist hopes that viewed in this context, the installation will make visitors and the bankers working in surrounding buildings question how their money in savings and pensions is invested, and whether investments can be greener.

Aside from being a thought provoking piece, it is also mesmerising and surreally beautiful, so make sure you visit the free Winter Lights event before ends on Saturday 28 Jan.
Happy lunar new year! [Invited] To celebrate the Happy lunar new year! 

[Invited] To celebrate the arrival of the Year of the Rabbit, why not head over to @mamachensdumplings currently doing a residence at the @thegantrylondon in #stratford where you can feast on prawn & chive dumplings; pork, Chinese cabbage and shiitake mushroom dumplings; pork & prawn wontons with Mama Chen’s chilli oil; vegetable dumplings; smacked cucumber salad; and spicy noodles coated in garlic and Szechuan pepper oil.

And afterwards, make sure you head up to the @unionsocialoc bar for a cocktail - I loved the Moreish Fashion with bourbon, PX sherry, chestnuts and mandarin orange bitters!
Load More... Follow me on Instagram

Follow Jeanne Horak-Druiff's board Recipes by Cooksister on Pinterest.

Cooksister

The South African Food and Wine Blog Directory

The South African Food and Wine Blog Directory

  • Facebook
  • Instagram
  • Pinterest
  • RSS
  • Twitter

Jeanne Horak is a freelance food and travel writer; recipe developer and photographer. South African by birth and Londoner by choice, Jeanne has been writing about food and travel on Cooksister since 2004. She is a popular speaker on food photography and writing has also contributed articles, recipes and photos to a number of online and print publications. Jeanne has also worked with a number of destination marketers to promote their city or region. Please get in touch to work with her Read More…

Latest Recipes

Bowls of broccoli and Stilton soup
Salmon with blood oranges dill and capers
Brussels sprouts with feta and pomegranate
Roast lamb with pomegranate glaze
Blood orange & pistachio galettes
Cauliflower topped steak with melted cheese
Plate of potted smoked salmon with slaw and a glass of champagne
bowls of pistachio pomegranate bircher muesli

SITEMAP

Home

Contact

About me

Recipe Index

Restaurant Index

Copyright & Disclaimer

Cookies & privacy policy




blog counter

© 2004 - 2023 · Jeanne Horak unless otherwise stated - ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. You may not reproduce any text, excerpts or images without my prior permission. Site by RTW Labs

Copyright © 2023 · Cooksister on Genesis Framework · WordPress · Log in

Cooksister cookie consent
We use cookies to ensure you receive the best experience on our site. If you continue to use this site, you are agreeing to our terms and conditions. Accept
Privacy & Cookies Policy

Privacy Overview

This website uses cookies to improve your experience while you navigate through the website. Out of these, the cookies that are categorized as necessary are stored on your browser as they are essential for the working of basic functionalities of the website. We also use third-party cookies that help us analyze and understand how you use this website. These cookies will be stored in your browser only with your consent. You also have the option to opt-out of these cookies. But opting out of some of these cookies may affect your browsing experience.
Necessary
Always Enabled
Necessary cookies are absolutely essential for the website to function properly. This category only includes cookies that ensures basic functionalities and security features of the website. These cookies do not store any personal information.
Non-necessary
Any cookies that may not be particularly necessary for the website to function and is used specifically to collect user personal data via analytics, ads, other embedded contents are termed as non-necessary cookies. It is mandatory to procure user consent prior to running these cookies on your website.
SAVE & ACCEPT