Spice India(610) 432-0980
Thanks to all for scouting Spice India, which indeed is in Whitehall. If you're heading north on MacArthur, turn right onto Schadt Ave. (before you get to Staples), go about 500 feet, then turn left into 2407 Mickley Ave. (Not Mickley Road.) I had a brief conversation with the owner. Evidently, the restaurant opened December 18. He relocated to this area from Parsippany, N.J., where he also operated an Indian restaurant. He and his staff appeared gracious, friendly and helpful.
Spice India has a lunch buffet. Weekdays, $7.95; weekends, $10.95. The full menu appears slightly more extensive than Raj Palace or Nawab, with more vegetarian options and several goat entrees. Here it is:
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33 comments:
Thank you. that's fab.
We are going to try & get there for this Friday night.
I'll let you know how we get on.
Cheers.
thanks so much for the info mike. Josh and I will be gorging ourselves there this saturday, god willing!
You're welcome. I'm excited to go there myself after stopping in. The owner seemed genuinely enthusiastic and gracious during my brief conversation with him, and it seems to rub off on the staff. A caring, friendly owner is always a good start.
Excellent detective work! Was that location previously an Italian place (that I never tried)?
I will likely get take-out tonight. I will report my findings.
Jay
I picked up an order of Chana Peshawari and Chicken Lajawab and Naan (I was a little disappointed that they don't have Chapati). I got both dishes "spicy" and they were perfect for me, almost causing a sweat.
As far as taste, I liked both dishes. The chicken in the Peshawari was moist (all white, boneless) and plentiful. The Peshawari was like Chana Masala with added potato.
Next time (and I will certainly go again) I'll try something I'm familiar with like a Korma or Mutter Paneer.
It's been so long since I've had Indian (maybe 9 months ago) it's hard to compare but given the proximity and ease of parking at Spice I doubt you'll see me at Nawab anytime soon.
Jay
Forgive my version of Indian spelling - it's different in every restaurant I've been in.
Business was brisk when we arrived at 6:30pm Friday night. They were seating around 15 tables of 4 with a constant flow of diners. A few groups had a 10 minute wait to be seated. It was great to see the place packed - maybe folk were drawn in by the snazzy lights outside. Plenty of parking too.
By the way its BYOB. Our daughter had the mango lassi (homemade yoghurty drink) which she enjoyed.
We started with the usual pappadoms with mint & sweet chutneys, then we chose the Appetizer Sampler and the Hara Bhara Kabab - the Kabab was lovely, creamy & moist spinach - very fresh, garlicy & hot (as in heat not spicy.
The Lamb Karahi was excellent - aromatic, delicately spiced, tender meat. The Chicken Vindaloo was fragrant with a base of vinegar but not very spicy. Our teenagers played it safe with the tandoori grilled Chicken Tikka and the creamy Butter Chicken. All served with a good plain basmati rice & we had a fresh garlic naan, ample for the 4 of us & plenty to take home. Sadly we didn't make it to desserts, just as well really, I love the rose, mango & pistachio ice creams.
The food was excellent but could have been much spicier for us - the owner assured us that next time it would be. We probably had a 20 minute wait until we got our appetizers but then the food came fast & it was served heat-hot. Plenty of time to grill our kids on mid-term progress etc - we don't see much of them these days. The staff were all courteous and attentive - they were just very busy. We didn't mind as it gave us time to listen in on the other tables - a diverse mix of trendy studenty folk, families, and other flotsam like us.
They have squarish plates - I thought of Gordon Ramsey and laughed.
We need to go back on a quieter night, and I can't wait to try the goat, veggie & fish dishes.
As long as you're not in a hurry this is an outstanding restaurant.
Thanks for the info mike! This is an excellent blog for LVites with taste buds:) Keep up the good work! Atul
ok we went twice this week, once for dinner and then for the buffet on saturday. the dinner was good but the buffet was great - a much wider selection than nawab and they even have a whole table just for sauces and garnish. the ONLY slight downside to the buffet was you had to order the naan separately, but no biggie.
as everyone else pointed out the staff is just so nice, i want to give them all a big hug. the owner (or someone in charge) visited every table asking how everything was. i was so glad that the place was packed - despite their horrendous location i think they will do quite well!
Thanks, all, for the comments and notes about Spice India. I'm anxious to go.
tonight, 1/14, had the malai kofta, very spicy. and indeed, it was very very spicy. Finally, a place that makes a dish so spicy that i can almost not eat it, but have to keep going back for seconds, thirds because i can't get enough of the heat. yay!
I had a chance to take my family there on Sunday and it was great. At first my 6 year old did not want Indian food. After she took one pass at the buffet she was raving about the place. I had to keep her back after her fourth trip. The service was great and the food was excellent. Very fresh and presented nicely for a buffet.
Kudos to Rory for taking a six-year-old to a restaurant that doesn't have the ubiquitous, insipid "kid's menu" or "happy meal" that's an insult to children and parents alike. The earlier we teach children to appreciate different foods, the better. It's a license to adventure. Plus, even finicky children can be served grilled chicken/meat, rice and a steamed veggie -- regardless of cuisine. We started years ago with our kids. Granted, our kids are selective at particular restaurants, but they no longer complain. And they've actually grown to enjoy it.
Thanks for the note on Spice India, Rory.
We went on Saturday night, and loved it! The only complaint was that my husband's dish wasn't spicy enough, but we will be more forceful next time.
My 5 year old enjoyed Tandoori chicken (I think it was the best I've ever tasted!) and rice; my 17 month old just ate rice. There were several tables including young kids when we were there, and the staff was perfectly cheerful about it.
Thanks, Audrey, and thumbs up to you as well for introducing your children to international cuisine. They'll thank you for it someday. (Sounds like the five-year-old is already there!)
It's so exciting to see so many people love this restaurant. I LOVE Indian food and couldn't wait till this restaurant opened. I live in New Tripoli and went to Nawab (which I LOVED) for dinner or even take out! So something close by was very tempting but I was very dubious as I had tried Raj Palace and was not that impressed. Me and my family (husband - 2 kids (5 & 2)) went last Saturday night and we LOVED it. I would highly recommend going early in the evening on a weekend. We went at 5:30pm and by the time we left at about 7pm, there were people waiting out the door! Can't wait to try the buffet - might go tomorrow lunchtime! btw I'm from England and VERY fussy about my Indian food!!!
Anonymous said ...... I love the Rose, Mango Indian ice creams. Then you should go to Nuts About Ice Cream in Bethlehem, Pa. on Linden St across from Liberty High School. They make all their ice creams fresh there and I have seen other Indian flavors there too.
Paula,
Thanks for the comment. Wow -- it's great to hear that the place had a line out the door on Saturday. Re your comment about being from England -- isn't Indian the "unofficial" ethnic food of England, kind of like Chinese is here? I remember someone telling me that once.
I went with my family last week and was utterly disappointed with the food. The food was cold and not spicy. I found the menu to be on the expensive side. The staff was courteous though. Definitely a no.
I went to Spice India last Friday with my husband and a friend. We had to wait about 15 minutes for a table. We had a WONDERFUL meal. We tried the tandoori chicken, a paneer, and a very spicy chicken dish-- and multiple appetizers, naan, and desserts. Everything was delicious, accurately spicy, hot, and very fresh. Plus, the check only came to $60 for a TON of food. I might just go back tonight! Is there anywhere else to eat on MacArthur road? Oh, don't forget-- it's BYOB.
We ate there a few weeks ago. A few comments.
Remember it is BYOB. Luckily, there is an upscale state store about one block away.
Reservations are a must. They lost ours but had us on the list. Due to their mistake, they quickly got us the next table available while walk-ins waited.
Can't blame them, but I left my wine tote. I called back and was told it would be set aside for me. When I returned a day later, I was told there was no lost and found and the tote must be gone. Staff didn't even go look for it.
That last item really torqued me, but food will cause me to come back for another try - it was clearly the best Indian experience I have had in the valley!
I guess we should have called ahead for serving hours. We went w/ a bottle of wine for a late lunch on Saturday. The very gracious host offered us menus but we decided on the buffet instead since it looked nice. He then opened our bottle of wine for us and then immediately thereafter told us they were closing in 5 minutes, had already closed the kitchen, and had to clear the buffet tables. We quickly got a plate before they took it away (since our wine was already open), but the food was cold and the signage was poor so we weren't sure what we were eating.
Also, for someone who is not all that familiar with Indian food, I didn't know that I might find whole cardomom pods in my food - they are not to be eaten!
Despite this disastrous dining experience, the staff was quite gracious and apologetic, the price was right, the flavors were excellent, and I will try again at a better time when they are actually open and I am more likely to get warm food made to order.
After all the talk about Spice India at my work, my wife and I along with my son decided we will check it out on 1/12/08 for a lunch buffet. The restaurant looked a little jaded from outside but has enough parking spots.
The owner/manager of the restaurant was very gracious, he welcomed us with a smile, got us seated and gave us water pretty quick. All simple things but often overlooked. We looked around and the ambience is a C- ( I cannot help wonder the taste of someone who thought this was upscale!!).
Moving on...all the time when we sat at the restaurant, there was this really loud noise of a generator in the kitcen with occasional loud grinding!! Unbearable on your eardrums to say the least.
Being from India and living in this country for close to a decade now, I should say the food on the buffet was mediocre. A basic Chicken Tikka Masala was missing on the buffet (which is the one of the few things my kid looks forward to in an Indian buffet) and the Naan was brought out only if you requested. I wonder why? A vegetable navratan korma on the buffet was frozen assorted vegetables straight out of a freezer thrown into a general masala that you reuse for several other things on the buffet. Goat curry was ok, again no fresh coconut used but a quick shortcut of dry coconut and peanuts - cheaper but gives a watery feel to the Goat Curry than a rich taste!
All this time, my 11 year old kept say that the Chicken Tandoori did not taste the same. To our horror, the owner/manager walked out of the kitchen to our table and said that the Chicken Tandoori that he was eating was not fully cooked and he did not know why they put it out!! My wife and I were speechless, we did not know how to react, we stopped eating, paid our bill and quietly walked out of the place and decided to never go back again!
We live in Macungie, PA and eat out Indian food almost every weekend but this is not a restaurant we would ever go back. Lehigh Valley can do without this another bad addition to an already growing list of restaurants that don't make it past few months or years. We regularly eat out a restaurant called Rasoi in Oaktree, NJ. It has a great buffet selection and if you don't mind the drive (1.5 hours from Lehigh Valley), it's worth it! There are several other Indian restaurants in this town and they offer variety.
FYI, I am not associated with this restaurant in anyway nor am I a resident of NJ.
I hope this feedback will be looked into by the owner of Spice India and hopefully they can only improve. Good Luck!
myself and a friend tried it a few weeks back. the food was really good. i had curried goat. there was almost no meat to the goat, and the "medium" curry was very hot. my friend loved his meal. the waiters stand around and stare at you while you are eating, which is most uncomfortable. the second you put your fork down, they rush over and take your plate. they hover over you a little too much. i wouldn't go there for an intimate meal. i have to say the food was good.
The best spicy food, ask for Indian masala Tea, Buffe is very cheap, Fri. to Sun. more choices. Ask for any type or variety they will do it of your test.
As soon as I heard about Spice India opening, my friends and I checked out the weekend buffett. My 2 friends have never tried Indian food and are vegeterarians...they loved it! The buffett had lots of choices. (The owner said that the weekend buffett is larger.) Naan bread is not included in the buffett spread, but our waiter brought it to us free of charge when we asked for some. They offered 2 desserts and fruit salad as well. This is the 5th Indian restaurant I've been to, and the food tasted very authentic. The place was clean and had a nice atmosphere inside. The best thing about it is the buffett cost each of us just under $10!
I have seen some mixed reviews but in general, the good ones seem to be from non indian members who are not fully acquainted with the real indian food. unfortunately, allentown is not one of the places where you can get this experience.
Coming to the experience in India Spice restaurant, while it is definitely better than Nawab, it is surely mediocre in quality and taste of food and poor in ambience and service. My first visit there few days back was a disaster. I went in at 6.45 pm starved and ordered food (chilli paneer with a tandoori roti) at 7pm. After waiting for 45 minutes when the attendant totally ignored my presence, i called him and asked for food. he says its ready, brings a pad and asks me to repeat my order at 7.55 pm!!!! when asked why, he gave some lame excuse. I did repeat the same and killed some more time suffering the poor hospitality when the guy comes and drops a curry bowl (no rice or roti that have been ordered with it!) and disappears for another full 10 minutes. then the owner comes and apologised for delay blaming the heavy crowd that appeared suddenly (a big group of indians dropped without notice for office dinner) and muttered something and went away. finally when the curry was getting luke warm i received the bread and rice plate. the curry was floating in oil and rice too was heavily coated in oil. all in all, the food I ordered arrived after a full hour and a half and then some with heavy amounts of unrequired oil. Not only the food was mediocre and service too bad, the manager did not even have the courtesy to offer to waive or discount the bill at the end of it.
i had also asked for eggplant curry to go which was given promptly to my surprise but the oil was oozing out of the box so much that the bag was totally covered in oil by the time i reached home and was still dripping of more oil i had to throw it away!
to my bad luck, i had to once again return to the same restaurant during a lunch hour with another colleague who wanted a taste of indian food. This time, i wanted just vegetable pulao. Believe it or not, the bottom layer of rice was totally floating in oil once again and the sight was so repulsive to my diet conscious eyes that i threw away the entire box....
well, this was my experience and while i dont discourage others from visiting, i do hope the management makes improvements in their servicea and ambience atleast and most definitely, control the heavy amounts of oils they use in their cooking.
ooofff!!! at last lehigh valley has one good indian restaurent at last thanks to god...i am really excited to see lot of reviews above..thogh some of the are not really very gud .. but let me write my experince ..I have been to spice india for atleats 6 or 7times in last 1 and half months and being an india indian food is a part of my eatery culture ..i have to say one thing the food was good on all the ocassion ..last time i was their in weekend and place was really crowded but the manager over the floor was really professional , he handled the crowd in such a beautiful way .. some time whn crowd comes in suddenly few things go bad ,, but he handled it quite well..beside tht their were enough people over the floor to handle each and every table who were seating thier ..i definately give them thumbs up for their job ..as far as pricing is concerned ..i think none of the indian restaurent can offer better pricing than this ...and i saw some reviews above regarding thier interior .. lemme tell you its abover average though not very gaudy and ou of the world but a nice set up for dinner ..i wud keep going their ...yeah !!!!i dont have to drive to NY any more fo gud food its realy gud and very convinient ....am so glad that they opend ..
Dropped in last Saturday night, 8:30pm. Had to wait 10 to 15 minutes for a table, but well worth the wait. Great to see this restaurant busy. This was our 3rd visit. The dinner was piping hot and piping spicy, & served very quickly. Lovely waitress from Kenya. We had Papadoms to start, then Lamb Vindaloo & the Chick Pea/Potato Curry - can't remember its correct name! Total cost $27. Great deal. The owner came over to chat & make sure we were happy with everything. This will be a regular for us, our family & friends.
Have been there twice. Food is OK - not the greatest! The young manager kid is a little "cocky" - did not impress. Our Kenyan waitress was great - very pleasant and attentive.
Food was OK - but I am concerned about the lack of cleanliness when you walk in. Look at the dirty carpets (off white; but black with residue and dirt), look at the kitchen floors. The owner has hair coming our of his ears and they do not use gloves when they are preparing food. I have complained to the Department of Health. I find their restaurant to be repulsive. I love Indian food; but not enough to risk getting deathly ill.
Food was OK - but I am concerned about the lack of cleanliness when you walk in. Look at the dirty carpets (off white; but black with residue and dirt), look at the kitchen floors. The owner has hair coming our of his ears and they do not use gloves when they are preparing food. I have complained to the Department of Health. I find their restaurant to be repulsive. I love Indian food; but not enough to risk getting deathly ill.
We've been here 7 times with various gatherings of friends, family and kids, and no one has been sick. In fact we've found the food to be tremendous & great service from the Kenyan waitress.
However, I wonder if these negative comments are getting to folk as it was fairly quiet last saturday night.
I liked the buffet a lot, much better than Nawab and Raj Palace. Service was friendly and attentive. Had read here to ask for naan and it came right out for no charge. Good selection, food was hot which it never is at Nawab. Could use some updating inside but have never seen an Indian restaurant that didn't. Have never gotten ill unlike at the other two places.
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