Qumins
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Opening hours: 11am-1am Mon/Tues,11am-2am Wed-Sat, 12pm-12:30am Sun.
Home delivery available.
Wheelchair friendly.
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86 St. Clements Useful links: Oxford Restaurants Oxford Hotels Oxford Pubs & Bars Oxford Gig venues Oxford Concert venues Ads by Daily Info:
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If you're after decent Indian food, and not the cheap oily curry house fare that the UK seems to specialise in, then Qumins does the best Indian food I've had in Oxford. Their paneer isn't fake and rubbery. Their vegetables are fresh. They actually make some of the main Indian curries that are missing from other places' menus (they're one of the few places around here that do Paneer Makhni). If you're vegetarian, then those are the important things taken care of. My only suggestions is that they could add more to their vegetarian menu - a Rajma, or another Daal - and make the Malai Kofta more flavoursome, it was too plain.
A, 13/08/08 Qumins does a very, very good takeaway service. Having never eaten in the restaurant I can only really comment on the food, which is definitely above average. My partner and I have tried a wide variety of meat and vegetable dishes and have never been less than satisfied. Hot curries are genuinely hot without burning where it shouldn't, and mild ones still have all the flavour you would expect from a good Indian dish. Have not tried any seafood but this is Oxford so I don't intend to. I would refute Russell's (29/06/07) claim that this is the best Indian restaurant in Oxford however. Some other venues are distinctly better in a number of areas. Stuart, 16/02/08 My husband and I regularly order take-away from Qumins and have always been delighted with the service - they really go the extra mile! Our house is quite hard to find but we've had no problems with them, and the food is wonderful. Really recommended, particularly for the wonderful service which I find makes such a difference! Han, 10/02/08 We tried a take out from here and left with overpriced, oily food. The staff and chef were inflexible about minimising oily-ness - this isn't and shouldn't be a big deal for Indian restaurants. Qumin's is overrated. 06/07/07 Both times I have been to Qumins I have enjoyed an excellent meal with friendly service at a good price. The vegetarian food is particularly good, both in terms of taste and choice, with many 'non-standard' dishes on the menu, and I would particularly recommend the saag paneer. The only thing I've eaten there which was not excellent was a paratha, which was a little too salty, but this really is splitting hairs. Probably the best Indian restaurant in Oxford. Russell, 29/06/07 Went to Qumins for the first time the other night and very pleasantly surprised indeed. Would rate it higher than the Aziz at this moment in time and that's saying quite a lot. I had a wonderful sea bream goan curry which brought out the lovely fresh taste of the fish without overpowering it in the sauce. Husband had tikka mixed grill, which was done to a lovely crispness and colour. Will definitely be visiting again soon... Compliments to the chef! Monkey Queen, 29/06/07 "The Brunette" and I decided to opt for Qumins for a quick dinner on a rainy night primarily because it wouldn't be too much of a walk to get to Moya, our favourite place for a drink afterwards. It turned out to be a good choice - the dips for the poppodums were the best I've had in Oxford - very fresh and generous (lime pickle was punchy, just sour enough and warmly spicy). Even though it wasn't particularly busy, the atmosphere was pleasant, and just what you want from a good Asian restaurant - plates of sizzling, smoking, fragrant food flying past at great speed as you wait for your mains. We shared a few dishes, which arrived promptly and piping hot. All were, like the starters, fresh and very well done - a lovely vegetarian main of chickpea flour bhajis in a spicy coconuty sauce with smoked chillis was a real highlight, and the saag dahl wasn't too garlicky and pungent, sticking again with a fresher, subtler approach. We didn't opt for wine (reasonably priced import beer and spirits etc), but the wine list was actually very good and appeared to have some crazy special offers by the bottle. All they need is a little tweaking on the decor front (whilst less is more, there really isn't anything much at the moment) and I'm sure it'll be a hit. We'll be 'qumin' back for more... beanlover, 10/05/07 I highly recommend Qumin on St. Clements. My husband and I have eaten dinner there twice and have received fantastic food and attentive service both times. Everything that we've eaten has been great and the menu is incredibly extensive. The relishes that come with the pappadums are the best I've had, particularly the lime pickle. Last time I was there I ordered the Lamb with Okra which is on their house specialties list and it was terrific. The spicing is exactly how I would like it too. Warm and spicy without sending you running to the bathroom to blow your nose. The atmosphere at first seemed a bit high end to me, but in fact it's quite warm and welcoming and people come in all types of dress. It's the kind of place that makes a rather normal weekend meal out seem like an occasion after all. The prices are very reasonable and the portions have always left me full. I've never managed to leave with leftovers! My one wish is that they would offer more Indian desserts in place of the British/European offerings, but that's a small point against them and I'll definitely be back for more. Quinn, 11/08/06 We arrived at about 8pm on a Thursday and were greeted pleasantly. A couple of other tables were occupied. We accepted poppadoms and drinks and settled down to examine the menu. This took some time, as there was an abundance of choice. There were separate pages for soups, starters, specials, chicken/lamb dishes, seafood, vegetarian dishes, and extras. The descriptions were thorough and accompanied by spiciness ratings which proved usefully accurate. The waiter was agreeably patient as we ate poppadoms and deliberated. For starters we finally chose Tom Yum Soup, a spicy Thai concoction with prawns and mushrooms, and Tandoor Mushroom, whole mushrooms coated in pink Tandooriness and served with salad. Both were excellent, with special mention going to the large and succulent prawns in the soup, and to the fact that the salad, often just decorative in such circumstances, was actually fresh and nice and not full of onion. For mains we had Duck Ralsha, lean pieces served in a sauce of honey and tomatoes, and Navaratna Korma, no fewer than nine fruits and vegetables in a mild coconut sauce. We ordered pilau rice with both, and a side of Sag Aloo. The high standard was maintained, generous portions well-presented. The Korma sauce was subtle and not too creamy, and the Ralsha was likewise not too heavy or oily. Reasonably full, we passed over the more luxurious deserts, (lemon brulé, chocolate mousse etc.) and decided to share a Pistachio Kulfi (Indian ice cream). We couldn’t quite decide how it differed from “normal” ice cream, but as with the rest, it couldn’t be faulted. Just a further cup of tea and we were ready to stagger bloated into the night. The total cost for two people with drinks was just under £50. Starters and desserts were £3-£5, mains £6-£12 (without rice etc), and sides £2-£5. This is marginally more expensive than many of Oxford’s “Indian” restaurants, but with the consistently highly quality, attention to detail (even the poppadom condiments were noticeably above average), pleasant atmosphere, and relaxed and friendly service, it’s well worth it. Highly recommended. P.S. Be aware of a £5 lunch offer available at the time of writing. Ian Threadgill & Su Jordan, 11/05/06 If you are looking for Indian food without the crowds or craziness of Cowley Road or the city centre, Qumin on St. Clements is a great choice. Their warm earth-toned décor is soothing, the staff are attentive, and the food is excellent. The first time I went to Qumin it was quite late in the evening, and we were starving. The host seated us immediately, and since Qumin is rarely overcrowded, our food was promptly served. I had a delicious sag paneer for £5.15, which thankfully was more cheese than spinach, along with a large, pleasantly oily and chewy nan for £1.70. My friend had the chicken biryani, and ate every bite (which was a considerable and filling amount of food!). Although the other chicken dishes on the menu are £5.25, the chicken biryani was £7.25, probably because it comes with a small side vegetable curry. After dinner, they gave us those cute chocolate squares, flavoured with orange (which, like the orange bit in Jaffa cakes, is absolutely smashing). The most impressive part of my first visit to Qumin was that they let us stay past closing time without complaint, so that we could finish eating and talking at our leisure. Needless to say, we tipped well. And even though we added a couple of extra pounds for their kindness, our expenditure was reasonable - about £25 for two to eat, with sides, drinks and tip. In the many times I have eaten at Qumin since then, I have always been happily surprised by the service. Once, we arrived with a group of ten and no reservation, and instead of greeting us with incredulity or rudeness, as often happens in other Oxford restaurants, the host moved tables so that we could all sit together. Furthermore, the variety of menu options allowed us all to eat whatever we liked, from vegetarian to mild curries to spicy adventures. In fact, my friend from Goa remarked on the spiciness of the chicken vindaloo! I was also pleased that they didn't make a fuss when we paid with a mixture of cash and credit on several different cards. I would only offer a few cautions: first, the chicken tikka massala I had once was an alarmingly bright red. It still tasted completely normal, however, so if you don't have a problem with unnaturally coloured food, I wouldn't worry about it. The massala dishes are also slightly more expensive, with chicken and lamb tikka massala costing £6.50 and tandoori king prawn or duck massala priced at £9.95. Also, the pillaw rice is not significantly different from the boiled rice in appearance or taste, and they cost about the same - £1.80 for boiled, £1.95 for pillaw - so if you want special rice you might as well go for the aptly named "Special Rice," which is fried with egg and veggies for £2.25. So if you are tired of being treated as if buying food is a privilege you must earn, and you'd like to enjoy a range of well-made north Indian fare, I highly recommend Qumin. Lindsay Oishi, 03/08/04
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