Spice Lounge

I visited the Spice Lounge the other Friday on recommendation and I was not disappointed,
the food was excellent and the staff could not do enough for you. The decor was very modern and the atmosphere was very relaxed indeed. The price was about average so it was a very successful evening.

BIGJOHN (Unverified), 28/09/09

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I was very disappointed in the quality of the food. The Sunday buffet was extremely limited, of low quality and cold. The most appalling, of all, was the fact that they charged us 50p for each glass of tap water! We will never return here again.

DrDebrah (Unverified), 27/05/09

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Ordered a takeaway from Spice Lounge and was really disappointed. £20 bought us broken-up popadoms, a main dish that was tasteless and a side order that was way too salty, luke warm rice, and generally very mediocre food indeed. First and last time we use them.

28/02/09

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I have been a regular customer of spice lounge for over a year, all round it is the best Indian restaurant in Oxford. The food quality and service are consistently high, the quality of ingredients and authenticity of cooking always maintained.

The ambience and cleanliness is also first class. Definitley recommend, does get busy, espcially at weekends, so recommend booking or arriving early.

JK (Unverified), 04/02/09

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I have always been served excellent food at the Spice Lounge, and friends I have taken there have said how much they enjoyed it. Not had an indifferent or bad meal there yet. It can get pretty busy later in the evening at weekends, but that doesn't appear to affect the service. Definitely recommended.

Peter (Unverified), 18/01/09

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We went there only on a weekday evening only as our usual Indian was full on our chosen evening. Strange when we walked in that we were the only punters in there, which tells you something. Lots of waiters and plush furniture, but the food didn't live up to the surroundings or price. Average food, served at above average prices. We won't be going back as there are many better places serving far tastier food for better value for money in and around Oxford.

Jonah (Unverified), 26/10/08

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This is possibly one of the best Indian restaurants I've had the pleasure of visiting in recent times. Service was prompt and attentive, if a little bit too attentive at times - but I can't blame them as they responded to requests politely and efficiently. The Spice Lounge definitely gets busier in the later part of the evenings and after a few visits, you'll probably find that it's quite quiet early on in the evenings.

I've been with two different friends, one of whom loved the food and one who found it bland. I have to point out that it seems like most of 'Joe Public' will be used to eating takeaways and a curry that I would say is 'overkill' in terms of spices and flavour. The Spice Lounge to me has redefined what a good curry is - and it's a lot more flavourful than that of any 'local' I've been to. I can actually taste my food rather than just having a burning mouth and my rice swimming in a pool of ghee!

Some of the dishes are out of this world, and others fairly average in comparison, but I must stress that the food overall is of top quality and matches up to what you'd expect from a place with its level of contemporary and stylish decor. Even if you don't fancy going to the restaurant, may I suggest you try their takeaway - you won't be disappointed!

My only gripe is that they can't do too much to make sure you enjoy your time at the Spice Lounge (or their takeaways!) - I can see however, how some people might find the service too 'in-your-face' as they do like to be chatty with their customers. Not for all, but not one to miss!

Matt G (Unverified), 05/06/08

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In short, I found the food at Spice Lounge average and disappointing and would not recommend this place.

When I first entered, I liked the smart decor and friendly staff but I could not help noticing that the restaurant was empty apart from the five of us. Spice Lounge is one of those places where one pays for the atmosphere but the actual quality of the food leaves much to be desired. My curry was bland and unimaginative and my comments echoed those of my four friends who were similarly disappointed. In fairness, the staff were friendly and the service quick and attentive but this could not compensate for the quality of the food. If you want a good curry, there are many other places in Oxford which are far better and overall, I cannot recommend this place to anyone.

oxford_student (Unverified), 04/05/08

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We only went to the Spice Lounge because the our original destination was closed but were glad we did. It is a great addition to the Summertown eateries. Bright and light decor is matched by modern and light food. Staff are lovely and very willing to please. We will return.

Deb (Unverified), 13/01/08

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A friend recommended the spice lounge to us and I am really glad he did. After being compelled to post a few negative reviews on this site in the past I was very pleased to be able to post this positive one. The food was very tasty at a good price, sufficient helpings and although the delivery was slow, we got some free onion bhajis which made up for it. We would certainly use the Spice Lounge again.

sidesey (Unverified), 19/12/07

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My girlfriend and I visited the Spice Lounge for the first time last night and both of us were thoroughally impressed. Apart from a recent visit to Qumins on St Clement's it had been a long time since I've really enjoyed an Indian meal in Oxford. Even my once favourite, the Bombay on Walton Street, has struck me as mediocre the last few times.

The Spice Lounge obviously sets itself apart from most of the current range of Indian restaurants in Oxford. The modern decor and layout is, in my opinion at least, a welcome alternative to the more traditional grimey look. The restaurant was rather bustling last night, and we hadn't booked, but upon arrival we were seated in their lounge area and quickly given menus and served drinks. After a short wait we were taken to our table and a generous portion of papadums was not long following. The staff were helpful, friendly, and really quite slick. I ordered the Pora Jeera Murg, and my girlfriend had the chicken Roshan. Both were excellently presented and tasted great. The ingredients were of obvious quality, particularly the chicken, and the balance of fresh herbs and spices really worked. So often I've found curries that are utterly boring, or just overloaded with chillies or oil. I hate to sound sycophantic, but this was a total outclassing of rival restaurants. Absolutely worth a visit.

GK (DI User), 18/08/07

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Spice Lounge is definitely the Indian to remember.
Me and 15 friends of mine enjoyed an absolutely luscious meal on my birthday.
We ordered the set meal each which had what I like to call "THE WORKS": this included Starters such as popadums and chutneys of course and a combination of mixed starters were coming to the table which not only looked fabulously decorated with sauces etc, but tasted brilliant aswell. These were followed shortly after by our main courses, sides, rices and naans, which were really good as well!
After all that food we made our way up to the lounge to have a relaxing drink as we had a few laughs with the down to earth waiters.
We would have loved to be seated outside but the manager had explained to us that this will be possible very shortly but not yet as they are not seating outside because of the very inconsistent weather we are having lately, which is acceptable.
As we stood outside I noticed on the sign board the Express lunch offer @ £4.95 so I said to myself I definitley have to come with my collegues at lunch. So I did, and believe me I am not usually one to write reviews but this is one restaurant worth experiencing and talking about!!
I now understand why it was jam packed on that weekend, so I am happy I booked in advance!
Definitely will be coming again shortly :-)

Dan (Unverified), 21/06/07

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I and a friend were disturbed about a half a dozen times during the meal by the waiters. It made it difficult for us to relax and converse. The waiters lacked customer focus and kept hovering like flies at the table. One waiter in particular was rude. The restaurant was not full and there was no need to create an intimidating atmosphere for us. The food was bland. One good point was that the curries that we ordered were not swimming in fat. It was an UNPLEASANT experience.

Anita (Unverified), 07/06/07

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Disgusted, disgruntled and very very disappointed. The smiling staff only added to the dire evening we endured. Food was very average, at best. Staff looked too casual and the mixture of atmospheres there were trying to create baffled me and my guests. Won't be back soon. Sorry.

E.Walters (Unverified), 09/04/07

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It is a shame that most Indian restaurants in Oxford offer North Indian food (the kadais, the baltis, the birianis, the saags and the tandoori dishes) but they do not have the chefs with the appropriate experience to prepare it well. It would be good to see more Bengali specialities at the Spice Lounge.

Farakh (Unverified), 28/12/06

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Had the most wonderful evening at Spice Lounge. Everything was absolutely fantastic: the restaurant is smart and contemporary whilst still being comfortable and relaxed, the atmosphere is great, the food is fresh, perfectly cooked and just magnificent (we had the set menu vegetarian) and the nicest naan bread I've ever had.

What really makes it stand out overall though is the wonderful service, every member of staff was super professional and really friendly and helpful.

Competitively priced for Oxford. We will definitely go back.

Sarah (Unverified), 13/10/06

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Visited the Spice Lounge one weekend with a few friends and had to say nothing was too exceptional here. Spice "Lounge" is exactly as it is...merely a lounge type of dining experience. One would rather expect to be greeted in a more formal manner by one or two of the staff. Food was of a good standard but not the best Indian I've had by a long way. Still needs a lot of work to catch up with the high level Oxford is setting.

It's difficult and almost impossible to please everybody that comes in through the doors, but I think maybe going back to basics would help their cause greatly.

2/5 - Moving away from tradition does not mean neglecting what built great success in the earlier years.

David Surrey (Unverified), 30/09/06

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There has always been a pent-up demand for a top-of-the range Indian restaurant in Summertown (vide the much-missed Khazana in South Parade) – and the fact that it has been consistently packed out since its opening indicates that The Spice Lounge is effortlessly fitting the bill.

Carved out of long derelict shop premises, The Spice Lounge features laid-back contemporary décor that strikes just the right note of casual sophistication. Staff are friendly and efficient too, but all of this would be as nothing if the food wasn’t up to scratch. But I’m happy to report that it’s in this area that the Lounge reigns supreme. Quite simply, it’s serving some of the best, if not the best, Indian cuisine in Oxford (and this is from a long-time aficionado who’s road-tested most of the notable names at one time or another.)

There’s nothing particularly original about the menu, which offers all the classics – but where The Spice Lounge scores is in the freshness and subtlety of the cooking and the contemporary feel of the presentation. Even better, there are no nasty surprises when the bill is presented – prices are comparable with most Indian establishments, and cheaper than some. All in all, a top-notch dining experience.

Nosher (Unverified), 16/09/06

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The Spice lounge is by far one of the best Indian meals we have had in Oxford.
The lunch special is fantastic value.
The staff are very friendly and efficient.
Will be visiting very soon and highly recommend that others do the same.

Stephanie (Unverified), 26/08/06

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I had dinner here on Tuesday 8th August. The decor is contemporary with very comfortable chairs. The toilets are spotlessly clean - a rarity in any restaurant these days!

We found the service to be very friendly and professional without being obsequious, they certainly know how to provide good customer service.

The food was excellent, you could really taste the fresh herbs & spices - no pre-made sauces here - and there is a very good choice for meat eaters and non-meat eaters alike. The starters were excellent - the batter on the Pakora, for example, was very light and not at all greasy. The salad garnish was very fresh and contained no slimy brown bits of lettuce!

I would definitely recommend the Spice Lounge - the quality of the food really makes a trip here worthwhile and it is excellent value for money. Indeed, I was so impressed I wrote to them to tell them so.

Sam (DI User), 10/08/06

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The Spice lounge is definitely a cut above the usual "flock wallpaper and cheesy sitar music" type of curry house that seems to occupy most towns and cities around the country. The decor is posh without being pretentious and the atmosphere relaxed. To start my girlfriend and I ordered paneer tikka (spicy barbecued cheese) and murg pakora (chicken covered in gram flour and spices and then deep fried). Both were reasonably priced at £3.25 each and were of a higher standard than similar dishes at other Indian restaurants in Oxford.

There is a large selection of main courses available, including an extensive vegetarian menu, and a lot of the dishes seem to be particularly unique to the Spice Lounge. I opted for murg mirch ka salon which consisted of chicken cooked in a rich onion-based sauce with red bullet chillies. The dish was hot without being explosive and was not too greasy as can be the case in some restaurants. My girlfriend opted for mottar baigon which contained both aubergines and chickpeas and was medium spiced.

The main courses cost approximately £7 and £5 respectively and the garlic naans and rice we ordered to accompany them were £2.50 each. The restaurant had kingfisher beer on tap (always a bonus) and the service was fine. All in all this is definitely one of Oxford's better Indian restaurants but the long trip up to Summertown may put off all but the most hardened curry lover.

Oliver Rutt (Unverified), 09/08/06

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