The feel-at-home eatery in Sheung Wan
Updated: 2015-07-03 08:17
By Maggie Beale(HK Edition)
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With a simple, understated but not unattractive decoration and setting, it's a rather plainly styled restaurant. There are no gilt-embellished or vividly colored pictures or statues, so the overall impression is one of simplicity. Plain tables and chairs offer a seating capacity for 55 people.
The seats are ample if a bit low for Western legs, tablecloths are smart black laid over white, plates are plain, the stainless-steel cutlery is reasonably heavy and serving bowls are compact stainless steel or long boards. The ceiling is high so the atmosphere is airy, clean and inoffensive.
The style of cooking hovers somewhere between Indian and Nepalese cuisines with tandoori and curry items in abundance. It's an attractive style that is a fusion of traditional Indian frontier cuisine and modern style cooking. The subtle flavors and aromas of spices are delicately blended into the dishes and cooked on gentle heat with each dish being an individual creation.
To drink, I recommend the Salty Mint Lassi at HK$30, or if you prefer a sweeter taste then try the Namaste Colada, it's a blend of coconut, pineapple juice, vanilla ice-cream and strawberries at HK$35. Soft drinks and bottled water are priced at HK$18.
One succulent specialty from the Kashmiri region is Lamb Rogan Josh, which is on the menu at HK$75, and a Chicken Methi cooked with fenugrec leaves is HK$68 per serving.
Palak Paneer is a favorite combination of sauted spinach and cottage cheese presented in a tasty curry sauce. A specialty of northern India I was pleased to see it arrive replete with garam masala, turmeric, garlic and other spices but not heavy with chilies - just as I had requested! So many cooks here use ready-made mixtures that are concocted with too much chili - I suppose because it's cheaper and more plentiful than some of the other spices. But, as any good chef specializing in Indian cuisine will tell you - chili isn't curry! Curry is all about combining a selection of spices such as cumin, asafoetida, turmeric, garlic and Indian bay leaves etc etc to get a burst of delicious flavors on your palate that will have you asking for more. And if you numb the palate with too much chili - that doesn't happen!
Having said all that and getting back to Namsaste Kitchen, I'm not quite sure what Chicken Chowmin Nepalese style is - I didn't try it, but a Western man dining at a nearby table scoffed it up and firmly pronounced it was "Great!". Certainly with chicken, noodles and veggies for just HK$60 - it's a bargain.
We did have the fresh fish cooked with bell peppers, onions and tomatoes in a masala sauce and it was mouth-wateringly good.
On another occasion, the Garlic and fresh Chili Crab Masala turned out to be a delightful combination for just HK$160. As the crab is fresh it's prudent to check availability before you go - see telephone number.
It's always good to see fresh, well-baked bread on a menu, and at Namaste Kitchen they have a mixture of roti and naan of various types - such as cheese, butter, garlic or keema, and plain.
Rice specialties include the expected biryanis and the dessert menu is small but includes fresh fruit as well as ice-cream.
The service is attentive and fast.
Vegetarians can enjoy several meat-free curries; Bhindi masala, Dal makhani, Aloo dum, Garlic Broccoli and other such traditional dishes. It's a reasonable veggie selection and cooked with care.
(HK Edition 07/03/2015 page10)