Reviews

Thali Café - Bristol Food Review

Posted on: 2017-05-16

The noisy bustle of people chatting, enjoying and sharing eye catching food was also a factor in my instantaneous enjoyment of the restaurant.

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I’ve never been to India, but I don’t see much of a point of going now, as I have found the next best thing to jet setting half way across the globe. Thali Café, in Clifton, offered me a spice sensitisation that I will not be forgetting anytime soon. Delectable starters, a sharing, friendly atmosphere and food that I don’t think many Indian restaurants in the city can match. I was in my element.

Arriving through the doors of the rather impressive building located near Clifton village, you are immediately taken back by the warm, rich aroma of spices from the furthest corners of the globe. Not only did this greeting of spice help in immediately feeling comfortable, but the noisy bustle of people chatting, enjoying and sharing eye catching food was also a factor in my instantaneous enjoyment of the restaurant.

 

Sat down by enthusiastic and welcoming staff, over-looking a picturesque Clifton, I was drawn to the incredibly well decorated interior of the Thali Café. A floor to ceiling mural covering the entrance was a little sign that plenty of thought had gone into looking after not just the food, but also the aesthetics of the building to really give that authentic experience. Now was the exciting part, ordering food.

When it came to drinks, I went for Bristol Beer Factory's very own No. 7. A lovely hint of smokiness yet somehow smooth enough to enjoy with, what can sometimes be, the harshness of spiced food. My partner went for the Thali Gin & Tonic. A Double shot of Bombay Dry Gin with homemade Thali tonic and grapefruit wedge. She did say it was the perfect complement to her food as it was so fresh it acted as a palate cleanser so you could immerse yourself in the full flavour of each individual dish.

We went for the Pani Puri to start off with. Described as a fun and social snack to share. The idea being that you poke a hole into a crispy sphere and fill with potatoes, chickpeas, sweet-and-sour tamarind water. We also had 2 of Thalis Poppadums and tried the mango chutney. The idea of the social snacking to start off was, even if a little less refined and messier to eat, a great way to start a meal. It gets you chatting and doing that classic – “Oh wow, you have to try this one!”. It also gets you laughing. Well it did for me and my partner. Everything was lovely on its own, and incredible when mixed in the spheres or on top of the poppadum. A great way to start.

When it came to mains Thali Café go for a small menu, which in my eyes is better. Not a huge laminated menu with so many dishes you have no idea what to have. I opted for the Buttermilk Sigri Chicken. Meera’s soft and sumptuous take on Bademiya’s tandoori chicken. Slow cooked free-range chicken 48 hour marinated in buttermilk for a tangy flavour. This was accompanied with Dal Makhani, cauliflower chaat salad, lime pickled onions, naan and coriander chutney. My partner went for Rajasthani Lamb Thali. 24 hour marinated slow-cooked lamb curry, flavoured with star anise, ginger and cinnamon. All served with subji, dahl, basmati rice, chutney and mooli salad.

 

Now believe me, I would love to go into detail about every single dish, but I doubt my laptop has enough memory for me to write about every single element. Instead it’s easier for me to give you the highlights and some parts I wasn’t as fond of.

 

My buttermilk chicken was cooked to perfection. Still moist with the perfect amount of spice and the pickled onions were a standout on the dish. They added a little burst of acidity that cut through the dish and tied everything together. The cauliflower chaat salad added a lovely sweetness to all the other dishes and gave a bit of texture when mixed with the dahl. Not being a huge fan of coriander, I felt the chutney didn’t really have a place and was a bit too overpowering with the rest of the food.

Again, I couldn’t fault the cooking of the lamb. It fell apart and the aniseed flavouring throughout the dish was delightful and not as harsh as I presumed it would have been. The dahl on this dish was, all be it good, quite standard. Tasty nonetheless but due to the amazing spices and flavours of the other dishes it felt slightly lacklustre.

After our main course, we just had room for desert. Which in all honesty was the highlight of the meal for me. Mumbai Mess for me and for my partner, the Pistachio Kulfi. The Mumbai Mess was a mango take on Eaton Mess, with fresh mango coulis, passionfruit cream, meringue shards, a pistachio crumb and fresh pomegranate. The perfect end to a meal. Light, refreshing and a palate cleanser like no other. A standing ovation when it comes to this one. The Kulfi was a little heavy for me, but again the flavour from it was fantastic and it was portioned perfectly, not too much to end the meal on. A first time trying Kulfi for me and something I will indeed be looking out for from now on.

My overall experience at Thali Café was very much impressive. A few little niggles here and there with regards to the food, but I honestly can overlook them due to the main parts of the dishes being incredibly well spiced and prepared. The cost of the meal was impressive too. One of the most competitive prices for Indian cuisine, and due to this it will have me coming back time and time again for a truly authentic experience of India. Possibly one of the best places to head with a group of friends, chat, dive hands first into your food, get a bit messy, laugh and enjoy culinary excellence.

 

If you need any more information on Thali Café check out their website at - thethalicafe.co.uk. You can also connect with the guys through Facebook. 

 

Food - 3

Value - 5

Atmosphere - 4

Service - 5

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