So it’s been bloody freezing here in Cape Town the last 2 days!  I really don’t deal well with cold weather, so I decided to try and beat the chill by enjoying a nice hot curry…

I headed over to the V&A Waterfront with my friends Nix & Joe and we decided to try out Jewel of India (Shop 6264, Upper Level).  I had heard quite a few people raving about this place, so I was really excited to check it out.

Looks very promising from the outside...

The decor is quite impressive, with beautifully carved wooden pillars and bright red accents:

Nice nice, very nice...

They bring each person a free pappadum – I love pappadums, so I thought that was a really nice touch.   I thought the wine options were a bit limiting though, but not a deal breaker for me – I was there for the curry after all.  Really weird thing is that they also have a Chinese menu?!  At first I thought Joe had brought is own bloody menu along! haha!  (He’s Taiwanese – yes I know that’s very different to Chinese, but it’s still funny )  But seriously, I was very confused by this Chinese menu…  it just didn’t make any sense at all…  it’s like going to a sushi spot and there being like a 1kg rack of ribs special.  Just makes one very suspicious.

I decided not to focus on that and rather focus on the challenge at hand:  Selecting the perfect curry.   I was really torn…  the prawn curries sounded really great, so did the lamb, the beef & the chicken options… Hmmmm.

Nix and I shared a garlic naan (R18) as a starter.  Even though the garlic was “plakked on”, it tasted like nothing.  I think the garlic must have been seriously stale…  I have however been brushing my teeth non-stop since to get rid of the nasty aftermath!  You know what I’m referring too… that “something died in my mouth” taste that you just can’t seem to shake.  Blegh.

Joe seemed really intrigued by that damn Chinese menu, so he opted for a sweet corn chicken soup (R30) to start.   I can’t do sweet corn soup at all, they usually add egg to it and to me having bits of soft egg floating in your soup is just WRONG.   I have serious issues with weird textures like that.  But Joe seemed to really enjoy it.

For mains, I finally settled on the Chicken Kadhai (R75) with a portion of basmati rice (R18) and some sambals (R10).

Spicy baby!!!

It had 2 chillies next to it on the menu, which the waiter told us was “mild” – but hell did that curry pack a punch!  A couple of bites into it I really started to battle.  The flavours were great, but that burn did get a bit much.  I motored through my sambals & rice for some relief.

Nix had the beef biryani (R95) and she was nice enough to give me a bite.   It was really lovely, the lamb was super soft and it had just a hint of chilli.

Just look at the size of it! It would have been enough for two people... easily.

Joe tried another option from the Chinese menu, the Chicken Manchuia (R70).

OK seriously, Chinese dishes at an Indian restaurant!?! haha. Clearly I'm still not over that one...

This one too made you feel the burn! haha.  Joe was a bit disappointed because he doesn’t really like hot food that much and he ended up sweating like a hooker in church… (hahahaha, been dying for an opportunity to use that saying!  Finally, success!)

We were way too stuffed to try any desserts…  and our taste buds I think had had enough by that stage in any case.

All and all, I will say that I had an enjoyable experience at Jewel of India, but I definitely wasn’t blown away.  There are much better Indian spots in Cape Town…  My Miss K Kiss-o-Meter ratings are as follows:

• Ambience: 
• Price:
• Service:
• Food:

On the way out we noticed this really beautiful dining room which is closed off to the rest of the restaurant.  It looked like it must be a private function room or something.  It had low tables & soft pillows so one can sit on the floor and enjoy your meal.   I would have preferred sitting there – it was really stunning and had a more authentic feel.  I guess that’s something you could keep in mind for a birthday party…

Oh, before I go – here’s me getting cozy with the little dude they have standing outside:

If I kiss you... will you turn into a delicious curry making prince?

xxx