212-815 Cloverdale Ave
Victoria, BC

Hours: 11:00am to 10:00pm daily
Phone: (250) 380-1881
Website: royalspicevictoria.ca

Winter is a good time to have a hot meal, and when I refer to the temperature, I’m actually talking about the spice level that Indian food is famous for. Royal Spice Indian Cuisine knows how to kick everything up a notch, and then some! I was here with another pal since our Call of Cthulhu RPG session with other gamers was a bust–nobody wanted to game in the late month of December. I understand the holidays change priorities, but for us hard core gamers hoping to embark on a mission, it can be disheartening.

This intimate establishment knew how to turn our disappointment around. Even on a cold night, we were warmly welcomed and it was busy. This city had a blast of winter snow, and it didn’t deter those brave the slick streets from dining out.

Thankfully, the rain washed it away, but it was still chilly. But after the shrimp pomegranate curry we “custom” ordered, along with some other delights, all that feeling of being cold had us feeling warm. The dim lighting made this place an operation to bring a date. My buddy, Max, said he’ll have to bring his wife here, since he loved the atmosphere.

Between the various dishes we had, which included pakoras as appetisers, I couldn’t decide which I liked more. The lamb raganjosh was juicy and tender, and instead of ordering something high on the spice metre for our main, we went for medium.

The garlic naan was perfectly warm, but even then, a bit of steam could be seen upon my glasses when I started mixing and matching certain dishes together. Although Max ordered a lasse to help cool him down, I opted for just water. 

For an operation that used to house a Chinese buffet operation a long time ago, they’re doing well for themselves! I lost track of the turnaround this mall has when it comes to restaurants choosing to set up shop here. I remember a long time ago, it was home to Best Buy before moving to another location and then Uptown. As for this restaurant, I believe this place is here to stay. Also, they apparently have a lunch buffet on weekends. And after we I sampled, I’m certain we’ll be back for more curry to keep our tummies feeling cozy during the cold season.

4 Blokes out of 5