Spices - East Indian and Nepalese Cuisine — Restaurant in Alberta

CHILDREN NOT WELCOME!

This was my second time visiting this restaurant. My wife and I had been here once before when they first opened and it has not gotten better.

I took my 2 young children aged 2 and 5 to Spices East Indian Dining to meet my brother, their uncle for dinner. We had a reservation and were seated promptly at the back corner away from the other diners in the restaurant.

A server came and filled our water glasses and I ordered our food (I knew what we wanted and wanted to avoid delays with getting the kids fed and home to bed). We were not offered anything else to drink, but would have ordered beers and something other than water for the kids if the server had asked. He took the menus and left.

As the food came out, my 5 year old son mentioned that he had to pee so he went to the bathroom around the corner from us on his own an pd returned a few minutes later having done his business and washing his hands. The owner came and informed us that the bathroom that he used was 'out of order' and that the toilet was plugged. I guess that the simple books that my son has learned to read in kindergarten haven't included the phrase 'out of order' yet because he had no idea. The plumbing worked fine for him so who cares? If the bathroom is out of order, LOCK THE DOOR!

We ate our meal which was pretty mediocre, you could taste the ketchup in the butter chicken. The sauce seems to be 1/3 water, 1/3 ketchup, 1/3 sugar and not all that inspiring. I had to get up to get straws for the kids drinks because our server thought that wine glasses would be appropriate for a 2 year old to drink water from.

No bill was brought to our table after we had been finished eating for several minutes. No offer for coffee or a drink was made.

I got up and paid and gave the standard 15% gratuity which was a GIFT given the substandard service and mediocre food. The server then informed me that the people that were sitting near us complained that my 2 year old daughter was loud. I pointed out that she was 2 and that actually she was quite good. She was excited to see her uncle when we first got there but neither kid was badly behaved, nor did they make a mess like I have seen other kids do in restaurants. He told me that he didn't want his customers to feel uncomfortable... Like he was making me feel.

Why didn't the customer say something to me? Why did the owner wait until after I paid (and tipped) to raise as issue?

If you want to discriminate against children or people with children, get a liquor license and don't allow minors into...

I LOVE this place. I treat us to an amazing meal about once a month or so, usually via take out. Prior to COVID-19 we'd occasionally have a dinner in the restaurant which was always lovely.

The restaurant seems accessible, there are a few blue parking stalls shared with the other businesses near by. There is a stairwell beside the patio. Not sure if there are bike racks near by for cyclists. The washroom is large, well maintained, clean, well lit and private at the back. The restaurant is quite open, the colours are warm, and lovely paintings adorn the walls & the lighting isn't harsh on the eyeballs & brain(migraines). I haven't been in the restaurant when all the tables have been filled so in my experience there was always an open seat ready. The welcome at the door is wonderful. The customer service is outstanding, the people who work here are so kind, courteous, and talented whether I am calling in or walking in to the restaurant, it is always a kind warm greeting.

My favorite dish is the Ceylonese style Paneer with Coconut rice which is a mild but deliciously flavourful meal I can't get enough of. The fish pakora is the most amazing I have ever had. The consistency with the dishes (flavour + amount) is a marvel. They have making good food down to an art (or science depending on how you look at it :) )I have been ordering from here since 2017 and have never been disappointed.

They have the dietary items of note clearly indicated on their menu for Gluten (as well as vegetarian etc). When I could eat Naan, I sampled all the flavours and they were all great. I do miss being able to tear the naan and eat my meal with it. I used to struggle choosing which naan to go with my meal. The saffron rice makes a great gluten-free side dish as well as the coconut rice.

Spices is a gem of a restaurant in Okotoks, they covered all the bases - delicious food + talent +...

The food is good, however the service is lacking. I decided to place an order online at 6:05PM tonight and did not receive my food until 7:30PM (online said 45 minutes for it to be delivered) I waited until 7 to call incase maybe the driver got lost or the kitchen was backed up, which when I called that is what I was told (kitchen backed up.) I understand that, My spouse has worked in the kitchen for 10 years in various restaurants, including an Indian restaurant. Whoever I spoke to on the phone also said they would send papadums on the house for the delay, well we did not receive those, and the food must have been sitting for a little while because it was not that hot…..for it being in an aluminum container it should hold its heat in fairly well. The tandoori oven was also not cleaned properly since the back of the naan has burnt pieces on it from previous burnt naan. (Yes, he has made plenty of hundred of thousands of naan with a tandoor So we are able to tell.) Also - the raita was very runny, almost like water. I don’t know if that’s how it’s normally made here but I was expecting it to be a little thicker. For $70 worth of food… Pretty...