Henley Spice Merchant — Restaurant in South Oxfordshire

We had an early dinner menu. So ordered the spiced duck starter from tandoor and rajasthan lamb curry and Malawi monk fish curry The menu was very interesting trying not to be just a typical Indian restaurant. Duck can be very badly done by Indian cooking. The duck was soft and perfectly cooked. With a light spicing. We had similar from Benares with pigeon. Which was just as memorable. The lamb curry was excellent in flavour and spicy. I do think you need be aware that you need to make sure it’s mild. Even if it C doesn’t say it is spicy. For me it was perfectly spicy. The Malawi curry with non fish was great. The monkfish was tasty. We had a reasonable priced Pilau rice and Kema nan. Which is more more a roti. Not a nan. Service was charged. All in all the choice was excellent to be different. I read the other poor reviews and didn’t make sense to me. Taste being boring and portion sizes. The portion of the fish and lamb curry was at least 7 pieces. Not small pieces. So portions were large enough for the price. The curry was more authentic to regions they have mentioned. Rajasthan tends to be deeper flavours and spicy. The fish curry was heavy with fish sauce flavour with curry leaves. I’d personally try the Chettinad curry next time as that should be strong with curry leaves and tomato. Service charge is included. If you didn’t like the service. Don’t pay it. We had a real good experience and the 3.9 stars does not accurately reflect I feel this restaurant trying to offer a better regional choice of curries. I do think the lamb was overcooked. But that was my main criticism of a good curry...

I said i wouldn't leave a review as the food was divine and it is not the owners fault. However after a year i have decided the public need to know after finding out this member of staff was not sacked. Around a year ago i visited Spice Merchant with my partner, the food was to die for, i was given a card to fill out to rate the food in hope to win a free meal. At 3am my phone started ringing, i answered to find a mans voice asking me to tell him the hotel i was in with my fiance, turns out one of the members of staff “Golam Rasul” had taken my number from the card and decided to call me... my partner asked him politely to never call again... this is just the beginning, the calls lasted for weeks, the messages soon came, along with stalking on social media. The phone calls soon turned into pretty disgusting messages asking me to meet him behind my fiances back not knowing that my partner had now taken control of the messages and call. We didn't block the number for the reason of needing to tell his boss. We revisited in January this year to confront Golam, the reaction was horrific and denied all knowledge until we proved it. The man is a vile dog and should not be allowed to work anywhere let alone allowed to serve in a restaurant. He disprespected myself my partner and our daughter and i will NEVER return to this restaurant, i had to change my number which is also my business number so this caused me a lot of upset to us all. Sorry to leave this review but its appauling someone is allowed to work in your restaurant that has...

A true orchestra of spices, herbs and culinary skill. I started with the pakora, light, crispy, beautifully prepared and presented to the table, the drizzle of tamarind sauce that lifts the delicate balances of spices to a perfect starter. With a glass of Malbec I was introduced to the lamb raghisthan, a salivating Bouquet of Kashmir chilli and mixed herbs and spices with a depth of flavour that meets the Indian Ocean. The lamb is as soft as your grandmothers kiss and when mixed with cardamom pilau rice a symphony takes place on your tongue that in emulated by the gentle background of music. Making you feel you are transported to precolonial India. All the service was warm hearted and professional, yet I felt I was eating with friends who want to see you truly enjoy the magic they have created for you to eat. My only regret is not having a bigger stomach and wallet to try everything they have to offer. I ate alone but I can only recommend bringing all the friends and family for a truly...