Spice Route Melange (BYOB) — Restaurant in Parsippany-Troy Hills

When we began planning our Indian wedding, we knew that food would be a cornerstone of the celebration. Spice Route Melange delivered a culinary experience that exceeded all our expectations. The variety of dishes offered was simply astounding. From traditional Indian favorites to innovative fusion dishes, every palate was catered to with care. The appetizers alone were a journey through the diverse culinary landscape of India. Each bite was a testament to the skill and dedication of Shreekant and his team. The main courses were a grand affair with rich, creamy curries, perfectly spiced biryanis, and an array of bread that complemented each dish beautifully. The paneer was a crowd favorite. One of the standout aspects of working with Spice Route Melange was the exceptional professionalism combined with a personal touch. Shreekant was an absolute gem to work with. From our first meeting, it was evident that he was genuinely committed to making our wedding day special. He took the time to understand our preferences, dietary restrictions, and vision for the event. My husband has a severe soybean allergy, which initially caused us a great deal of concern when selecting a caterer. Shreekant, however, was incredibly accommodating. Without hesitation, he agreed to change the restaurant's oil type to canola, ensuring that all the food prepared would be safe for my husband to enjoy. This level of flexibility and attention to detail is a rarity and was deeply appreciated by our entire family. Shreekant invited us to multiple food tastings, and each visit to Spice Route Melange was an event in itself. We were welcomed with warm hospitality, and Shreekant personally guided us through the tasting sessions. It was clear that he took immense pride in his craft, and his passion for creating exceptional food was evident in every dish we sampled. During these tastings, we were able to fine-tune our menu, and Shreekant offered invaluable suggestions that enhanced our selections. His expertise in balancing flavors and understanding the intricacies of Indian cuisine ensured that our menu was not only delicious but also a true reflection of our cultural heritage. Each tasting session left us more confident and excited about the culinary journey our guests would embark on during our wedding. On the day of the wedding, the food surpassed even our highest expectations. Our 250 guests couldn't stop raving about how incredible the food was. Throughout the night, we heard countless compliments on the quality, variety, and flavor of the dishes. Each dish was beautifully arranged, adding to the visual appeal of the event. The buffet setup was elegant and inviting, with vibrant colors and enticing aromas drawing guests to the tables. Shreekant's attention to detail extended to every aspect of the catering, making the dining experience not just about the food, but a feast for all the senses. What truly sets Shreekant and Spice Route Melange apart is the genuine care and dedication they bring to their work. Shreekant treated our wedding as if it were his own, going above and beyond to ensure that everything was perfect. His willingness to accommodate our needs, his expert guidance throughout the planning process, and his unwavering commitment to excellence made him not just a vendor, but a trusted partner in our celebration. Shreekant's passion for his craft and his desire to create memorable experiences for his clients were evident in every interaction we had with him. He was always available to answer questions, provide suggestions, and address any concerns we had. His calm and reassuring presence was a source of comfort during the often stressful wedding planning process. Choosing Spice Route Melange to cater our Indian wedding was one of the best...

Sat 12th Oct: We were four families of 14 for the Special Bengali Pujo dinner. +Every single dish was cooked authentically to the taste of back home in Calcutta. Many dishes brought back memories of the cooking style and aromas of kitchens of our mothers and grandmothers and aunts....and neighbouring home kitchens! +The fish fry, deemer devil, 3 sweet chutneys, and the fish chutney (an amazing find) were the best at the Starters tables. +The maangshor curry was terrific +The shukto was excellent. Well done to have brought out the correct multiple tastes of a great shukto, usally a difficult dish to cook. +Every single mishti was great. Our special prize goes to the light and mildly-sweet shondesh! Just the best ever. The doi was good though it could have been creamier with a longer slow boil of full-fat milk etc. Your chef will know what to do the next time.

Suggestions for the next time: White rice (Shaada bhaat. Sheddo chaal of course would be heaven!) goes with the chholaar daal- Not yellow rice or biryani, however good they be. Yes, nothing like loochis with chholaar daal but one understands that's difficult for a buffet. However, whenever you do (and we truly hope so) create a regular A La Carte Bengali menu, please do add just-fried hot loochis. Btw, loochis go great with the maangshor curry too. Your chef will know it in his DNA. Fried Paapad is compulsory with any sweet chaatney! Again, difficult for a buffet but same hope when you introduce a regular Bengali menu. Be it once a month or once in three months, PLEASE bring back this best-ever Bengali cuisine. Please don't say next year this time. Parsippany and towns around have a largish population from Calcutta and it surely needs such a menu right here. The only other places for good Bangla food (Bangladeshi mughlai leaning at that) are Paterson NJ or Jackson Heights NY....Too far for us. Each of us adored the 'shorsher' baataa and shorsher thailer aromas in your restaurant, making the alure even more authentic like a Bengali home kitchen! And now the tough part for your chef: The fish dishes were broken down to many small parts, MAINLY because the assistants came back every 10 mts to rotate and turn the dish to keep it hot or something! When the dishes were replenished, they were rotated and mixed and turned and rotated all over again. NOT DONE to fish. Fish curry can never be rotated and turned for heating purposes. It is such a delicate meat. As a result of all that turning and regular turning, both fish dishes became average-to-below-average. The assistants need to be trained about this issue for fish by your chef from Calcutta. Fish is not mutton or chicken or vegetables or daal. Surely your chef understands how sacrosanct a good maacher jhol must be served!

Final: Spice Route have pulled off a grand coup with this offering. Well done and our compliments to all led by Shreekant Dhyani ji and his gifted chef- Sorry, we did not get his name last night; and all the assistants who did a terrific job of serving, clearing tables, replenishing the food, and in keeping order in all that melee of excited customers who couldn't believe this was happening right here in America on a Pujo ka night.

We wait to hear of your next dates for Bengali food at your restaurant. Spice Route is now the single best place to go to in New Jersey....

Decided to try this place out since we're tired of going to the same trusted places over and over again. Unfortunately, it was a bad decision. We should've known better when we walked into a restaurant at 20% capacity (read: there were 3 other parties there). We started off with a Thai iced tea and a Tropical shake. The Thai iced tea was pretty good. Tasted the same as others I've tried. The tropical shake on the other hand wasn't. It was way too pineapple biased and water downed.

We decided to give their curry a try. I ordered the chicken with yellow curry (I think they call it the Panang curry?) and my friend had the chicken with green curry. When given the choice, we both requested medium spicy. Her dish was on point in spiciness. My dish on the other hand was very sweet and not spicy at all. It seemed as if the kitchen staff mistaken sugar for hot sauce/pepper.

The amount of chicken given is a small portion for the $17.00 they're charging. However, the entire dish was full of overflowing sauce along with green peppers, red peppers, onion and another veggie I wasn't able to identify because it was drenched with sauce.

The amount of rice given with each of these dishes is the standard tiny bowl you normally get from traditional Chinese restaurants. After I was finished with my rice and chicken, because there was so much sauce left over, I asked for another bowl of rice so I can finish the sauce with the rice (as I was still starving). Mind you, I'm not a huge eater...for reference, having a burrito at Chipotle is the perfect portion for me for dinner.

Looking at the check, I was disappointed with the $3.00 charge for that tiny bowl of rice plain ol white rice.

$17 - yellow curry chicken $17 - green curry chicken $5 - Thai Iced Tea $5 - Tropical Shake $3 - Tiny bowl of rice.

$50 total after taxes and still hungry after dinner. I normally tip 20%. But this time, 15% was more than generous.

Disclaimer: I am not frugal when it comes to food as I lived and dined around Manhattan for most of my life. But I believe if you are going to charge Manhattan prices for sub par (not even good enough to be "average") food and hope the restaurant's ambiance and the politeness of your ONE overzealous staff can pull the weight that the kitchen staff isn't pulling, I'm afraid it's not going to work.

Quick observation: The rest of the wait staff/busser (the two that I saw), are very reserved, passive and seem very subservient. The hostess (who oddly took our order) was very outgoing, aggressive, upbeat and energetic (owner/co-owner if I were a betting man). Definitely a clash of personalities.

Conclusion: The food itself is 2.5 stars out of 5 in my books. But the quality of the food does not correlate well to the price.

Final...