By Tan Weiyun (Shanghai Daily)
Updated: 2007-12-03 10:59

He who controls the spices, controls the universe, a ruling principle devoutly believed by the great kings of ancient India, a country where spices were valued like gold for thousands of years.

The Spice Market, an authentic Southeast Asian restaurant that has been serving this exquisite cuisine to Shanghai diners for the past six years, features a style of food that is prepared with a mixture of herbs and spices.

Located just a few minutes away from Xintiandi, the Spice Market takes customers on a culinary journey of the land of spices.

The restaurant with its Indian and Thai chefs provides four Southeast Asian cuisines, that of India, Indonesia, Thailand and Malaysia.

The restaurant's interior is tastefully designed with a classy lobby welcoming food lovers into a large and fine dinning area, which is divided into several themes in Southeast Asian fashion. The restaurant can house about 150 diners.

The Thai court with a large pagoda roof and bamboo curtains on the walls is adorned with various artifacts and bronze statues from the region while the Singapore hall features bright green, the color of the clean and vibrant city-state.

The Masala hall in Indian style, is stunningly gorgeous with its royal golden roof, intricate carvings and the "Magic Wooden Gate." Masala in India means a blend of ground spices. The hall, which houses a mini bar and is separated from other dining areas, can accommodate about 70 people, perfect for cooperate parties and family gatherings.

The most eye-catching element are the many raw spices at the entrance. They are displayed with their names in both English and Chinese.

Another nice touch is the menu that carries descriptions and the benefits of the various types of spices used. It has long been accepted that cooking with these ingredients is not only good for the taste buds, but also beneficial to the health. You can have a casual lesson on spices while waiting for your order.

A slight knowledge of the properties of the ingredients and the spices might help you better appreciate the food.

The juicy "Chicken Tikka Masala" (grilled nuggets of chicken in light tomato based gravy) is a non-spicy dish in India style. The chicken is very tender. The Spice Market's green sauce - mint and coriander - enhances the chicken while the creamy "Lamb Nizami Korma" (succulent nuggets of lamb cooked in rich creamy cashew nut sauce) is really a treat especially when accompanied by the crispy and flaky naan.

The spinach with the cottage cheese "Palak Paneer" is one of the most popular dishes on the menu. It might look a little strange at first due to its green colored gravy, but the texture of the milky cheese and the rich spinach goes perfectly with the mild herbs and spices.

Prawn Cake in Thai style is crispy. It's even better to eat with sweet sauce and the restaurant's secret spicy sauce.

Beef Rendang in Indonesian style is a bit sweet, and Shanghainese might appreciate this. It is usually served with rice because of its thick sauce, mixed with cubes of beef, chopped shallots, onions, garlic, fresh ginger, curry leaves, lemon grass, coriander and coconut milk.

The meal rounds off wonderfully with a serving of "Kulfi" - a traditional handmade Indian ice-cream made from saffron and boiled milk, which apparently requires a good degree of skill to make. A glass of Mango Lassi is not a bad idea. The traditional North Indian beverage is made by blending yogurt with spices until frothy.

At Christmas and on New Year's Eve, the Spice Market will launch its Special Dinner, 188 yuan a person, covering Indian, Indonesian, Thai and Malaysian food.

Spice Market
Address: 8 Jinan Road
Tel: 021-63846838
Hours: Lunch: 11:30am-2pm; Dinner: 5:30pm-10:30pm