With Southern Indian curry houses mushrooming in Oxford, it seems we’ve moved on from the traditional Punjabi restaurants to something entirely different. Or have we? Not judging by the newly opened Tempering on Botley’s West Way Square.
Perched right at the end, behind the parade of shops and passed the recently closed Dosa Park, it’s easy to miss. And yet, despite its awkward location, come Saturday night, the place was packed to the rafters, customers travelling for miles, it seems, to this reinvented trad curry house.
Harman only opened it three months ago, his first foray into the restaurant business, that’s quite a feat. Tempering is the name for the sizzle of spices hitting hot oil in Indian cooking, and here it’s apt. So what’s all the fuss about? And what’s so different about Tempering?
Well, the big, lofty, functional, open plan restaurant for a start, the extensive mocktail and cocktail menu, all made freshly on site, and the menu.
Because while all the classics are there, there are lots of new additions and some subtle differences. All the dishes are hand-made on site and veer away from the prescriptive, everything-tastes-and-looks-the-same mentality, bringing something new, literally, to the table. Nothing revolutionary perhaps, but still a refreshing change.
Starting off with the chaats, the papadi and gol gappa, the former flat like nachos and covered in chickpeas, diced potatoes, chilled sweet yoghurt, tamarind, mint chutney and pomegranates (£4.95), and the gol gappa – little puff balls of puffed semolina filled with the potatoes and chickpeas and covered with the same goodies.
Great value, the novelty of each mouthful was so unique; the sharp creamy yoghurt, the crunch of the puffed semolina, the dense spiced chickpeas and potatoes, the sharp mint, juicy pomegranate and sour tamarind. So good, we were now on full alert about the exciting potential of our meal.
And so we chose carefully, some classics to compare and some more novel dishes. Take the onion bhajis (£4.95), a staple on every curry house menu, often dry and soapy, or served in crispy rings, but here really juicy and fragrant, almost like patties, and so tasty.
And the paneer Manchurian (£6.95) from the ‘Chinese corner’ of the menu, which was spectacular – spicy, sticky, sweet and sour, it packed a punch – a totally new taste sensation. Was it Indian? Fusion certainly but we weren’t quibbling.
The lamb chops were equally as magnificent, marinaded overnight with raw papaya, ginger and garlic paste and chefs special masala, the meat was juicy and packed full of flavour, we ordered more.
The lamb madras (£14.95) was strong, rich and hearty, the accompanying pilau rice topped with crispy onions, the naans thin, oily and flecked with herbs, while the bhindi do pyaza (£11.95) a dry, spicy blend of okra, onions, cumin seeds, tomatoes and ginger, which was vibrant and delicious. (see main pic)
Washed down with a spirited mango lassi and some Cobra beer, sadly we didn’t have room for dessert, but left with the remnants of our feast clutched firmly in our takeaway bag.
Any criticisms? It was hard to fault, but more sides would have been welcome – some silky saag aloo or Mutter Paneer to throw into the mix, but perhaps that’s just because it’s what we’re used to. Judging by the room full of happy diners, they were happy with this new take.
What can I say? Hats off to Harman for upscaling what seemed like a dying culinary tradition and reviving it in such style and GM Ravinder Singh who kept the dishes coming even during rush hour.
It seems like the British obsession with the traditional curry house isn’t going anywhere soon, and Tempering is a refreshing and well-timed addition to Oxford’s heritage of stellar Indian restaurants.
Tempering is at 20-22 W Wy. Square, Botley, Oxford. OX2 9TJ https://www.temperingrestaurant.com
