Coming to Indian Melody was a nice surprise sprung on me during a trip down to Southampton to see our research collaborators. On arrival, I thought we were in for just a normal, run of the mill, curry (which I love, but it's not dinner at the Ritz). On entering, it was clear the place was a little special, decked out in nice heavy wooden furniture, with intricate adornments and a fantastic antique grandfather clock. No textured wallpaper, no ceiling fan, it looked swish and atypical of the usual setup. We were shown to our table and our drinks order was swiftly taken and menus presented.
The owner was, as others have noted, keen to introduce the menu. Note that he offered to do so, and I was glad he did. He suggested five starters, including a 14th century dish he'd apparently resurrected. We went for 4 of those, swapping out a paneer dish for a masala dosa, since my colleague was keen to let everyone try one of his favourite dishes. The help with ordering was useful, even for a spice veteran like myself, as the restaurant specialises in home cooking rather than dishes specifically tailored to the UK market. The starters were cooked in an open kitchen behind us, with fresh ingredients and when they arrived, they weren't swimming in ghee. The Manchurian dish was delicious, a kind of dumpling covered in a sauce whose main flavour was fresh peppers and onion. The cashew padora was fantastic, I've never thought of cooking cashews in batter, it felt a little naughty, like a trip north of the border to sample everyones favourite battered major brand bar. The dosa was sensational, a pancake as long as my arm with a rich and spicy filling.
I opted for the Southern Indian Thali, snubbing the advice of the restauranteur, since I fancied a taste of the menu as a whole. I wasn't disappointed, the plain dosas were rich and soaked up the sauces of the 6 little pots of curry that came with it. Others, on sharing the dosa for starter, when for a whole one as a main, this time with a mushroom curry filling, which they assured me was equally delicious.
All in all, the meal was lovely, the atmosphere charming and the owner clearly cares about his food. Well worth a visit! read more