62 Spice There are certain rituals in life. The sporting world is supposedly rife with immense levels of beer drinking, story telling and curry eating. Although this particular ritual is common in some clubs I am led to believe, in reality I have never really come across this. It is always the same sorry tale of people having to get home for dinner, opposing teams not mixing with each other and the need to drive home.
With this said, after 20 years of cricketmanship, I was recently made privy to the beer drinking, story telling and curry eating ritual for the first time after a victorious cricket match in none other than east London/Essex’s Wanstead. One team member, a well built Wanstead local said he knew ‘an amazing curry house’, a claim I have heard many, many, many times from the slightly lubricated male - only to be in reality really, really, really disappointed. Thus it was agreed that we should make our way to 62 Spice. On our walk to the restaurant Wanstead man, let us call him Ray, slowly talked me through 62 Spice’s greatness, in some detail. It was modern, he said, slightly experimental, yet with all the traditional dishes and a fine biriyani. I trusted Ray as he seemed very keen (so much so that another player suggested in jest that he must be taking a cut from the place) and nervously enthusiastic for us to enjoy the meal and restaurant and not just wolf down some spices and ten lagers. I had the lamb biriyani as Ray had suggested (£9.50) which came in a sort of marmite stock pot. It was beautiful, succulent meat, plentiful in supply and with what Ray had told me was ‘a hint of rose water’! From the wide selection of breads and accompaniments we devoured peshwari naans (£2.95) that were fresh as a daisy and poppadums that came with the traditional sauces. Beers were bottles of Tiger (I think). Others also ordered biriyani, a tandoori trout (£8.50) chicken tikka masala (£7.95) but I was disappointed to no one had ventured for the Maharaja Feast (!) a non-vegetarian thali (£13.50) with a name that demands quality! The key elements of desire for a Gastrognome were achieved here at 62 Spice. Excellent, polite service was on offer, gladly changing an order when the wrong food was delivered with no fuss. No unnecessary ‘authentic’ Indian restaurant stereotypes were in place - music was Indian but not cheesy and not overly loud. The décor was modern without screaming ‘we are young, new and trendy’. Portions were large and care had clearly been put into not only the food but the feel of the place that was also being enjoyed by several other tables on a Tuesday night. If I ever shall find myself in Wanstead again (maybe for a return fixture next year) I will definitely go back for more. Indeed, I may actually deliberately travel there specifically for the purpose. 4/5 
Starters £4-5
Main £7-13.50 62 High Street, Wanstead
London, E11 2RJ
http://62spice.co.uk
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