Spicy Bites

Well, I’ve found another one. Another restaurant in Sheffield where you can enjoy a lunch time curry.
Spicy Bites is another small Curry Café in the re-​generated East End of the City.
It is primarily a take-​away but does have seating for 16 diners, this could possibly be increased as there is ample free space out front to probably double this number.
There is ample free parking in a car park immediately adjacent to the restaurant.
Both Zaika (Chippingham Place, Attercliffe) and Spicy Bites are located in a safer part of the city.
Today I returned to Eastern Eyes and Hot & Spicy on Firth Park Road, Firth Park to take some photos that I could then upload to these reviews. Whilst there I tried to blend in as best as I possibly could and tried not to let anyone actually see me taking the photos. I decided that it was best to be cautious and discreet whilst taking the photos as it may have lead to questions been asked as to who I was and what I was doing. I went in to a couple of the ethnic supermarkets and purchased some produce. The thought process was that a couple of bags of shopping from the local supermarket would make me appear to be a local resident. Whilst I was waiting for an opportunity to take one of the photos I leant up against a set of roadside railings and pretended to study one of the restaurants menus. Whilst studying the menu I saw 2 men go in to one of 2 open fronted telephone boxes outside of Hot & Spicy. One of the men pulled a big bag of what I think was weed out of his coat and sold one of the smaller individual packets to the other guy.
Why am I telling you this? Well, it’s just in case you do decide to go and try a curry at either Eastern Eyes or Hot & Spicy you will at have a rough idea of the kind of environment you are walking in to.
In truth if you are a bit wet behind the ears, a little gullible, a little naïve or not very street wise then Firth Park Road is probably best avoided.
I am not implying that either Eastern Eye or Hot & Spicy are involved in any wrong doings. The guys who did the drug deal met in the phone boxes and then went their seperate ways.
Anyhow, back to Spicy Bites.
I spotted Spicy Bites after visiting Zaika on Chippingham Place last week and thought I would give it a try.
I ordered a Chicken Madras at £3.50 and 2 Chapatis at 50p each.
I believe the curry came from a common base pot. I saw the chef ladle a portion out of a big curry pot which was on the hob in to a smaller pan in order to make my dish.
I believe to make it in to a Madras, the chef just added a bit of extra chili powder and chili seeds, of which there were lots of.
The portion size was good. Unfortunately as it is primarily a take-​away the curry didn’t come in a balti dish, the curry was presented in one of those metallic take out trays. The chapatis were hand made, were huge and of excellent quality.
The dish contained lots of good quality breast chicken and was definitely Madras hot.
No salad was presented with the meal and none was asked for. When I had finished, the proprietor asked me if the meal had been ok. I said it would have been excellent if it had been presented with a little salad. He replied that if I had asked for some then he would have given me some. A little different to the experience at Zaika last week, where they did a top up of the complimentary side salad.
I will be re-​visiting this restaurant again shortly, to try them out with what should be a more intricately spiced dish.
Of the 4 lunch time curry cafes I have reviewed here, this one sits less favourably with me.
At present I am going to rate it as a 3 star, as the food was ok.
Against it in terms of recommending it, is the fact that the food doesn’t come in any form of a dish and that no cutlery is available for those who need it. Having served my curry apprenticeship in Bradford, I am perfectly at home eating my curry with a chapati or roti; there will be many others however who are not.