Knutsford Terraces, Kowloon August 2007

music by: broken social scene

Knutsford Steps and Terrace
Tucked behind the Miramar Hotel along Nathan Road is picturesque Knutsford Steps and gastronomic dining experience at Knutsford Terraces. It’s Tsim Sha Tsui’s answer to Central’s Lan Kwai Fong (or Singapore’s Clarke Quay) – a hangout for the expat crowd with a smattering of locals and tourists. Part of the allure to this walkway of eateries located behind the Miramar Shopping Centre (along Kimberly Road corner Carnarvon Road; exit B2 of TST MTR stop) is that if you choose not to sit inside the air-conditioned confines, you have the option of dining in the al fresco area.

It has Italian, Russian, Spanish, Turkish, and Asian restos.

Spice Restaurant & Bar
We initially wanted El Cid, the Spanish restaurant. I was licking my lips in anticipation of paella and some exotic dish. Except that Spanish cuisine makes use of a lot of seafoods and shellfish which are bad for me. Yes, I know what I’m missing so you don’t have to rub it in. So we chose Spice Restaurant & Bar that serves Thai, Malay, and Indian food. It has the advantage of being one of the first restaurants you come across after going up that photo-op friendly Knutsford Steps (that has a Starbucks beside it). Amarjeet Singh, one of the restaurant’s directors joins his maitre ’d outside and personally ushers you to the second floor where they have elegant Indian-style cubbyholes that have comfortable sofas where you can put your feet up. There also the usual table areas. The dim lights lend an air of mysticism and romanticism to the dinning experience.

If you’re lucky enough, you’ll find yourself being served by Elmar Torrente, one of the few Filipino waiters who work the restaurant. Be sure to ask him what the house specialties are and he’ll recommend some tasty dishes.

The appetizers average $90, salads $60, soup $50, spice meals $160, and curies $110. All the prices are in Hong Kong dollars.

Here’s what we ordered:
Chicken Makhani $90
Spiced chicken roasted in Tandoori sauce then simmered in rich tomato sauce with butter and gravy

Malay Beef Ractang $115
Beef tenderloin braised with galangal, lemon grass and lime

Jasmine rice costs HK $5 each

Our verdict: real good food here. The sizes are pretty generous and we should have ordered a vegetable dish to balance it out. Each order is good enough to split for two people.

Spice is open
Lunch Monday-Friday 1130am-230pm
Dinner Sunday-Thursday 6pm-12mn / Friday-Saturday 6pm-1am

And no, this is not a paid advert. But I wouldn't mind if they'd do though.