Take-Off time for Sabbir’s Namaste chain

Sabbir Karim combines his job as a British Airways purser with his love of Indian food, resulting in two Goan restaurants in London.

Visiting Salaam Namaste, the experience is a bit like sitting in British Airways first class from Goa’s Dabolim Airport to London – superb Southern Indian ingredients expertly cooked, and close personal service.

In 2005 Sabbir opened Bloomsbury’s Salaam Namaste – named after a famous Bollywood movie. It was followed in 2010 by his Camden site Namaste Kitchen, funded through the profits of the first business.

And yet he is STILL as a purser with British Airways’ cabin crew, giving him the opportunity to travel the world and try global cuisine, the best of which he then adapts with an Indian twist for his restaurants.

It’s this culinary adventure that has helped him to pick up numerous awards as a chef, including Best Innovative Chef 2013, at the Asian and Oriental Chef of the Year Awards 2013.

How it stands out

Karim believes that the appeal of the restaurants stems from his willingness to change and tweak the menus, continually developing the restaurants while retaining what the customers like about them.

”The general message we get from customers is that we are committed, we continuously evolve and develop our product – there is always something enticing on our menu.”

Tandoori Ratan

Dhaba Gosht

In 2013, spurred on by his award win in 2012, Karim refurbished Salaam Namaste. ”Winning at the Asian Curry Awards in 2012 was motivating, and it brought a lot more responsibility and expectation from customers as well. So we came up with the idea to refurbish Salaam Namaste,” he says.

The menu also changed, and is now based on the most popular recipes from his travels and a food festival that he ran in 2012.

Karim says: ”It was not majorly expensive because we kept it simple. Salaam Namaste is a neighbourhood restaurant and we have to keep the neighbours happy.”

Taste of Goa from Namaaste Kitchen and Salaam Namaste

After the success of the Rajasthani and Gujurat menus throughout spring and summer, Camden’s Namaaste Kitchen and Bloomsbury’s Salaam Namaste, the award winning Indian restaurants from Chef Patron Sabbir Karim welcome the Goan inspired menu throughout October.

The Goan menus for Salaam Namaste and Namaaste Kitchen will stay true to the regions reputation of being heavily influenced by coconut, chilli and vinegar. The starters all priced at £6.50, include Scallops Ambot Tik, seared scallops served with a hot and spicy marinade, Softshell Crab Caldin, crab served with a roasted coconut and mustard sauce and Machli Reichard which is pan seared sea bass fillet in a rich and tangy recheado sauce.

The main dishes from the Goan menu include a popular local Portuguese inspired delicacy called Lamb Sorpotel, diced lamb meat is cooked in a vinegary gravy with red chilli, black pepper, cloves, vinegar and cumin seeds – £11.95. The Goan Beef Xacuti is a curry of beef roasted in coconut and exotic spices – £12.95. The final dish available from the main courses is the Konkan Duck, this consists of pot roasted duck breasts with star anise and onion chutney – £12.95.

The Goan menu will be available in Salaam Namaste and Naamaste Kitchen throughout October and will be the finale of the regional menus from the sister restaurants before the Christmas menu takes its place.

19 YEARS OLD!

CAFE SPICE NAMASTE TURNS 19 with a special Khaadraas Club Dinner Friday, 14th November at 7pm ‘A Parsee Wedding Feast’ Cyrus and Pervin Todiwala invite you to experience some of the dishes that Parsees prepare to mark their winter weddings. A new chapter, expressed through the love of food. No one loves food ike a Parsee (the original ‘Greedy Pig’). £40pp  includes a complimentary glass of wine or beer £5 will go directly to charity Learning for Life Book at info@cafespice.co.uk or phone 020 7488 9242

We are 19! Celebrate with us on Friday, 14th November at 7pm Namaste! In an uber-competitive restaurant scene, Cyrus & Pervin Todiwala’s flagship restaurant, Cafe Spice Namaste, celebrates a whopping 19 great years in the business. Cyrus and Pervin are delighted to host an extra special Khaadraas Club Dinner, featuring dishes worthy of a Parsee Wedding Feast! That’s because most Parsee weddings take place towards the end of the year, in November and December. Come, come and celebrate with us! Book atinfo@cafespice.co.uk or call 020 7488 9242. It’s £40pp for a multi-course dinner, with a complimentary glass of wine or Cobra beer. We’re giving £5 from each ticket to Learning for Life, the charity that supports education and training in the Subcontinent. TINGLING! Our Pretty Pink Pots are preening at the BBC Good Food Show at London Olympia on 14th-16th November    What’s the perfect stocking filler for a die-hard foodie? Why, a pretty pink pot with one of Mr Todiwala’s Splendidly Spicy Pickles (or chutneys) of course! On 14th-16th November at London Olympia, our yummy range will be out in full force. And they’re pretty enough to grace a Christmas table. Pick up a pot or two or three of everyone’s favourite Minted Mango and Ginger Relish, Parsee Wedding Pickle, Wild Board Vindaloo Pickle, Aubergine Pickle, Tomato & Hotel Garlic Chutney and more! For more information on the BBC Good Food Show on 14th – 16th November including how to get tickets, click here We’re not stopping! Our new sister restaurant, Assado, a charming and airy ‘canteen’ a stone’s throw from London Waterloo, and featuring Chef Cyrus’ innovative Goan and Goan-inspired dishes, will be at Taste of London Winter at Tobacco Dock 20-13 November.See you there?     For more information on Taste of Winter, including how to book tickets, click here   Namaste! Salamat!   Finally…thank you to everyone who helped Cyrus and Pervin Todiwala to support the Organising Committee of  ‘Calm After the Storm’, the fundraiser at The Savoy hosted by The Wonder Foundation last 17th October for the victims of Typhoon Haiyan in the Philippines one year on. You helped to raise over £50,000 for Banilad, a centre that trains women from affected communities for sustainable jobs in the hospitality industry. Chef Cyrus Todiwala prepared the main course, ‘Pork Cooked Three Ways in Shrimp Paste’, a terrific tribute to Filipino cuisine, with pork supplied by The Rhug Estate.

Cafe Spice Namaste 16 Prescot Street London E1 8AZ 02074889242 Visit our website here