Fabulous flavours

The Spice Hut is on its way to the Kimberley scene

Jay Syed, owner of the popular Spice Hut in Cranbrook. — Marie Milner photo

Jay Syed, owner of the popular Spice Hut in Cranbrook, is pleased to announce that he's bringing his East Indian flavours to a second location in Kimberley. He also has plans for another cafe in Cranbrook, this one focusing on Mediterranean cuisine. The Spice Hut, by the way, won the platinum award in our 2012 Best Places to Eat & Drink in the Kootenays Awards. Congrats!

When did the Spice Hut in Cranbrook open?

We started in 2011 and had our grand opening on May 16th (of that year), so we've been open for more than a year now.

Do you have a special, or signature, dish that you recommend at the Spice Hut?

Butter chicken is the all-time favourite (with my customers) . . . It's easy to adapt to butter chicken because it's in a familiar, tomato-based sauce . . . But personally I recommend chicken korma. Whenever I recommend it to people, they love it. I recommend the cauliflower for a vegetable dish. Our naan bread we make in a clay oven. It's always fresh and takes less than a minute (to bake). Another specialty is chicken tikka. It's marinated in different spices and also cooked in a clay oven (the traditional East Indian method).

We hear you're opening another restaurant. Can you tell us about that?

I'm opening a second Spice Hut location in Kimberley. (It is located) in the Econo Lodge Inn.

We've also heard that you have a Mediterranean restaurant in the works. Do you have an opening date for it?

I'm waiting for the right people before opening. Mediterranean food is not my cuisine—I'm not from the Middle East—but I love that food so wanted to bring it here. (The restaurant is to be called Shawarma's King and will be located in the former Max's Place on Victoria Street in Cranbrook).

Do you still have entertainment—East Indian-style dancing—at the Spice Hut?

Yes, every weekend we have a local belly dancer . . . who performs to Indian music.