21 Spices by Chef Asif
| Address: | 4270 Tamiami Trail E #21, Naples, FL 34112, USA |
| Phone: | +1 239-919-8830 |
| Site: | 21spicesdining.com |
| Rating: | 3.7 |
| Working: | 4–9PM 4–9PM 4–9PM 4–9PM 4–10PM 4–10PM 4–9PM |
Location
Photos 100
Reviews 6
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Bob Brinkman
As any fan of Indian cuisine knows, finding exceptional Indian food outside a major city is not simply a rarity - it can often be an impossibility. Often one must settle for food that isnt bad, but that is merely run of the mill pedestrian dining. Thus I am ecstatic to report that 21 Spices by Chef Asif is more than a wonderful find, it is a culinary gift to the people of Naples. Our server, Mysty, was well versed in the dishes and specials and took great care to listen to our likes and preferences and molded her recommendations accordingly. Her opinions werent based on simply pushing a dish - they were about ensuring that we had the best possible dining experience. Chef Asifs dishes are bold flavors coupled with artful presentations that one would expect to find at a more expensive level of dining. We began with the Nawaabi Paneer Tikka (a mild flavored cheese skewered with peppers and onion and then grilled) and the Progressive Chicken 65. Both appetizers came out promptly without making us feel rushed and each was spectacular in its own fashion. My wife, favoring milder foods, adored the Nawaabi Paneer Tikka while the Progressive Chicken set my taste buds jumping with the combination of spices with a little heat. Appetizers - Fantastic. For our mains we ordered the Saag Lamb (think of a Palak Paneer with lamb added) and the Dumpukht Goat Biryani with a side of garlic naan. Im a sucker for well prepared goat. Ill order goat anytime I see it on a menu and, admittedly, Ive been disappointed a number of times. This evening I wasnt just pleased, I was blown away by the tenderness of the meat and the flavor of the entire dish. My mouth is still watering just thinking of it. My wifes entree made her equally as happy, and both of us ate a bit more of our mains than we probably should have since we were following up with desserts. Needless to say, there were leftovers. Dessert consisted of a sorbet trio (which included a blackberry/lavender) and a house special of carrot cake with rose and vanilla ice cream and malt balls infused with rose syrup. There are simply not words for how well balanced these potentially overpowering flavors were. Every bite was exquisite and we finished the meal as delighted as we had begun. With our meal we tried the Mumbai Mule (the addition of curry leaves with a serious helping of added ginger make for a wonderful spin on the cocktail) and I enjoyed a draught Circus City, which balanced well with my meal. The food, the service, and the atmosphere are all of the highest caliber while the prices are certainly a bit lower than I wouldve expected. Entrees range from $18-34, putting this dining experience within reach of anyone looking to enjoy a nice night out.
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Ian Menzies
See update as at March 2106 below Very disappointed but not with the food as never had a chance to try it. Called yesterday and confirmed opening times and seating which was stated as "no problem". Drove forty minutes as Indian food around here is pretty scarce! Having travelled to India and across the world many times its our favorite cusine. Arrived to find a notice posted on the door saying that they were allowing no more seating. Spoke to unhelpful hostess who eventually explained that they had not enough kitchen staff and despite plenty of empty seats could not seat us. Despite assuring her that we had plenty of time no dice and twice she turned away to speak to servers You need to do way better Chef. If you are open then you should be properly open. Soft openings are to iron out issues and you had you soft openings before. I hope you succeed but in the restaurant business around here you wont unless you ramp up your service and train your staff. UPDATE AS OF MARCH 2016. Gladly gave 21 Spices another try and another try and another try! Yes we have been I think six times this month and this place now nails it. Fabulous!!! If you read above we believe we know Indian food across the world and the Naples area has won a gold watch having 21 Spices. Earl at the bar is sooooooo much fun and service all round is excellent, and yes, we have relayed all this to the staff face to face. Well done Chef and team.
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Diana McCall
My husband and I went for lunch today. Very small menu and very expensive. Food took over thirty minutes to come out. His meal was cold and the naan was burnt. I gave him my meal to eat. I had a bento box. The cheese in some kind of green sauce looked awful and had no taste. The Chicken tikka masala was tough with the smaller pieces, better tasting with the larger pieces. The extra piece of naan we ordered for four dollars was also burnt on the underside. We pointed that out to the waiter. They took away my husbands dish and did not charge for it but they left the naan and charged us for it. I barely ate as most of my meal went to my husband. I picked at the outside of the naan but am upset we left with an expensive bill and I had not had lunch. They saw me give my dinner my husband. I guess all they cared about was someone ate it and paid for it. No one came to speak to us. They could have helped make this right. They could have offered to bring me something else. Even a dish of rice pudding but not talking to the customer feels like the restaurant does not care. Will NOT be back.
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Sean Wells
21 Spices was ok. We had to wait for a table, even though we had a reservation at 8pm. My 2nd time eating here. The food took more than an hour to get to us. I ordered a chicken dish without the chicken (I explained Im a vegetarian). In short, they basically brought me a bowl of warm sauce (the server explained the veges were blended into the sauce). Kind of weird considering they charged $18... The bathroom, albeit guys dont usually care, was a mess. Paper everywhere, soap spilled, urine on the floor. The kicker was that an employee was in the stall, walked out (without washing his hands), and didnt touch or address the mess (I saw him go back to bussing tables). The server was slightly more knowledgeable than last time...he was busy but took care of us. Id say chefs got to work on his team and scheduling. Not sure if I will go back until after season when things can be a bit tighter.
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Tarik Ayasun
The word “exquisite” does not do justice to the delightful food served in this beautifully decorated, clean and airy Indian Restaurant.. During a recent visit with three friends the experience was delightful. Everything we ordered was delicious and well prepared. Palakwala Chaat, Shahi Baby Lamb Chops, Nawaabi Paneer Tikka, Nawaabi Paneer Tikka, Spicy Kadai Chicken (my favorite) all complimented by the best Naan we ever tasted followed by cups of freshly brewed Darjeeling Tea. All prepared with love. To experience the variety of the dishes offered, we shared each other’s appetizers and also the main dishes. The décor, the atmosphere, slow, patient service (no rush/I hate rushes in a restaurant) and the absolutely delicious food!!! We were all delighted. We highly recommend 21 Spices to lovers of good food and best Indican cusine experience our area can offer.
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Brian Taschner
Food was generally good but varied by dish. We waited for over an hour after our order and still had not been served despite tables that were sat after us being served. The server said it wasnt her problem and blamed it on the kitchen. Fifteen minutes later and we still didnt have food. Finally we spoke with the manager (who was mildly apologetic) and our food finally arrived (about 90 minutes after we ordered and 2 hours after we sat down). Although our entrees arrived, our naan did not. Despite speaking with the server three times over the next 15 minutes, our naan still had not arrived. We again voiced our displeasure to the manager. To his credit, he comped the entire meal (as he should have). On a bright note, my drink (Asif special) was fantastic and the grouper dish was very good. I would not make a return trip from Fort Myers however.
