Spice of Life

The List's Eating & Drinking Guide 2008 is now in the shops. This review is taken from the 2007 edition.

There's no shortage of Indian eateries around the west end of Argyle Street, but Spice of Life certainly means to stand out from the crowd - its shiny white frontage and bright red neon sign make it hard to miss. Inside, too, there's an emphasis on colour and light. Large windows span one side of the mezzanine where most tables are situated, and the adjoining wall is daubed in a brightly hand-painted, cartoon-like mural of scenes from India that lends the room a certain quirky informality. The menu is slightly less imaginatively adorned, but it's not lacking in quality. Dhal shorba, a thin yet delicious lentil soup fortified with a potent dose of spices, is a pleasant starter. The house specialities list includes bhapa machhi, a juicy slice of salmon steak served with a tangy tamarial massala sauce that's wonderfully rich (although the added wild mushrooms aren't terribly evident). Every Sunday the chef serves up a new special, cooked 'just like mother would make at home' - another individual touch for a Harlequin chain restaurant with plenty of character.

• High point: Bright and colourful inside and out
• Low point: Where are the mushrooms?