Review: Cambridge Indian restaurant Pipasha

One of the first things you notice about Pipasha, which is located on Newmarket Road opposite the Abbey Stadium, is that it does things a little bit differently.

From the simple and tasteful décor to the unique options on the menu (alongside all the old favourites), friendly co-owners Abdul Hye and Modu Miah strive to offer diners from the local community and beyond a pleasant all-round experience.

The first thing I noticed that was unique in terms of the food was rather than the usual sauces that tend to accompany poppadoms - mango chutney, a green minty sauce, a spicy sauce and raita - Pipasha offers mango chutney, onions mixed with cucumber and an amazing concoction that they refer to simply as ‘red sauce’ - a thick mixture of various ingredients including coriander, fenugreek and mustard seeds.

Starter-wise, we went for a platter of onion bhajis for two, which come covered in a gorgeous sweet and spicy sauce. Next, my wife opted for the ‘Pipasha Sizzler’ from the House Specialities. Essentially a mixed grill, it consists of strips of grilled chicken, lamb chop and a divine chicken tikka (which she let me try) and, again, a lovely sauce infused with sweetness, though this time with a more yoghurt-y texture.

I had the Chicken Tikka Makhani, which comes cooked in tomato purée, garam massala, black pepper, cardamom, cinamon, methi leaves, butter, double cream, sugar, garlic, green chillies, ginger and coriander. It was very tasty and I happily devoured it along with the naan bread, a side order or vegetables and a delicious lemon and coriander rice.

For anyone like me who likes the sweeter side of Indian cuisine, aside from the unique-tasting sauces there is much to recommend on the menu - I think I might try the Shakooti Chicken (roasted coconut, mustard seed, black pepper, red chilli and ginger) next time. We were too full for pudding (the portions are very generous) but left feeling more than satisfied.

In June this year, Pipasha’s achievements and efforts to help the local community during the pandemic were recognised at the 2021 Restaurant and Bar Awards by LUXlife Magazine, with the team winning Community Restaurant of the Year.

For more on Pipasha, go to pipasha-restaurant.co.uk.

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Cambridge Indian restaurant Pipasha recognised at the 2021 Restaurant and Bar Awards