The decor and the music already had me liking Tribe as I walked in, and the food made me love it.

Tribe is based on the vibrant Cowley Road and opened just a few months ago. Its menu’s inspiration comes from the Western Ghats region of Mumbai, India. I was invited along for dinner recently and couldn’t wait to tuck in.

The waiters were great and really keen to explain the menu and recommend certain dishes, so definitely chat to them if you’re not sure what to go for. Everything is cooked to order with fresh produce, so it’s a good idea to order some starters to keep you going while you wait. I’d highly recommend sharing multiple dishes so you can try as much as possible – much easier than trying to choose one dish.

We ordered the lollipop chicken and a dosa to start with, but were actually surprised with a welcome appetiser first, which was a really lovely touch. The lollipop chicken was filled with flavour and the vibrant colour really popped on the plate. I loved that they were prepped in a way that didn’t get my fingers all greasy too, it’s the little things isn’t it? The dosa was light and crispy, filled with herbs and spices that really packed a punch.

For mains we shared the Kerala fish curry, the Achari chicken curry, paratha, and rice. We spent a significant amount of time trying to decide which curry we liked best. Both were packed with flavour in such unique ways. The kerala fish curry was gorgeous, really light and with a strong citrus theme blended throughout. You could tell how fresh the fish was which made it even more enjoyable. The Achari curry was creamy and indulgent without being too heavy, and was just asking to be mopped up, for which the paratha was the perfect tool.

As always, there definitely wasn’t room for dessert but we had one anyway.

We shared the strawberry dessert which was the perfect refresher after all the food and flavours we’d consumed. We were also surprised with a slushy shot, which was topped with popping candy – amazing.

The best way to sum up Tribe is that it’s not a place for a quick, rushed bite to eat. It’s so much more than that, it’s a full experience.

It’s somewhere I can imagine spending a whole evening, sitting down at 7 and not realising the time 4 hours later. The atmosphere is relaxed and the quality of the service and food is top-notch.

Tribe have a 2 for £10 cocktail deal (almost unheard of in the current climate?!) and little outdoor area out back so it’s also a really lovely place to pop into for a drink. But to be honest I think after smelling the food you’ll probably end up staying for dinner.

Tribe
21 Cowley Rd, Oxford OX4 1HP
tribeoxfordonline.com