LOCATIONNear the Unley and Greenhill Roads intersection, five minutes from the CBD.
PROFILED BY DE GROOTS MEDIAAndrew and Munjula Watts have been pleasing Adelaide diners with traditional Indian fare for three decades and are showing no signs of stopping anytime soon. When asked about the notion of calling it a day, the amiable Munjula looks genuinely surprised, “Why would we, when every day is different?” The chef duo takes pride in an evolving menu, its progressiveness no doubt part of the key to the Snake’s longevity.
Tiffin lunches are a novelty and a sign of this restaurant’s fresh approach. Three (intimate) sittings are available each Sunday to enjoy the Indian version of yum cha style dining. The dinner menu is not a lengthy Asian affair, but one offering a sound selection across the board. It sections into offerings from the Charmer’s “tandoori", "vegetarian" and "curry" kitchens. A parade of curries has left the latter over the years, so guests are invited to request their favourites if they did not make the menu’s cut. Lamb, beef, poultry and seafood are sauced with the likes of rogan josh, korma, madras, malabar and vindaloo. The aromatics of goat durbari are a standout – fennel, fenugreek and star anise fall into a (forewarned) fiery curry that is left slowly simmering in anticipation of your arrival. Tandoori dishes sing of quality not quantity. Murgh tandoori sidelines butter chicken with its half-bird dredged in spices and lemon, then baked and served with a tomato and capsicum sauce. Tandoori prawns beckon from a salivating mix of chilli, yoghurt, mint, coriander and a smack of salt. After the oven treatment, a shower of tumeric seals the deal. For a touch of traditional South Indian street stall food try the iconic masala dosa as an accompaniment. The Snake Charmer’s version of the crispy savoury rice pancake is filled with the flavours of garlic, mustard and curry seeds.
Roz Taylor