Spices West Lakes

Spices is not good. Spices is not my favourite. Spices is cheap because it tastes cheap. To top it off the staff aren’t that friendly. To be honest I always feel like I’m being judged when I go there.
The few times I’ve tried hot meals from Spices it just hasn’t been very good. The first time was cold and dry. For some reason I thought I’d give them the benefit of the doubt and try their food another day. Again, it was not that nice. Hard, chewy, very mediocre.
On that note, the sushi is alright. Nothing special, but if you’re looking for cheap sushi then I’d come to Spices. Again, not my favourite sushi at West Lakes, but it’ll do. I’d recommend heading a few doors down to Charlie Chan though.

A tiny shop in the corner of the West Lakes Shopping Centre food court, I wondered how this Spices compares to its Rundle St counterpart.
Their bain maire food looked quite good, especially the plump garlic prawns, but the prices put me off — $ 11.50 for rice and one dish to $ 13.50 for rice and three dishes. So instead I went for a small Pud Thai, liking the look of the ‘fresh wok fried’ promise. I paid my $ 8.90 and took some photos of the shop so I could review it.
As I was snapping at the sushi cabinet at the side, a small, rotund Asian woman from inside the small shop (a manager by her body language) demanded «What are you doing? Why are you taking photos? You can’t take photos. No photos!» I tried to explain that I’m a reviewer. «A what?» I tried to explain what a reviewer does, but all she responded with was «So you from centre management?» I said I wasn’t. She told me to wait, and disappeared into the kitchen. Thankfully my Pud Thai appeared just then (under the name of «John» because apparently «Jo» was problematic), and so I grabbed my little bucket and left.
Oh dear, now I’m afraid of using the photos… (Really, what nefarious purposes could I use them for?)
Well, had my run in with the little woman not been so unpleasant, I would have quite enjoyed my lunch, even though they didn’t manage to get it all in the bucket and instead plenty on the sides. No matter, I didn’t manage to get all of it in my mouth — but hey, that’s what serviettes are for.
It was a very passable Pud Thai, and quite generous with the chicken and prawns, with plenty of capsicum, onion and bok choy. Definitely one of the cheaper options from this food court. Pity, because there’s no way I’m going back there.