If there’s one thing you need to know about Glenelg’s new TikkaNTalk, it’s that the butter chicken is so creamy it’ll ruin every watery version you’ve ever settled for, and the serves are generous enough that leftovers are basically guaranteed.
Opening quietly this month, officially from tomorrow, TikkaNTalk is the latest venture from business partners and chefs Sam and Dave taking over the Jetty Road shopfront where they formerly ran Glenelg Pizza House.
The switch from Italian to Indian came down to timing and a gap for a sit-down Indian restaurant in the local market.
“We were running an Italian restaurant here, but when the jetty closed it stopped almost 90 per cent of food traffic on Jetty Road. That’s when we decided to shut the doors and completely change the cuisine,” shares Sam.
Behind the pivot is a big combined stretch of experience, plus a full-scale renovation that didn’t cut corners.
“I’ve been in the cooking industry for 20 years, working as a chef in Italian restaurants, and my partner has been a chef in India for 20 years, so we decided to do a full renovation and start fresh. We spent nearly $300,000 to make it feel brand new,” says Sam.
Inside, the concept lands somewhere between restaurant, eatery, bar, and sweet shop. The menu offers the kind of variety – and convoluted, colourful abundance – you’d typically only find in India.
“It’s a licensed restaurant, but also an Indian sweet shop, and we run a buffet-style system so people can choose a variety of dishes and sit down comfortably,” he says.
And while the menu includes the familiar comfort-zone picks – butter chicken, korma, tandoori – it’s the street-style energy and the all-day dining that makes it feel like more than another “Indian takeaway” situation.
Breakfast starts at a cruisy 10am. Flaky parathas arrive hot and layered, served with dahi (yoghurt), gently spiced vegetables and pickles. Value-wise, Sam is pitching it as a sit-down Glenelg breakfast that doesn’t punish your wallet. $15 for a full spread with chai.
“You get parathas, vegetables, yoghurt, salad and chai – you really can’t go wrong,” he says.
Then there’s the street food influence. Tangy chaat-style bites, crispy snacks, and dishes that hit that sweet-salty-spicy-sour balance Indian food does best.
The butter chicken, though, is being positioned as the hero for a reason, alongside the namesake tikka of course.
“The butter chicken uses a secret recipe you can’t get anywhere else. It’s all about quality ingredients. Everyone who has already come in to try TikkaNTalk mentions it,” says Sam.
They’re also backing themselves on consistency, with an experienced kitchen team across the board. One of the more interesting influences comes from far outside Glenelg.
“Our family restaurant in Scotland has been running for 32 years, owned by my cousin,” Sam says. “He gave us the ideas and we shared family recipes, so we’re using that experience and cooking knowledge here.”
On the drinks front, TikkaNTalk leans into Indian classics – mango lassi and masala chai – but claims their lassi has a twist.
“Our mango lassi is different. It’s made with pulp, yoghurt and cardamom, so it tastes sweeter, more tangy, and totally different to the normal one,”
They’re also stocking Indian beers and spirits you don’t spot often in Adelaide, including Haywards 5000, Kingfisher, and Jal Jeera Vodka that’ll act as a base for cocktails.
For the sweet-tooth crowd, the offering is generous. Around 30 types of Indian sweets are delivered fresh from locally loved Punjabi Virsa Sweets. And for those in the know, yes – syrupy, milky gulab jamun is on order, plus ice cream, kheer (rice pudding) and more.
TikkaNTalk is the new kid on the block that serves every kind of craving and budget. They’re making a clear promise – a proper dinner for two out in Glenelg, drinks included, can still come in under triple digits. And if their butter chicken really does ruin all others, that’s the kind of danger and value worth investigating.
TikkaNTalk
Where: 61C Jetty Road, Glenelg
When: Grand opening Friday January 9, daily from 10am thereafter
Website coming soon…
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