Compared to the dozens of similar CKM (Chungking Mansions) South Asian eateries, the recently opened Shama is a tad on the expensive side. But you’re paying to avoid an onerous (and, in the summer months, aromatic) CKM elevator ride which, for many, is a premium worth paying. This ground-floor eatery is typically cramped for the locality, with seating for no more than about ten people dining in comfort. But Shama does deliver all the usual Anglo-Indian favourites: chicken tikka masala (small portioned but delish, $48), rogan josh (again, small portion, $48), lamb kormas ($45), tandoori-cooked chicken tikka ($50), nans (plain $8, butter $12) that are crisp and fluffy in all the right places, and – something of a rarity in this predominantly Islamic vicinity – nicely chilled draft Carlsberg ($32).
Shama’s warm coloration of russet reds and ochres is also extremely calming and cosy to sit in. Who comes here? Mostly, soft-spoken merchants and traders discussing ‘Chindia’ trading possibilities (there’s usually a conspiratorial hush here), the odd Western tourist peering earnestly into the Hong Kong Lonely Planet Guide, residents from CKM’s West African enclaves, and some social anthropologists on research assignments. If you want to wimp out on the CKM elevator experience then come to this ground floor eatery for a treat minus the body heat. In sum, Shama is a fine place to enjoy a leisurely meal and collect one’s thoughts in an unhurried sanctuary of calm.
ShamaShama details
Address: Shop 48, G/F, Chungking Mansions, 36-44 Nathan RdArea: Tsim Sha Tsui
Telephone: 2724 8787
Open Daily 11am-midnightView Larger Map
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