This restaurant opened about 10 years ago as The Viceroy of India but changed hands and name some three years ago. I visited the Viceroy about 5 years ago when I found it very average, and virtually empty on a Saturday night (although, like this visit, it was November) so it was interesting to return to see if it’s improved under the new management.

The restaurant is very big and situated on the first floor of a building on one side of the main square in town, with large letters outside proclaiming INDIAN RESTAURANT so you can hardly miss it. Once upstairs there is an attractive and comfortable reception area complete with water fountain, beyond which is the dining area. This area is spacious, seating approximately 80 but with plenty of room between tables which are of good size for four. The capacity could be half as much again if they gave less room (which perhaps they do in the busy summer months) but it’s comfortable as it is. The large seating area is divided with small partitions like stair banisters and there are attractive tall leafy pot plants with lights entwined amongst in the leaves on radiator sills and oil lamps on the tables.

Onions Bhajee starters were OK - three round dark bhajias, crispy on the outside and reasonably spiced. Fairly standard and quite acceptable. My starter of Chicken Chat was sweeter than usual and could have done with some lemon slices to squeeze over and sharpen it up, but very appetising nonetheless. Probably a smaller portion than often served but quite sufficient as an appetiser and very enjoyable, leaving a pleasing tingle on the tongue.

My wife chose Tandoori Chicken which comprised two pieces of well marinated and well flavoured chicken and which, although a fairly standard version, was fine. However, there was no salad accompaniment which was not so standard. My main dish of Chicken Pathia had the right taste - a pleasant sweet/sour flavour and quite spicy - but the pieces of chicken were very tough and dry, as if it were very old chicken lumps and not at all like the chicken used in my wife’s dish. Dall Shamba (lentils with mixed vegetables and spinach) was a good mixture but too salty which detracted from the slight spiciness of the dish.

Prices and portions about average and service efficient although they did overcharge by £2, which they knocked off when I pointed it out. (Incidentally, it is more than infrequently that I notice the bill has been added incorrectly in Indian restaurants and never can I recall being undercharged. I do begin to wonder why their powers of addition always err on the side of the restaurant. Also, more often than not this overcharge has been in restaurants in holiday resorts. It makes you wonder, doesn't it, but perhaps I am just getting cynical in my old age).

The staff all seemed to be young and while efficient (except when it came to adding up the bill), but  they weren’t particularly friendly, although nor were they unfriendly - just workmanlike. Overall an improvement on my last visit under the previous management and a competent formula curry.

Malcolm Wilkins - November 2002