Under the same ownership as the local Gandhi restaurant this restaurant opened in November 1999, and his since been refurbished and modernised. When it originally opened it offered both the normal a la carte dining, choosing from a fairly standard menu, plus the slightly different and interesting concept in that they also had a ‘buffet menu' from which one could choose a starter, a main dish, a vegetable dish, one rice and one type of bread. If opting for the 'buffet, then having selected you dishes you could then have as much as you like of your choice (ie re-order any dish previously chosen - if you had the appetite!), and although called a buffet, all dishes were cooked to order the same as ordering a la carte. All this was at the reasonable price of £10.90 per person weekdays and £11.90 Friday and Saturday when it opened, but since refurbishment it has stopped this option and reverted to the simple restaurant system. Perhaps too many big, hungry diners made use of the buffet option.

The restaurant offers a spacious open dining area seating some 90 people, but the lack of any partitioning, plants or other ornamentation, together with light coloured walls which are without pictures, mirrors etc., can project a rather cold atmosphere. However, on our recent visit the lights were dimmed, so this aspect was not noticeable.  

Over the years the food has generally been good, apart from a short period in 2003 when the standard seemed to dip. Happily it got back to normal, and on a recent visit when six of us descended on the place when I'm pleased to say it was very good. Our starters of Onion Bhajias (two round style) were crisp and tasty, and the kebabs spicy, and both the Chicken and Aloo Chat nice and tangy served in a thin half-puri, so it wasn't too filling as an appetiser. The main dishes were also of a good standard throughout. Tandoori Chicken  well marinated, Chicken Pathia was excellent, in a brightly coloured spicily hot and sweet sauce, and Chicken Dhansak in a tasty lentil sauce. Chicken Jalfrezi was a fairly dry curry but with plenty of chillies to give it zip, and the recipients of the Meat Kofta  and Meat Rogan Josh both said their dishes were a good standard. The vegetarian member of our group went for a Sabzi Methi main dish and enjoyed it, although commented that it was mild rather than the 'medium hot' definition on the menu. Side dishes of  Mixed Vegetable Bhaji had a very good selection of vegetables, well cooked and nicely spiced, as was the Tarka Dal; and Aloo Gobi. Even the Peshwari Nan was better than we remembered, having a few sultanas in it ( the one criticism in my previous report has been the  Peshwari Nan, which I found oversweet with a sickly creamed coconut filling, but this one much better). I have been a few times since - and it's now become a regular for my take-away - and it's always good.

Service efficient, portions generous and prices reasonable. Formula curry it might be, but they do it very well.

Malcolm Wilkins - August 2008