The restaurant opened in 1996 and is not connected with any other Indian restaurant, either in Cornwall or elsewhere. Seats about 50 in comfortable surroundings. Very crowded on Saturday night and booking essential (it was in season - probably less crowded between mid September and Mid May). However, the organization was chaotic and the booking system totally unreliable as we found to our cost. We had booked, and re-confirmed, but on arrival we had to wait with others for a table to become vacant. When at last a table was vacated an argument ensued between the waitress (local) and head waiter (Asian) as to whose table it was. The waitress had our booking and name, but the head waiter overruled her and gave it to a party who had not booked but who had arrived before us. When the waitress tried to tell him we had a reservation he just shrugged his shoulders. We had to wait a further ½ hour for a table. Not a good start, and as a result they have lost my future custom on my regular visits to Cornwall (fortunately the very good alternative of the Taj Mahal in St Austell allows me to make such bold statement!)

The menu is quite extensive and overall the food was good and the starters plentiful. Onion Bhajias and Prawn Puri good and an excellent sharp and spicy Chicken Chat. However, the Vegetable Samosas were quite small with more pastry than vegetable. Madras fiery, but the Dhansak was even hotter - a little too hot as it masked any hint of sweet/sour flavours and the flavour of the lentils. Tikka Masala was very tasty and the House Special Biryani enormous.

Prices a bit higher than average - certainly more than the other restaurant in St Austell - but portions generous. Our main complaint was the service. In addition to the chaos of the table reservation system and our appalling treatment on arrival the service generally was poor and disorganised. Despite being eventually seated well behind our scheduled time we were left a long time before our order was taken. Our first course plates were not cleared and when the main course arrived the waiter had to clear the dirty dishes and then get new cutlery while our meal waited on the serving trolley.

Overall, therefore, a potentially good meal spoiled by their disorganisation. If they get their at together it will probably do well as the only other Indian restaurant in the area is very small. However, the other restaurant will be my choice on future visits for reasons given above.

Malcolm Wilkins - September 1997

PS I did pay a visit in September 2002 to ascertain whether it was still there and still under the same ownership/management. It is on both counts, although the organisation still seems a bit iffy. The (white) waitress didn't know anything about the restaurant's origins, nor did anybody else she asked - ie waiters -  when I pressed the point. Eventually one of the chefs came up with the confirmatory information. I also checked it out in 2007, and everything appears the same.