A well produced and attractive menu listed all the usuals plus some interesting Bangladeshi additions such as Ruhi and Boal fish dishes (although ‘Chicken Tikka Pizza Nan’ must be a Swanage speciality!) One curious aspect of the menu is that it included a section entitled ‘Today’s Specials’, but as the four dishes listed (all massala) were a permanently printed part of the menu presumably they are every day’s specials!

An unprepossessing and unpretentious looking restaurant which seats 50, mostly in a long dining area behind the small reception but with a small side room housing three tables. Decor an overall cool green colour and fairly comfortable, although some of the tables, particularly the three in the side room, are a little cramped.

Crispy popadoms accompanied by four pickles - the usual pureed mango, diced onion, a hot lime plus a wickedly hot chilli pickle. After that the Onion Bhajee starter was disappointing as the flat bhajias were greasy and soft, although relatively flavoursome. The Chicken Tikka Chat starter was much better - thinly sliced chicken tikka in a tangy sauce.

My main dish of Pathia was nicely hot but much sweeter than most, rather like a spicy version of a Chinese sweet and sour sauce. My Wife’s CTM was the usual orange colour, creamy and with a heavy coconut flavour. She described it as pleasantly average for CTM. One of our companions had a Chicken Badami which was in a rich, creamy cashew nut sauce and whole cooked cashew nuts. I had a few tastes (for research purposes of course!) and it was very rich and pleasant - but for me a bit too rich and smooth to eat a whole dish on its own but nice as one of several dishes to be shared. Our other friend had a Lamb Biriany which he declared excellent. I didn’t bother to scrounge a taste as he was positive in his praise and it did look good (although the accompanying vegetable curry was a bit wishy-washy). We accompanied our mains with Vegetable Bhajee which was a good selection of nicely cooked vegetables with a spicy, peppery flavour. Rice was standard but the Nan was a disappointment being dry to the point of crispness in places. Portions quite sufficient, prices about average but service could have been better (perhaps this was because we were in the small side room).

Overall a good formula curry which was better than expected when we first saw the place.

Malcolm Wilkins - June 2002