This is the site of the first Indian restaurant in Bodmin - The Golden Temple, established in Bodmin in 1985 by a husband and wife team with him doing the cooking while his wife oversaw the dining area. I visited in 1992 and again 1997, and on both occasions was distinctly unimpressed. The Environmental Health Authorities eventually closed the restaurant in May 2005 and the owner prosecuted for hygiene offences. I was interested and pleased to learn, therefore, that a Nepalese restaurant had opened on the refurbished premises in Spring 2007, and even more pleased to learn that it is under completely new ownership – in fact, the same ownership as the restaurant of the same name in Camelford.

The restaurant seats about 60 in all, some 24 in the newly refurbished ground floor dining area but with another room upstairs. The menu lists a number of unusual (Nepalese) dishes, although once I learned of the link with its namesake in Camelford my heart sank a little, as from my recollection I was singularly unimpressed by our meal in the Camelford restaurant only some eighteen months ago.

Unfortunately this meal bore a dispiriting similarity to that in Camelford. The Tandoori Chicken was a reasonable size, but rather dry and without any depth of spicy flavour, although there was a distinct coconut taste which was different from the Tandoori Chicken in most restaurants. It did not taste as though it had been cooked in a tandoor (interestingly, I made that comment in my notes at the time, and on returning home to compare with my report on the Camelford restaurant I see that I made a similar comment then). The accompanying mint raita was the consistency of water.

My Kukhura Tarkari (which literally translates to Chicken Curry) was under the ‘Nepalese Special Dishes’ and described as a ‘Nepalese-style curry cooked with herbs and the Chef’s special sauce’. I asked if they could make it a little hotter, say to Jalfrezi strength (described as fairly hot on the menu), which they readily said they would. However, I’m afraid that it wasn’t hot or spicy, the chicken being in a wishy-washy sauce rather like a thin gravy, and without any definitive flavouring. The vegetable dishes were just about OK – not much spicing, but acceptable.

Prices and portions about average, service friendly and efficient, as it was in the Camelford restaurant. Unfortunately the meal was also similar to that provided in the Camelford restaurant.

On a positive note, the restaurant had a good number of diners – far more than its predecessor ever seemed to have – and as such bodes well for its continuance. I hope it does survive, although from my experiences it is not as good as the Virage – the other Indian restaurant in town.

Malcolm Wilkins – September 2007