INDIA ROYAL, 16 EAST STREET

Established in 1991, it is a pleasantly appointed 50 seater restaurant with standard, high-street menu.

I first visited in 2001, when I recall a pleasant meal. However, on this occasion the food overall was very uninspiring. Starters included Onion Bhajias (2 flat type), which were a good size, but dull in flavour. ‘Minty Chicken’ was diced cooked chicken placed in a mint sauce, which could have been a mint riata. Again, there was little flavour other than that of a mint riata. The Chicken Chat looked the part, I was pleased to see, being with finely diced chicken served on a puree. It was OK, but again, nothing above the average.

For main dishes we had Chicken Piaza (which is Dupiaza), Chicken Tikka Pathia and a Tandoori Chicken. The Piaza was the standard, high street offering, while the Pathia was spicily hot (which pleased me), but had a curious, reddish sauce which was a little over-sweet – almost like a spicily hot Chinese sweet & sour sauce. The best was probably the Tandoori Chicken as, although it had the usual tandoori flavour of most restaurants, the pieces were very meaty and well cooked. The accompanying Tarka Dall was served with a skin on top, rather like school custard, and underneath the texture was similarly custard-like, with an average flavour. Niramish (mixed vegetable) comprised fairly thinly sliced vegetables and was very oily. Again, a lifeless and uninteresting flavour. The chapattis were served only luke-warm and, as a result, not very supple, while rice was the normal stuff. Overall, therefore, we all agreed that the food was rather boring, uninspiring and below the average high street formula curry. As my friend put it, “one of the most average I’ve had for a long time!”

I’m afraid the ‘poor averageness’ of the food was not redeemed by portions (average), prices (average) or the service, which was below the average. No smiles of welcome when we arrived or during the meal. When we asked for water it was brought in a small jug for one with a single glass, even though there was three of us. Half way through a waiter tripped over a step and broke a couple of glasses he was carrying on the floor, narrowly missing a table of diners. Well after the plates of the starters had been removed a waiter came and said ‘have you had you’re meal yet?’ (I would expect them to know little things like that!). Apart from this enquiry there was no attention during the meal to see if we wanted further drinks etc. The rice arrived some time after the rest of the main dishes, and finally, when I asked for the bill, three small hot towels were plonked on the table and we were left waiting. I called once more for the bill, and after a further wait had to go to the counter to get it. Generally the waiters – all relatively young men – didn’t look as though they were the slightest bit interested in their work!

So there you have it. We left, unimpressed and unlikely to return.

Malcolm Wilkins – June 2004