The Moonlight, Fore Street, East Looe

A pleasant, centrally situated 48 seater restaurant, which has been established for some 12 years, during which time it has unusually, and perhaps fortunately for them, maintained its monopoly as the only Indian restaurant in town. The menu is fairly standard, containing all the dishes found in typical high street restaurants. I visited a year after it opened, when I recall I enjoyed it, so it was time for a re-visit.

Perhaps I should start by getting the negatives out of the way first. I was disappointed and annoyed at the non-existent system for reserving tables. I know this is common to an awful lot of Indian restaurants and not just the Moonlight but, knowing I was visiting on an Easter Saturday, and that the restaurant was likely to be full, I did go to some trouble to try and ensure a table. I telephoned a week before my visit to reserve a table. I specifically asked whether a table would be available at the time booked, as I did not want to join a queue of hopefuls awaiting one to be vacated, as is so often the case. I was assured a table would be available to me. On the Saturday morning of my visit I was in town and, to be sure, called in at lunchtime to confirm the booking. The manager looked in his book, assured me I was booked in. Again, I specifically asked whether the table would be ready, and he assured me it would be (although he did add the slightly disconcerting words – ‘we try to please everybody’!). What happened? We arrive at the appointed hour to find the small reception jammed with people awaiting a table – some booked and others not- and had to wait our turn for a table to be vacated, which meant waiting an uncomfortable half an hour in a packed jam of people. Why do restaurants say they take reservations when they clearly don’t honour them? It did not put us in a good frame of mind for the meal.

Having got that rant out of the way, the meal when we got around to it was fine. Starter of Onion Bhaji (3 round golf ball size) was good – the bhajia not too stodgy, well spiced with a pleasant, peppery taste. The Chicken Chat was an excellent example of this dish, being small pieces of chicken mixed with diced cucumber, peppers, etc in a tangy, piquant sauce with plenty of fresh coriander.

The main dishes, the Dupiaza was very good - flavoursome with onion, garlic and coriander. Chicken Dhansak was also a good, formula Dhansak with a good underlying chilli hotness about the thick, lentilly sauce. The Mixed Vegetable was also pleasant. The only disappointment amongst the food was the Tarka Dall, which I found to be too thick and creamy – like insipid custard (which was a surprise given the good flavours of the other dishes). Rice and Chapattis standard stuff.

Prices about average and portions plentiful. The service, however, was generally poor (and that’s not counting the lack of reservation). The drinks waiter was quick to arrive, but when I asked for a jug of water this was not forthcoming. I had to ask three times before it eventually arrived. The table next door had similar problems getting any water. The manager seemed friendly enough when I saw him at lunchtime, but too rushed off his feet to chat to customers. The waiting staff were off- hand to say the least. Plates and cutlery plonked down without any eye contact, no smiles or friendly word from anyone. And when it was time to get the bill I again had to ask three times before it came - and when it did the drinks waiter approached and asked what we had had to drink as he hadn’t kept a note and wanted to add it to the bill. When I told him we hadn’t had anything apart from water, he looked surprised, as though this concept hadn’t occurred to him.

All in all a good, formula curry but the service and organization (both in table reservation and serving/recording drinks) was awful. Would I go again? Probably, particularly if it retains its monopoly, as the food was good, but I’d prefer to go on a wet Monday in November rather than a Saturday in the season. I think they could do with some competition in town to sharpen up the customer relations’ aspect of the business.

 Malcolm Wilkins – April 2004