MUGHAL DYNASTY, 14 LONDON ROAD, MAIDSTONE

This restaurant was established in approximately 1988. If you are driving, it does have a car park at the rear, although this is down a narrow drive at the side and is easily missed. Otherwise, parking nearby is difficult. The inside is larger than it appears from the outside, mainly because it also has the adjoining building and uses it as a second dining area. In total it seats about 85 in pleasant surroundings, and the second and larger dining room is particularly spacious.

The menu is the standard list, and as there were four of us we were able to spread the selection. Of the starters, the Onion Bhajias, Chicken Tikka and Sheek Kebab were good, if fairly typical examples, while the Chicken Chat was above average with tasty pieces of chicken tikka in a piquant sauce. Main dishes were also a good standard formula curry. I thought the pick of the bunch was the Chicken Darziling - similar to a Bhuna, but hotter and with plenty of fresh ginger (despite the menu description of a touch of ginger). Having said that, the others were all good, the Dhansak being in a thick, dark sauce and nicely hot, while the Chicken Ragon (sic) was a pleasant example of Rogon Gosht in a mildish, thickened tomato-based sauce. Chicken Makhani was, for my taste, much too mild, creamy and sickly sweet, but if that's what you like then this would no doubt make a good selection. The Mixed Vegetable Bhaji was excellent, but I thought the Sag Paneer a bit 'mushy', with the consistency of lumpy school custard (and tasting a bit like it as well!). However, as I never usually order this dish I am probably not in a position to comment.

Prices about average, and good-sized portions provided good value. The service was OK, but rather impersonal and without character. It was efficient enough in that we were taken to a table on arrival (although not a prepared table even though we had made a reservation, which makes me wonder about the effectiveness of the booking system), and the food was brought to us without delay. But no smiles, no friendly comments and no general bonhomie. Jut waiters doing their job and looking a bit bored with it (as an example, one single diner was reading a newspaper while waiting for his food. When it arrived he placed the paper on the table beside him and the waiter plonked the food down on top of it!). On the other hand, the iced water was brought quickly on request, orange slices and a variety of seeds (both plain and sugar coated) were provided after the meal, so overall it was satisfactory in that respect. If only one of them had smiled or shown some sort of amiability it would have made the world of difference.

All in all a good formula curry and I would have no hesitation in returning.

Malcolm Wilkins - 2003