Opened as the Maharajah round about the late seventies on the opposite side of the road where it remained for a few years before moving the present location and name. It seats about 55 in the main dining area with a further 6 tables upstairs, the restaurant is well situated overlooking the beach so that those fortunate enough to sit at the few tables by the window have a wonderfully scenic outlook (when it's daylight). It used to have white artex walls, which gave a more Spanish feel than Indian, and several of the smaller tables in the main body of the restaurant were very cramped when the restaurant was full. However, it closed for four months from December 2005 for a complete refurbishment, and now is a lot more stylish and comfortable. I don't know whether the seating capacity has changed, but a major change is to the reception area where it was (and no doubt still is) often packed with people awaiting a table in the height of the season. This has been expanded and now offers a large and comfortable waiting area with plush leather arm chairs, side tables and a modern bar to cater for the alcoholic needs of customers and to swell the Maharajah's takings. It almost looks inviting enough to want to wait around for a table whilst looking at the extensive menu, which lists all the usuals, although few that are new. 

My contact with this restaurant goes back a long way. I first visited shortly after it moved to its present location in the early eighties and found it uniformly dreadful.  I recall there was an Indian manager, but a quick peak in the kitchen showed the chefs to be a young girl and young man, both white (local English I assume) and both looked suspiciously like students. I remember at the time I thought it one of the worst Indian meals I had ever eaten and vowed never to return (which was a serious thing to say given the dearth of Indian restaurants in Cornwall at that time!). However, I did return some years later (there were still only a handful of Indian restaurants in the whole of Cornwall). Although it was not quite so dire, I remember still being distinctly unimpressed. But time moves on and I visited again in 2000, this time with a reporting hat on. I found that although it had again improved, it was still fairly average, and reported " A fairly average high street curry house, and while it has certainly improved since my previous visits, and offers some interesting dishes, it certainly does not live up to the standard of it’s rather inflated and pretentious advertisement slogan of "Probably the finest Indian restaurant in Cornwall, if not in England". How utterly ridiculous even to think people will believe such nonsense - and if they do then there must be hundreds of disappointed customers!! 

On that occasion I had Patra - the leaves of Colcasia (a common Indian plant) rolled and fried - as one of the starters as it is not often found in UK curry houses. It wasn't particularly to my taste ( I reported that  "the rolled up leaves were tightly packed together (no discernible gram flour between) with a sharp pickle flavour and very dry. It was rather like ½ inch thick slices of red cabbage which had been dried, pickled and fried in light spices. A different and interesting flavour but they were a bit too dry for me. When I asked where they obtained the leaves from the waiter replied "somewhere in Birmingham" so I suspect they are obtained ready rolled - probably tinned"),  but was pleased to see this less common item featured on the menu. I also reported that the Onion Bhajias were extremely solid and stodgy, and I was served Vindaloo instead of the Jalfrezi I had ordered.  Furthermore, the menu  also mentioned a ‘Specials Board’ although there was no evidence of this. So overall, although improved, it still wasn't a particularly successful visit.

The next visit was in 2004, and I was pleasantly surprised. Firstly (and to my profound amazement), the table we had reserved was waiting for us, ready set up, despite the reception area heaving with people who hadn't booked hoping for a table. As regular readers will know, one of my common gripes about Indian restaurants is the lack of a reliable booking system, so full marks to them. We were off to a flying start. Secondly, they did have a specials board on this occasion, which is another improvement. Thirdly the food had also improved considerably. The Bhajias (two flat type) were much improved, being crispy with only a hint of stodginess in the centre, but were very tasty. Chicken Chat was served in a bowl, and was pleasantly sharp with a tomato base to the sauce. Prawn Puree was again good (excellent according to the main recipient). Main courses again all of good formula standard. Chicken Bhuna fairly garlicky and pleasant, but quite mild, while the Lamb Dhansak had a nice bite to it (although not as hot as many examples). The Tandoori Chicken was slightly disappointing in that it had not been as deeply marinated as is usual, with the flavour being only surface deep. But nevertheless it was OK

For one of our vegetable dishes we ordered another interesting offering - Undhiu, which I had last time as it was new to me despite the menu saying it is a very popular Indian dish (and I have not seen it since). It is described as a mixture of yams, potato, aubergine and "refined Indian vegetables". When I asked the waiter in 2000 what the "refined Indian vegetables" were he said with commendable honesty "I haven’t a clue"! On this occasion I didn't think to ask again. Last time I reported " it had a distinctive full, almost burnt flavour to it. The nearest I could describe it is like overdone Mexican refried beans - an acquired taste and one which didn’t appeal to me but it was worth the try". Despite this report I tried again, and it was much better. It did have a full and more intense flavour than a normal mixed vegetable, but not as much as I reported last time, and on this offering I would certainly have it again.

Other aspects were fine - the rice was fragrant and the Peshwari Nan was one of the better examples, being fresh with a good filling of almonds and sultanas. Portions were deceptive as they looked more than they were, as they were served in bowls which looked full, but in actual fact there was a lot of sauce to a limited amount of meat. Nevertheless, they were quite adequate. Service was excellent, and very friendly. And any restaurant which has a reserved table ready and waiting at the appointed time, particularly when customers are three deep trying to get a table, has to get good marks. I concluded by saying that although it's taken a long time, but on this occasion I'm pleased to say I would I would be happy to return.

And I did return in 2006, but as there were three new Indian restaurant in the area to try plus another more deserving of an update visit I didn't eat there, merely visited to update the report on the new style. I'm pleased to see that Patra still features on the menu, but on the other hand, their advert that made the excessively exaggerated  claim of being 'one of the finest Indian restaurant in Cornwall, if not in England' has now elevated the status by making the even more extraordinarily absurd claim of being 'one of the finest restaurants in Cornwall, if not in England' (not just Indian restaurants now, you'll note, but putting itself above the gastronomically acclaimed finest of any restaurant).  I restrained myself from asking how many Michelin stars they had been awarded to justify such a claim, but such a ludicrously false assertion does strain at the credibility of the restaurant. Nevertheless, I would expect the food to have maintained its previous standard, and next time I'm in the area I'll try it again to find out.

Finally, they advertise a new menu, which includes 'fusion' food. The new menu was not yet operational when I visited, but I asked the waiter what the fusion food was. He told me he didn't know what it meant, let alone what dishes might appear under that heading! Personally I wish they would concentrate on the business of providing good Indian food.

 Malcolm Wilkins - September 2006