Standard layout with tables either side of the central aisle, it seats 46 in the main dining room plus another 3 tables in a small room at the back. Tables set very close together, particularly some tables for two which only had a few inches between them so it was virtually like sharing a table with another couple (and made getting in and out awkward). Apart from being cramped and the resulting lack of intimacy the decor was pleasant with Indian scenes on the walls and fabric on the ceiling drawn together to give a tented impression. The central bar acted as such, being well stocked with an assigned barman and four bar stools.

Saturday night was inevitably fairly crowded, although not full. An extensive menu of all the usual dishes. Popadoms came with an onion salad, a bland sauce like tomato ketchup, a hot chilli pickle, lime pickle and raita. However, no sooner had we started to nibble these when the starters appeared. When I commented that we had barely been served the popadoms the waiter blithely replied "the chef is quick" and walked off. It’s a pity the chef wasn’t as quick with the main courses as, after being rushed at the popadom/starter stage we then waited over half an hour for the main course!

Onion Bhaji starter was good - two large, crisp bhajias containing plenty of onion with a small accompanying salad Chicken Chat was not so good being very insipid and needing some salt to enhance the flavour. Main meals excellent. The Chicken Dhansak was well spiced with an underlying hotness which came through during the meal. My wife’s Chicken Tikka Masala was less creamy than is often the case and with a more spicy flavour with nuts and fruit in a dark red sauce. It was rated the best for a while. Above average Aloo Gobi with the vegetables not overdone, well spiced and plenty of fresh coriander on top. Peshwari Nan also good with lots of nuts and fruit filling.

After a nice meal came a not so nice bill, which was unexpectedly high. Not surprising as there were items at £10.95 and £1.70 which I could not place. On querying it I was told that the £10.95 was for wine. We hadn’t ordered any wine, nor been served any. This was duly deducted. I then queried the £1.70 and was told it was for two glasses of water. I suggested that if ordinary tap water was chargeable then it should be pointed out on the menu as it was very unusual to be charged (indeed, I have never been charged for tap water). I also pointed out that 85p per glass of tap water was a bit over the top. The waiter than (and only then) said it was bottled water. I said that if it were bottled water then I would have expected to have been given the choice between carbonated or still water - and the bottle placed on the table to show where it came from! (Frankly I didn’t believe it was bottled water). Anyway, the waiter also grudgingly deducted this from the bill "as a gesture" as he graciously put it! Result, nearly £15 less than we had been charged. Perhaps I am over cynical but when this sort of thing happens to me it is almost always in a holiday town. I strongly suspect it wasn’t a genuine mistake and has been tried before.

Portions adequate and prices above average, particularly as a 12½% service charge is added to the bill. Service as already commented on and not particularly friendly (no smiles, words of welcome etc., but that’s a holiday town for you!)

All in all a very mixed evening. The rather uncomfortable seating, poor timing of serving the meals and overcharging were fortunately offset by a good meal, but next time I think I will try one of the others.

Malcolm Wilkins - May 1999