PRINCE OF INDIA, 70 PRESTON STREET, FAVERSHAM

Opened in December 2006 it looks fairly ordinary from the outside, but the inside inside is comfortable and bigger than it looks, with the traditional table layout. The menu lists many unfamiliar names amongst the House Specials, as well as offering all the standard curry dishes, which suggested something above the average high street curryhouse formula curries.

Well, the food was all right, although I must admit to being slightly disappointed given the imaginative menu. The Tandoori Chicken was fine but a fairly average example of Tandoori Chicken found in most Indian restaurants. The Chicken Jallashari (chicken with garlic, onion, ginger, green chillies and capsicum) was in a good sauce with a pleasant sharpish flavour as well as the underlying hotness of the chillies, although it was very similar to Jalfrezi and would have benefited from being prepared with chicken tikka rather than plain chicken.  Niramish (dry mixed vegetables) was the most disappointing dish as it was heavily reliant on cabbage and and heavily lacking in flavour or spicing! Fortunately the Dall Samber was much better with a good balance of lentils and diced vegetables, and a pleasing flavour. Rice and other accompaniments standard fare.

Service efficient, helpful and friendly, which goes a long way to retaining customers. Prices were very reasonable (and cheaper than the Indian restaurant a few doors down the street) and portions good. It is also worth noting that they put on live entertainment - usually tribute acts it would seem - and also do a lot for local charities, including hosting charity dinners. 

Despite these many commendable attributes, and providing a pleasant evening and meal, I am sorry to say that the food didn't live up to my expectations raised by the menu. It was this aspect, I suppose,  that led to my slight disappointment. However, to be fair it was a perfectly acceptable meal and probably better than the two earlier-established Indian restaurants in town. Nevertheless it was still a standard high street Indian formula curry rather than a superior curry that the menu led me to expect.

Malcolm Wilkins - August 2009