Formerly Abdul’s Tandoori but re-opened in April 2000 under new name and ownership.

A standard high street restaurant by appearance, both inside and out, it seats 44 people. Comprehensive menu of standard items plus a few less common names amongst the ‘Chef’s Specials. The two flat Onion Bhaji starters were large and quite mildly spiced but a bit spongy. Chicken Chat starter was served on a puri and was excellent - plenty of small, well spiced pieces of chicken in a tasty sauce and a well cooked puri which was not too thick or stodgy to counter the flavours of the chicken. Main dish of Chicken Rojoti (a new one on me) was interesting - plenty of pieces of tandoori chicken taken from the bone (as against the more common cubes of chicken tikka) and then fried with mushrooms, onions, tomatoes and garlic. Served on an oval plate there was a lot of it, and it was very tasty although not as hot (spice wise) as the ‘medium hot’ description of the menu. Chicken Dhansak was also very good, with a nice thick spicy lentil based sauce. Although this came with a pillau rice I asked for a vegetable rice instead which was very good with plenty vegetable pieces. The Mixed Vegetable Bhaji side dish was fairly ordinary, as was the Peshwari Nan.

Prices about average and portions generous - we couldn’t finish it all. In fact, the prices were very reasonable as we asked for the Rojoti to be with Tandoori Chicken and for vegetable rice instead of pillau rice with the Dhansak, but we were not charged of either ‘upgrades’.

Service excellent and very friendly. The waiter - who had only been there five weeks - chatted about his previous job in Jersey and the owner came over for a chat as well. It was relatively quiet given it was a Saturday night, but a few more started arriving about 10 pm as we were ready to leave.

All in all a pleasant formula curry, after which we were given complimentary Baileys with the bill ( a rather thin baileys but whose complaining about a bit of added water when it’s complimentary and the service is so pleasant).

Malcolm Wilkins - November 2000