This upstairs restaurant was established "about 4½ years ago", which puts it about early 1998. Being upstairs is often a disadvantage in attracting passing trade as it is not possible to see inside, and often such places use communal stairs which, if dirty and litter strewn, can be a real turn off. Not in this case, however, as the door to the restaurant is downstairs which at least keeps the green carpeted stairs clean and well kept.

Once upstairs there is a comfortable lounge area and bar, unusually covered with large green ceramic tiles which make it look like part of a bathroom (perhaps this is because they are the same tiles as we have in our bathroom!). To one side is the first and smallest dining area, seating just fourteen with an attractive fish tank and a rock and water feature in one corner. Beyond is another larger dining area seating about 40. A comfortable restaurant with a soothing overall decor of green (carpets, chairs and table linen) with dark wood ceiling beams and decorative slatted window blinds. The menu is the standard high street list but each table had a further menu of ‘specials’ which included a number of less usual dishes.

Starters of Onion Bhaji  comprised four small round bhajias with a fresh salad garnish and a rather flavourless raita. The outsides were fairly crisp but the inside was very moist and soft, being mainly soft onion in a sauce with little gram flour to bind it. The other starter of Chicken Chat was served in a folded puri. Although it seems that restaurants increasingly serve this dish on or in a puri I find this addition - often a fairly thick and substantial puri - makes it too filling for an appetiser. Fortunately in this instance the puri was nicely thin and fresh so did not add too much bulk. The chicken chat inside was the requisite small pieces of chicken together with fried onion in a sauce but only slight spicing and no sharp tanginess one expects in this dish. A fairly bland example of chicken chat.

Tandoori Chicken as a main course was the well established two pieces of chicken which had been well marinated and cooked. A tasty but fairly standard example of Tandoori Chicken. Chicken Tikka Pathia was less standard being in a light, thin sauce (as distinct from the more common dark, thick sauce) but was good nevertheless. Not strongly flavoured, but a definite underlying bite to it which became more apparent the more you ate and I found it very pleasant. The accompanying Dry Vegetable Curry was disappointing as although it was fresh and cooked to a good texture it was, to my taste, almost completely flavourless and lacked any definitive spicing at all. In fact we both added salt to it - something I very rarely do, especially in Indian restaurants (where often I find dishes over salted).

The portions were quite sufficient, and prices about average. The service was good, with both waiters friendly, polite and attentive without being overbearingly so. Hot towels (proper linen ones) and oranges served after the meal, as well as the usual mints with the bill.

All in all an agreeable and comfortable restaurant with friendly staff although in my view the food - generally standard formula curryhouse fare - could do with a little more robust spicing to give it some distinction. Would I go again? Well, I would, but there’s some stiff competition in Maidstone as evidenced by the fact that on our midweek visit only one table was occupied apart from us while both the Tandoor Mahal and the nearby Shamrat were both crowded.

Malcolm Wilkins - October 2002