Wednesday 15th May 2013
Round 5 of the 2013 curry season took place last week at Asha Tandoori, in Hayes. This quiet area of Bromley is not to be confused with Hayes in Middlesex which strangely enough, also has an Indian restaurant called ‘Asha Tandoori’.
Hayes’ small High Street on Station Approach, has three curry houses and to be blunt, Asha is the poor relation.
You only get one chance to make a first impression and Asha don’t do themselves any favours. I booked a table for eight but when we arrived, staff didn’t seem to know anything about it. The restaurant is so small that with one table already in use, they couldn’t fit us in. Luckily the couple already seated said they were just leaving and room was made for our party.
The atmosphere is strange. It’s set in a little room with about ten small tables. The décor looks tired and thrown together and it appears little care is taken to make the place look smart or in any way inviting. Having said all that, there is something to be said for Asha’s lack of pretension. While local rivals ‘Kosturi’ and ‘Ginger’ have a tendency to take themselves a little too seriously, Asha simply give people what they want. The restaurant is over the road from The New Inn pub and I'm sure they have no problem with groups of blokes rolling in at 11pm, half cut!
When the laminated menus were handed out, expectations were not high but although it’s old-school stuff, there are quite a few twists and unusual options. To start, I went for ‘Mushroom Cocktail’, mushrooms stuffed with savoury minced lamb, cooked with egg and breadcrumbs. They had a nice crispness and were full of flavour. I had half expected a ‘findas style’, straight out of the deep freeze dish, which is a common disappointment in curry houses - this however, tasted fresh and homemade.
Lamb Mirchi Masala caught the attention of the chilli-head in me, as the menu promised ‘vindaloo heat’. Cooked in a thick sauce, this curry is made with Naga pickle and packs a mighty chilli punch. Brimming with strong flavours that are not overpowered by the chilli. This is a well-balanced, satisfying dish. Highly recommended.
Although the food is uncomplicated retro curry, it is very well done. I imagine they have a loyal take-away customer base which must be what they survive on, as the small restaurant was empty most of the time we were there. If they just spent a few quid doing the place up, they would stand a good chance of competing with the other nearby restaurants
MENU
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Asha Tandoori
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MAIN:
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Really enjoyed the lamb Murchi Masala, a unique, well
flavoured dish with plenty of Naga heat. Unfortunately, tandoori
lamb chops weren't as high quality. The meat was a bit tough
and quite fatty.
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16/20
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STARTERS/
SIDES: |
Crispy Mushroom Cocktail was great and tasted home-made.
The sag paneer was pretty good, though perhaps a bit too
sweet.
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7/10
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VARIETY:
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Old-School menu with quite a wide variety of dishes.
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7/10
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HEAT:
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Definitely above average heat. Really hit the spot!
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5/5
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DRINKS:
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Quite a few varieties of lager, including Bangla & Tiger so extra
marks there. There was a fairly limited range of soft drinks
though.
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4/5
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VENUE
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ATMOS:
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It’s a small restaurant that looks like somebody’s front room.
The décor is very dated and the whole look is pretty grim and
unappealing. To be fair though, the atmosphere is relaxed and somehow quite cosy. They play good authentic Indian music
too.
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9/20
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SERVICE:
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There was confusion over a number orders, which is
disappointing considering how quiet the restaurant was.
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3/10
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VALUE:
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£26-a-head with a couple of drinks, including service wasn’t bad
value but they lose points as we found out afterwards that they
offer a ‘banquet menu’ that we were never told about.
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5/10
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LOCATION:
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Decent location on Hayes High Street. Close to a station and a
some decent pubs! |
5/5
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BONUS:
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Drinks including beer and Brandy were offered on the house at
the end. |
4/5
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FINAL SCORE
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65%
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Booking Name: Paulo Di Beastio
Pubs: ‘The New Inn’ and ‘The George’ are very close by
Highlight: Unpretentious curry house menu
Lowlight: General lack of thought given to the surroundings
Verdict: Good after-the-pub curry house fare but totally lacking in atmosphere
Asha Tandoori
68 Station Approach
Hayes
BR2 7EJ
020 8462 9380
020 8462 7787
Open: 17:30 to 23:30 (22:30 on Sundays)
http://www.asha-tandoori.co.uk
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