Wednesday 14th August 2013
Raj of India is one of those restaurants I always notice but never had the chance to try out for myself. At the latest curry club I was finally able to put that right.
Like a lot of these trendier places, it had a slightly cold atmosphere and this wasn't helped by the air-con, which seemed to be on 'siberian winter' setting.
Although to me, it always seems a shame to see curry houses go down this modern route, I have to say the restaurant does look stylish and I understand that the menu has had some improvements with more sophisticated options, specials and rarely seen Bangladeshi dishes.
It was lucky that I wasn’t too hungry, as the starters seemed to take forever to come out. My lamb tikka had obviously been ready quite a while though because it was cold by the time I got it. Others fared better with their entrées and I was told the keema puri was great. Tasty homemade minced lamb kebab, wrapped in Indian bread. Went down a treat!
For main course, I went for Chicken Tikka Achari. Made with all the same spices that go into Achar pickle, this dish was delicious, and really quite spicey. The chicken was perfectly cooked and full of tikka flavour and had a nice smokiness to it as well.
When I saw sprout bhaji on the menu, I had to go for it. Brussel sprouts may not the most popular vegetable in the world but I love them. Their bitter, nutty taste works really well with the sweet tomatoes and onion in this well spiced dish – it’s like Christmas in Bangladesh!
Sprout Bhaji
MENU
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Raj of India
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MAIN:
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The dishes were all well executed. A very high standard of cooking.
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17/20
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STARTERS/
SIDES: |
Sprout bhaji is a must-try! A number of people said their starters were the best they’ve had this year.
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VARIETY:
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A reasonably wide menu. They’ve recently added a number of interesting specials.
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HEAT:
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My chicken tikka achari had a really enjoyable chilli bite to it.
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3/5
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DRINKS:
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All the standard’s plus a good range of soft drinks. Bangla on draught is always good.
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4/5
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VENUE
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ATMOS:
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A little cold but it was busy and vibrant. They played classic Indian tunes but the sound system was quite tinny!
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14/20
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SERVICE:
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There was quite a large party of us but it has to be said that the service was slow and a number of errors were made
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VALUE:
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Good price for a non-banquet night. Surprisingly, under the £30 mark
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LOCATION:
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Good parking and a nice pub nearby
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5/5
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BONUS:
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Nothing offered
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0/5
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FINAL SCORE
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70%
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Booking Name: Sasa Beastivic
Pubs: The nearby ‘The Buff’, is a good lively pub.
Pubs: The nearby ‘The Buff’, is a good lively pub.
Highlight: Sprout Bhaji. Yes!
Lowlight: Slow service.
Verdict: Over all, this is a very good restaurant. They could be a bit more on the ball with the service but the food is of high quality and I can see why this place is so popular.
Orpington
BR6 9LP
Tel: 01689 852170
[Link]
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