Address: 25 Denmark Street, Wokingham, Berks RG40 2AY

Telephone: 0118 9874237

Website: N/A

Date of visit: 31 October 2011

Costs: Less than £20 for starter, main course with rice or bread

Wines and beer: Cobra, Bangala and Kingfisher, wines available

Likes and dislikes: Dishes were very mild, otherwise fine

Cuisine: Indian (Bangladeshi)

Special note: Takeaway: free delivery (within 3 miles) for orders over £15. 10% discount for collection

Summary:

This is a small restaurant off one of the main street in Wokingham. There are car parks off Denmark Road.

I went with my friend M after a couple of pints at the Crispin – several decent real ales including guests.

M has been coming to the Taj Mahal for nearly 30 years so this place is well established.

I started with meat samosa (££2.75) whilst M had jhinga (prawn) puri  (£3.25). I was very pleased to note that the side salad that came with the samosa was very fresh – not leaves with brown tinge at the edge which you get in certain Indian’s. We also had 2 papadoms (0.60 each) which were served with the usual chutney, sweet yoghurt, onions and pickle on the side.

M then ordered (Gulshani chicken – a Taj speciality – £6.75). It looked and tasted to me like chicken tikka in a Jalfraizee sauce. I had the chicken dupiazza ((£5.25). To accompany the meal, we had a nan ((£1.95), pilau rice (££2.25) and sag paneer (£3.25). Everything was fine – perhaps less chilli than I like. The rice was slightly orange in colour instead of the yellow that I am used to.

The meal was washed down with a pint of Kingfisher and a bottle of Bangala – pity that all these beers are now brewed under licence in the UK. I swear that Kingfisher used to have a hint of Cardamoms which is now missing.

The restaurant had pristine white table cloths and the service was excellent.  The total bill came to less than £39 (excluding service).

E

PS I was also very pleased to see a few Bangladeshi dishes on the menu as well as the usual items.

Location: 78 Brick Lane, London, E1 6RL

Web site: www.monsoonatbricklane.co.uk

Telephone number: 020 7375 1345

Date of visit: 30/10/10

Approx. cost per head: £10

Comments on wine list/beer: The house wines are satisfactory but a good range of wines and beers is available.

Cuisine: Bangladashi

Review:

Located on East London’s infamous Brick Lane, Monsoon is arguably the pick of restaurants in the area and is personally one of my favourites in the city.

Negotiating is all part of the Brick Lane experience but welcomingly the Monsoon doesn’t appear anywhere near as insistent or desperate to pull you in as many of their rivals – usually a good indication of quality and the fact business is healthy. As is the number of business people choosing the Monsoon for both formal and informal get togethers. A good deal will usually offer up a starter, a main course and a bottle of wine for two for around £25 – a deal you’d be hard pushed to top anywhere else in London. Especially centrally where the same will cost you closer to three times the price.

It offers modern decor and an inviting atmosphere. Service is always excellent and very friendly. The owner and his staff look after regular visitors very well.
Starters average just £3, with the onion bhajis, aloo chat and chicken tikka pakora the highlights. The Monsoon’s delicious main course are priced between £8 and £13 – with the motor ponir the best I’ve come across anywhere. The house wines are satisfactory but a good range of around 10 wines are available by the bottle or glass, alongside a range of beers. A nice fruity red or an aromatic Riesling or gewürztraminer is ideal depending on the chosen dish.

Dave Lamont

Address: 6 Malvern Road, Powick, Worcester WR2 4QP

Telephone number: 01905 830 750

Website: www.cromwelklstandoori.co.uk (not working, under maintenance?)

Date of visit: 13 March 2010

Approximate cost per head for 2 courses: under £15 for starter, main plus rice

Comments on wine list/beer: cobra and a very cheap wine list

Summary:

Let’s get the wine out of the way. On the night we went, the place was full and most people were drinking cheap wine (£12 a bottle). I don’t think that spice and wine works together, so I never have wine with an “Indian” meal. Champagne just about works.

This is an interesting restaurant as it’s the first and only building on the way to Malvern as you enter Powick. The car park is often used by the Police (day time) for their mobile speed guns. This is one place that I would not recommend that you drink and drive as the car park is often also used by the police when they are having a break!

The place is called Cromwell for obvious historical reasons. The interesting fact is that this is the first “Asian” restaurant I have come across that does not use an “indianish” name. To make sure that the customers are not fooled, there is also a huge sign with the word “Indian” on it. But then, the people who operate its are Bangladeshis not Indians. They also do steak, scampi etc just in case you do not eat “spicy” food.

The menu has all the usual Indian restaurant favourites but it also has a section on fish and Bangladeshi dishes.

We ordered  chicken karahi and chicken chashi (on the menu, it said that it’s a Bangladeshi dish cooked in special sauce), pilaw rice, sag and bindi bajees.

The chicken dishes tasted quite nice but I am not sure of the “differences”. The bindi was chopped up finely and was excellent – in fact this is one of the best I have had for sometime.

All this was washed down with 3 pints of cobra and the total bill came to £33.

The fish dishes look very interesting and there were 2 fishes – roop and ayre – that I have never heard of. Must try it next time.

By the way, they are only open from 5.30 to 11.30. They do not serve lunch.

Eddie