Raj Douth - Sept 2009

Summary

So, as the so-called barbecue summer draws to a close our September jaunt took us back to the Rajdouth.  After the customary aperitif or 5 at the rather empty but friendly Clock Tower, for which I must admit I was fashionably late, we left for the food.  We were down on numbers for various reasons, but the valiant 9 who remained ambled across the car park, drawn by the tasteful neon announcing that the curry house was open.

 

We were welcomed in the usual fashion, and drinks orders were taken.  Now, we are nothing if not creatures of habit, so after the poppadums have been ordered it is our want to order starters and main course at the same time – however, this was not the case at the Rajdouth.  Was it because they had a number of take away orders they needed to cover?  After some forthright discussions with our noble chair, who inquired whether this was actually a restaurant or merely a take away establishment, and was not best pleased at this point.  Add to the mix that a request for cold beer – given 2 days before – was initially forgotten, this was not the best start to the meal.

 

Would the standard of the food help to rescue the evening?  Well, the beer was served cold from the second round, the poppadums (especially the spicy ones) and chutneys were a good standard and I consulted the menu for some evidence of culinary expertise.  Apparently the mission behind the Rajdouth was to use freshly mixed spices to create their dishes rather than ‘the rancid ambiguity called curry powder.’

 

The starter for me was the onion bhaji – which was fine, rather than remarkable; however, starters for the rest of the gang seemed to go down well.  I had to ask for my vegetarian dish to be made up especially for me, as there was not a great variety of vegetarian main meal, or starter for that matter.  The Rajdouth is not alone in this failing (in my eyes), and it seems one that other curry houses easily overcome.  Whilst everywhere states that you can request for other dishes to be made up, it is nicer not to have to ask and wrestle with a more imaginative choice.  Now I can climb down from my soapbox and discuss the main meal.

 

There was a general feeling that the standard of the food was such that the earlier difficulties faded away – one of the undoubted stars of the evening was the garlic chilli nan – packed with flavour and bite, and how anyone can go back to a plain nan after that is beyond me.   My Vegetable Dhansak was great – right spiciness and very enjoyable, and the side dishes and rice were tasty too. This feeling that all was becoming right with the world was echoed pretty much around the table, so after a bit of a shaky start we ended up with a good evening.

 

The bill was settled, including some of the downloaded vouchers – check the Rajdouth website – and the customary handshakes were exchanged.  The place itself was not overly busy for a Friday night, a fact that has been noticed in other recent evenings and seems to be a sign of the crunch times at the moment.  So from a vegetarian viewpoint, the choice may be small on the menu, but there is a good meal to be had – no rancid ambiguity and a garlic chilli nan that’s a must to anyone who has gone beyond the korma!

 

 

Common Curry - Good value for money.

 

Web site - www.therajdouth.co.uk

 

Other Comments

Positive:

• Very good service after a 'word' with the manager
• Nice dry poppodums but average dips
• Prawn puri starter very acceptable
• Tandori Lamb starter very good
• Chicken Jalfrezi the best
• Chilli garlic nan, order it and blow your socks off!
• Lots of flavour in the vegatable Dhansak
• The Methi Madras is just right strength
• Chicken Madras is excellent

 

Negative:

• Warm bottled beer
• Long wait to order with the starter done first and the main not done before the starter arrived
• Limited menu for starters
• Limited menu for vegetarians
• Stuffed Paratha quite dry but OK
• Very little ambience in the restaurant

 

 

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