A dooyoo gathering with an unusual outcome (Ryde Tandoori ( Isle of Wight ))

Member Name: JJJJ

Product:	Ryde Tandoori ( Isle of Wight )
Date:	08/08/09 (142 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: Very good food

Disadvantages: Isolated incidents of poor service

I do enjoy a good curry, and luckily my hometown of Ryde has a good selection of Indian Restaurants to choose from. Located in Union Street, 'Ryde Tandoori' was one of the first Indian Restaurants in the area, and to be honest it's an eatery which I've neglected a bit in the last few years in favour of some of the newer ones which have appeared in the vicinity.

The venue is quite small, and as such, Ryde Tandoori is a place where booking is essential - otherwise it's unlikely you'll be able to get a seat, especially on a Thursday, Friday or Saturday night.

The décor is pleasant, and I would describe it as an 'old-skool' looking Indian compared to the modern and minimalist 'Cinnamon', and 'Monsoon' - two of the other Asian restaurants in the area. The walls are painted in pastel shades, and feature large pictures of Tigers - it's pleasant enough without being too formal.

As it's located in the middle of the town, parking for Ryde Tandoori can be a bit of an issue - you can gamble on leaving your car on the street outside, but there isn't always a space, and if you're visiting in the evening it's probably best not to leave a vehicle, as there are often drunken groups spilling out of Wetherspoons, who are occasionally prone to a bit of wing-mirror bending. Luckily, there is a car park close by, which would probably represent the best option for drivers.

Ryde Tandoori serves a decent selection of Traditional Indian food - and whilst it's not the most exciting of choices, the chef's have obviously refined the most popular cuisine - the Korma's, Tikka's, Biriani's and Balti's of this world.

My most recent visit to Ryde Tandoori was with fellow dooyoo'ers 'tomflint', 'adambrown400' and 'jbsabbath', and it turned out to be quite an unusual event, not least because of the unusual service which we received. Our waiter was quite difficult to communicate with, and didn't seem to want us to order any main courses! Also, when he brought our drinks over, he slammed my pint down in front of me with a ridiculous force which startled the rest of the diners in the building. After bringing our poppadoms, our server couldn't decide where he wanted to put them, initially giving them to Tom, and then trying to pull them back off him in a makeshift tug-of-war! Thankfully, we beckoned another waiter who was much more efficient and friendly.

There is a fairly good selection of drinks on the menu, ranging from the traditional Indian beers to the British favourites. The prices for beverages are surprisingly reasonable at under £3 for a pint - not like the £6 for a bottle of Carlsberg which an Indian restaurant in Devon tried to charge me last summer!

Our food didn't take long to arrive, and my Chicken Korma was delicious. The sauce was nice and creamy, and the chicken was beautifully cooked and very tender. Similarly, the rest of our group seemed pleased with their food, and our only complaint was with the slightly bizarre service.

There are bathroom facilities in the building, which I found to be clean and tidy, although the hot tap in the sink was permanently turned on, and wouldn't turn off even when I tried hard to do so.

All in all, Ryde Tandoori is a reliable Indian restaurant from a food perspective which *usually* represents a decent night out. Yes, the service on this particular occasion was a little strange, but seeing as it's a seemingly isolated incident, I would still recommend the venue as an excellent place to dine out.

Summary: Good Indian Restaurant