Tandoori Parlour - Rainham

Tonight's delivery was to Rainham and, having driven along the A2 many, many times Phil was sure that there was a third Indian Restaurant but couldn't quite remember where.  The challenge tonight was to find it!

The Tandoori Parlour is located in a small row of shops on the A2 with its junction with Mierscourt Road.  Parking is available in a public car park nearby - unfortunately Pay & Display until 22:00.  To say that the outside is understated is an understatement!  It would be very easy to miss.

Once inside, the restaurant is nicely decorated and seems quite small but there is a second room upstairs.

The Papadums and (Bottled) Cobras arrived quite quickly.  Bob felt that the beer could have been a little colder but was impressed (as was Phil) with the array of pickles served on a lazy susan.  The Papadums themselves weren't warm and seemed to break almost too easily.

When the curries arrived it was a bit of a surprise.  Phil's Dhansak looked just like a Dhansak but initially they thought that Bob had been served with Strawberries and Cream.  In all the curry houses visited neither Phil nor Bob had ever seen a two-tone sauce.  Putting the surprise of the appearance aside, Bob tucked into his Butter Chicken and was delighted!  Phil also felt that his Dhansak was everything he expected with an excellent blend of flavours and texture.

Both Bob and Phil found the vegetables to be excellent too.  Phil thought the cream and sweetness to be a great foil for the Dhansak and both enjoyed the hint of coconut.  The only slight disappointment was the Bombay Aloo which both felt needed a little more salt.

The service couldn't really be faulted.  Polite & speedy but not rushed.  Bob and Phil were well looked after.  Phil was pleased to overhear a conversation between the staff and a regular customer and noted that the staff really seem to take the time to serve people and not just dish the food up.

It is worth stating at this point that on the evening visited, Tandoori Parlour was offering a deal of Starter, Main, Rice, Vegetable Dish & Naan for £11.95.  Bob & Phil partook of this deal but can only mark on the standard points below.

Area	Phil	Bob
Beer	8	8
Papadum	8	8
Curry	9	10
Rice & Vegetables	9	9
Service & Ambiance	9	9

In total a table topping 87%  The Tandoori Parlour has proved the equal of the India Royal in Faversham and scored much higher than Darheeling Heights.  It is no wonder that it was very busy when Bob & Phil left.

The Tandoori Parlour is a hidden gem!  It took a few minutes to track it down but Bob & Phil were very pleased that they made the effort rather than revisiting either of the other two restaurants on the A2.  The meal was excellent value for money and Tandoori Parlour deserves to be as busy as it was this evening.

Singleton Tandoori & Balti House - Singleton

Tonight saw Bob and Phil delivering to Chilham.  Bob was keen to introduce Phil to a curry house that he had recently been to with other friends and, with a repeat visit to Canterbury being the only other option Phil jumped at the chance to try somewhere new.

Singleton Tandoori and Balti House is as its name suggests in Singleton on the outskirts of Ashford.  It is located in the Singleton Centre, a parade of shops with a suitably sized car park attached.

From the outside, the Restaurant is well signed and has a traditional look about it.  That traditional feel carries into the interior decor with only a flat screen TV showing Bollywood as a nod to modern times.

The (draught) Cobra arrived promptly and, unlike the last restaurant was undoubtedly Cobra!  Both Bob & Phil thought, however, that it could have done with being a bit colder.  The Papadums arrived shortly after and were a little disappointing as they were cold and also tasted of stale fat.  The dips, however, were very good with an interesting not very sweet mango chutney.

There was a short delay before the curries arrived.  Phil thought his Dhansak was well worth the wait; the flavour and texture of the lentils came through although there was a strong tomato taste.  Bob felt that his Butter Chicken was lacking a little bit of flavour although it was perfectly good.

The Vegetables were a slight let down.  Both the Muttar Paneer and the Bombay Aloo seemed to lack flavour.  Phil felt that the peas in the former had been overcooked as the characteristic sweetness that they give was lacking.

The service was excellent.  Very friendly and very smiley.  Phil was also impressed when he overheard one of the waiters recalling a special request from a customer from a previous visit (that customer was also impressed!)  Overall the restaurant has a friendly relaxed feel to it.

Area	Phil	Bob
Beer	8	8
Papadum	7	6
Curry	9	7
Rice & Vegetables	7	7
Service & Ambiance	9	9

In total and above average 77 and high enough to put it into the top 20.

In recounting to Phil his previous visit (on Friday 20th Feb), Bob felt slightly disappointed as both his and Phil's experience of midweek curries vs weekend curries is that standards tend to slip when the weekend peak hits.  In this case it seemed to be the other way around.  Either way the residents of Singleton have a very good Curry House in their midst!