A delivery to Ashford called for Bob & Phil. On the way over Phil casually searched for nearby Curry Houses and up popped Joshan.
It has a very professional looking website and had good reviews so on the way back a detour was made to Wye..........and Bob & Phil, experts as they are at finding addresses couldn't find it!
Eventually after parking up and walking purposely through the village the location was found....boarded up and with all sorts of notices posted on the doors.
So you have closed the restaurant.....why not the website.
Bob & Phil were not impressed
8 Nov 2017
Raj Venue - Canterbury
Following the disappointment of the chosen restaurant's demise, (See Joshan, Wye) a frantic search by Phil unearthed a Canterbury Curry House that neither Phil nor Bob had noticed despite driving past it on a regular basis.
Raj Venue is located at the Westgate Towers end of St Dunstan's in Canterbury next door to the far better known (and obviously advertised) Cafe des Amis. To say that its presence is understated is an understatement in itself as the name does not appear on the outside of the building! Inside it is newly decorated and brightly lit. There seemed to be two distinct areas with different seating and gave the overall impression of work in progress.
It took a couple of minutes for Bob & Phil to be greeted and shown to a table and that set the scene for the rest of the evening. Unusually the Papadums arrived before the Cobras and they were quite fresh (but not warm). The pickles included what Phil believed was an Onion and Beetroot chutney which he very much enjoyed. The (draught) Cobras did eventually turned up and were well worth waiting for as they were nicely cold.
The papadums had long since been consumed before the curries arrived. Both were very nicely presented. Phil did think, though, that his Dhansak was excellent. It had the right texture and flavours. Bob, on the other hand, was very disappointed by his Korma. He found no flavour whatsoever and was quickly bored.
It is worth pointing out that the portions were extremely generous, particularly the special rice which neither Bob nor Phil could finish. The Muttar Paneer was enjoyed by both particularly as the flavour of the peas shone through over the sweet creamy sauce but the Bombay Aloo was very disappointingly bland.
Overall the service can best be described as slow which was somewhat surprising given there were only two tables occupied.
Bob's unfortunate curry apart, Raj Venue could be the best curry house in Canterbury......if you can find it!
Raj Venue is located at the Westgate Towers end of St Dunstan's in Canterbury next door to the far better known (and obviously advertised) Cafe des Amis. To say that its presence is understated is an understatement in itself as the name does not appear on the outside of the building! Inside it is newly decorated and brightly lit. There seemed to be two distinct areas with different seating and gave the overall impression of work in progress.
It took a couple of minutes for Bob & Phil to be greeted and shown to a table and that set the scene for the rest of the evening. Unusually the Papadums arrived before the Cobras and they were quite fresh (but not warm). The pickles included what Phil believed was an Onion and Beetroot chutney which he very much enjoyed. The (draught) Cobras did eventually turned up and were well worth waiting for as they were nicely cold.
The papadums had long since been consumed before the curries arrived. Both were very nicely presented. Phil did think, though, that his Dhansak was excellent. It had the right texture and flavours. Bob, on the other hand, was very disappointed by his Korma. He found no flavour whatsoever and was quickly bored.
It is worth pointing out that the portions were extremely generous, particularly the special rice which neither Bob nor Phil could finish. The Muttar Paneer was enjoyed by both particularly as the flavour of the peas shone through over the sweet creamy sauce but the Bombay Aloo was very disappointingly bland.
Overall the service can best be described as slow which was somewhat surprising given there were only two tables occupied.
Area
|
Phil
|
Bob
|
Beer
| 9 | 10 |
Papadum
| 9 | 8 |
Curry
| 9 | 4 |
Rice & Vegetables
| 7 | 7 |
Service & Ambiance
| 6 | 6 |
A creditable 75 despite Bob's curry!
Bob's unfortunate curry apart, Raj Venue could be the best curry house in Canterbury......if you can find it!
1 Nov 2017
Star of Bengal - A new location in Whitstable
Until very recently the Star of Bengal was a small restaurant located opposite the Library on Oxford Street. It is there no more. Following weeks of rumours it has moved to the other end of town and is now located on Harbour Street - opposite the Duke of Cumberland. Those that know Whitstable will recognise the site as the former home of the Shamrat Indian Restaurant which, it has to be said, was probably the least popular of Whitstable's Curry Houses.
The curry house move intrigued Phil and he persuaded Bob to come out on a non delivery based trip to see how the move went. Was it a takeover? Was it a merger? For those who may wish to compare, the previous review of the Star of Bengal can be found here.. http://bobandphilscurryblog.blogspot.co.uk/2012/07/star-of-bengal.html
As previously mentioned the Star of Bengal is now located at the High Street end of Harbour Street opposite the Duke of Cumberland pub. There is some on street parking nearby and also 2 public car parks withing 3 minutes walk. It has been freshly decorated and was quite brightly lit and can now cater for about double the number of diners than before.
Bob and Phil were greeted politely and shown to a table and the (bottled) Cobra's arrived shortly after. Phil felt that his wasn't quite cold enough but Bob didn't seem to mind too much.
The pappadums followed in fairly short order accompanied by the usual complement of pickles. Sadly one of them was rather burnt and wasn't too pleasant. Phil also felt that the Lime Pickle was a little too salty but Bob wouldn't know as he doesn't go anywhere near it!
The curries arrived in due course, Phil enjoyed his Dhansak which had the right texture and, unusually, pieces of chopped chilli added to the sauce. Bob also found his Butter Chicken to be good too although he felt that the chicken may have been a little overcooked. Both Bob & Phil were somewhat confused to find their meals served with plates regaled with the name of the previous restaurant at that site.
Phil chose to try the Bengal special rice for something different. He enjoyed it and noted that it contained pieces of chicken and prawns as well as the usual vegetables found in the "normal" special fried rice that Bob went for. The Sag Aloo was OK but the Muttar Paneer was rather disappointing- it felt like lumps of cheese and frozen peas had simply been added to a packet cheese sauce mix.
The service was friendly and Bob & Phil were offered complementary drinks at the end along with the (microwaved) packet towels.
So....the new venue has done little to improve on what Bob & Phil found before in the old location but from a site perspective, the restaurant is a significant improvement on what was there before.
The curry house move intrigued Phil and he persuaded Bob to come out on a non delivery based trip to see how the move went. Was it a takeover? Was it a merger? For those who may wish to compare, the previous review of the Star of Bengal can be found here.. http://bobandphilscurryblog.blogspot.co.uk/2012/07/star-of-bengal.html
As previously mentioned the Star of Bengal is now located at the High Street end of Harbour Street opposite the Duke of Cumberland pub. There is some on street parking nearby and also 2 public car parks withing 3 minutes walk. It has been freshly decorated and was quite brightly lit and can now cater for about double the number of diners than before.
Bob and Phil were greeted politely and shown to a table and the (bottled) Cobra's arrived shortly after. Phil felt that his wasn't quite cold enough but Bob didn't seem to mind too much.
The pappadums followed in fairly short order accompanied by the usual complement of pickles. Sadly one of them was rather burnt and wasn't too pleasant. Phil also felt that the Lime Pickle was a little too salty but Bob wouldn't know as he doesn't go anywhere near it!
The curries arrived in due course, Phil enjoyed his Dhansak which had the right texture and, unusually, pieces of chopped chilli added to the sauce. Bob also found his Butter Chicken to be good too although he felt that the chicken may have been a little overcooked. Both Bob & Phil were somewhat confused to find their meals served with plates regaled with the name of the previous restaurant at that site.
Phil chose to try the Bengal special rice for something different. He enjoyed it and noted that it contained pieces of chicken and prawns as well as the usual vegetables found in the "normal" special fried rice that Bob went for. The Sag Aloo was OK but the Muttar Paneer was rather disappointing- it felt like lumps of cheese and frozen peas had simply been added to a packet cheese sauce mix.
The service was friendly and Bob & Phil were offered complementary drinks at the end along with the (microwaved) packet towels.
Area
|
Phil
|
Bob
|
Beer
| 7 | 8 |
Papadum
| 6 | 6 |
Curry
| 8 | 8 |
Rice & Vegetables
| 7 | 8 |
Service & Ambiance
| 6 | 6 |
In total a rather below average 70.
So....the new venue has done little to improve on what Bob & Phil found before in the old location but from a site perspective, the restaurant is a significant improvement on what was there before.
19 Sept 2017
India Royal - Faversham
A series of deliveries along the length of the A2 saw Bob & Phil end up in Faversham a mere two minutes walk from the India Royal which has always been a good venue.....it just had to be done!
Just along East Street, not far from the traffic lights on the corner, India Royal is a modern looking restaurant (although it has been there for many years). Unusually Bob couldn't find a space in the nearby car park so had to use nearby on road parking.
The Papadums were exactly as expected, warm and fresh although Phil was a little disappointed to only see three pickles. The (draught) Cobra was nicely cold and, as Phil felt, very needed after the deliveries.
Phil decided to do something different this evening and chose a Chicken Handi rather than the usual Dhansak. He felt it was very good indeed with a very rich and deeply flavoured sauce with a gentle warmth. Bob stuck to his usual Butter Chicken which had its usual creamy, smokey flavour that he has come to expect.
The Muttar Paneer was, Phil thought, an excellent contrast to the Handi but somehow the rich sauce of the curry seemed to overpower the Bombay Aloo.
Although it was exceptionally quiet - Bob & Phil were initially the only diners - the service felt very slow. So much so that Bob had to get up and ask for the bill.
Area
|
Phil
|
Bob
|
Beer
| 9 | 8 |
Papadum
| 8 | 8 |
Curry
| 9 | 9 |
Rice & Vegetables
| 8 | 9 |
Service & Ambiance
| 7 | 7 |
In total 82 - around what Bob & Phil have come to expect from this restaurant.
India Royal remains the best restaurant in Faversham!
30 Aug 2017
Shobab - Whitstable
Sometimes things don't always go according to plan and the original target of Dover morphed into something closer to home and both Bob and Phil were surprised to find that one of the most popular restaurants in Whitstable had never been featured on the blog.
Shobab is located on Whitstable High Street towards the Harbour Street end. There is limited on street parking nearby but two or three car parks are not far away. It looks to have been neutrally decorated with the result that it doesn't feel like a traditional Indian Restaurant.
Bob and Phil were shown to a table and the Papadums arrived not far behind. They were warm and fresh and Bob was pleased to see both a mint and a mango dip. The (draught) Cobra's also arrived promptly and were very well received.
The curries took a little while coming but were well worth the wait. Bob thoroughly enjoyed his Butter Chicken. Phil felt that his Dhansak was good but lacked a little something that he couldn't quite put his finger on.
The Sag Paneer was very good with the combination of the flavours working well together. Bob felt that the Muttar Paneer was a little to much like his Curry but Phil felt that it was a good contrast to his.
The service was a little on the slow side. Phil noted that paper serviettes were used rather than cloth and there were no post curry towels served. He did like the orange hint in the chocolates though!
Bob & Phil can unserstand why it is such a popular venue.
Shobab is located on Whitstable High Street towards the Harbour Street end. There is limited on street parking nearby but two or three car parks are not far away. It looks to have been neutrally decorated with the result that it doesn't feel like a traditional Indian Restaurant.
Bob and Phil were shown to a table and the Papadums arrived not far behind. They were warm and fresh and Bob was pleased to see both a mint and a mango dip. The (draught) Cobra's also arrived promptly and were very well received.
The curries took a little while coming but were well worth the wait. Bob thoroughly enjoyed his Butter Chicken. Phil felt that his Dhansak was good but lacked a little something that he couldn't quite put his finger on.
The Sag Paneer was very good with the combination of the flavours working well together. Bob felt that the Muttar Paneer was a little to much like his Curry but Phil felt that it was a good contrast to his.
The service was a little on the slow side. Phil noted that paper serviettes were used rather than cloth and there were no post curry towels served. He did like the orange hint in the chocolates though!
Area
|
Phil
|
Bob
|
Beer
| 8 | 8 |
Papadum
| 8 | 8 |
Curry
| 8 | 9 |
Rice & Vegetables
| 9 | 8 |
Service & Ambiance
| 7 | 7 |
In total a very creditable 80 putting it into the overall top 20 and just 4 marks short of the top 10. It is certainly the best in Whistable
Bob & Phil can unserstand why it is such a popular venue.
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