Guy's reviews
Review of The Eastern Eye
09 Apr 08, 10:52
Great food and one of a kind setting 
My favourite Indian restaurant in Bath. Don't be put off by the unassuming street entrance or the numerous steps once you're through (they've not stopped me lugging a pushchair up). At the top you are presented with a huge and impressively ornate Georgian room. Make sure you glance up at the ceiling while you eat your food. And as to the food - fantastic. Yes you've got all the usual suspects on the menu and I'm sure they're very tasty but it's the less usual options that catch my eye (and the pair of them are bigger than my belly). The Mon pasand is my personal favourite but whenever I've eaten there all my companions have enjoyed whatever they've picked. It's definitely a cut above your usual "curry house". You might expect prices to reflect this and they are higher than average but still reasonable. Check out their lunch deal for bargain eating.
0 out of 0 people found this review helpful.
Review of Yak Yeti Yak
09 Apr 08, 11:08
A must for food explorers
What a gem. Seriously. I'd walked past the small entrance to Yak Yeti Yak so many times, wondering what on earth Nepalese food must be like without ever going in. When I finally did, how I berated myself for not doing so earlier! Once you've negotiated the steps down to the restaurant below, the touristy hustle and bustle of a Saturday Bath feels a millions times more than the few meters away it is. The quiet charming interior is decorated with Nepalese furnishings and artifacts. The staff are attentive and friendly (great with us and our pushchair - there's another entry/exit at the bottom below Pulteney Bridge so don't be put off if you have kids). The food is fantastic. Don't expect brash powerful North Indian style curries. Instead the food is light, fragrant, different, interesting and above all tasty! My recommendation make sure you order Momos (dumplings) to start.
0 out of 0 people found this review helpful.
Review of Spice Up Your Life
09 Apr 08, 11:28
Canteen seating. Classy food.
Spice Up Your Life sits in the indoor part of St Nicholas market fighting it out for the luchtime crowd with the myriad of street food vendors it neighbours. OK so it's not going to win any awards for it's setting. You either buy into that kind of thing or not. Me, I think the canteen style tables in chairs inside and the plastic garden furniture outside are part and parcel of the boho St Nicks scene. However even if you are more used to plush surroundings, don't let those expectations put you off eating at this little marvel. The food is a revelation. And a bargain. I normally go for the " two meat special" - that's two meat dishes (did I need to spell that out?), rice and a poppadom for less than £6. There are normally around 3 or 4 meat choices and 2 or 3 vegge ones plus the usual selection of sides. And it's all so so tasty. Your expectations are confounded when you find it better than most bricks and mortar curry houses. The options are more interesting (more authentic?) so don't necessarily expect to see your usual menu suspects here. The only thing I would say is ask the proprieter how hot each dish is before you order if that is a worry for you. They can be quite fiery for a lunchtime.
0 out of 0 people found this review helpful.
Review of The Veeraswamy Restaurant
09 Apr 08, 12:11
Opened my eyes 
Madras. Korma. Vindaloo. Rojan Josh. Tikka Masala. The litany of ubiquitous currys goes on. You'll see by my other Indian restaurant reviews that it's the more unusual, authentic, "off-piste" choices that gets my saliver glands going. Veeraswamy is where it all started for me - my first taste of Indian cuisine as opposed to curry house fare. This place has history - it's the oldest surviving Indian restaurants in the UK and has been patronised by royalty and stars alike over the years. I've not been there since it's recent refit but it was a beautiful setting when I went there last and I gather looks even more impressive now. The prices are much more in line with fine London dining than standard curry house eating - around £55 a head for 3 courses + wine. However the approach towards the food and service matches the premium paid. I've eaten there as a couple and taken groups there and each time the service was impeccable. The response towards the food from my companions was also consistent - "Wow!". There's little point commenting on individual dishes, as the menu changes frequently, other than to say familiar named dishes surprised diners with their unfamiliar (that's a positive!) taste and new discoveries were greeted with enthusiasm. So why only the 4 stars not 5? Only because my expectations were so high before I went in. Don't worry - this is 5 star Indian food.
0 out of 0 people found this review helpful.
Review of Rasa Travancore
09 Apr 08, 15:52
I miss Rasa!
I was going to was lyrical about this one and then read Joelle M's succinct and accurate review above. I agree wholeheartedly. I've moved out of Stokey, in fact out of London, and I do miss Rasa. Lovely atmosphere, interesting and delicately flavoured food. It's no surprise that Rasa has been successful enough to become a mini chain and spawn a cookery book. By the way if you're a fan of South Indian food and Stoke Newington then Shamsudeens, also on Church street, is worth a look too.
0 out of 0 people found this review helpful.
Review of Shamsudeens Restaurant
09 Apr 08, 16:16
I need their Rendang recipe
A regular haunt for my wife and I. Their Chicken Rendag is up their with my favourite ever curries. The same is true of my wife (as in it's her favourite - I haven't married a culinary dish). We've tried replicating it home to no avail and now we've moved from Stokey we miss it. I reckon our friends and family still in the area will see us quite frequently. Very reasonable prices and friendly service. Rasa across the road gets all the plaudits but don't let it overshadow this local star.
0 out of 0 people found this review helpful.
Review of Indian Veg Bhelpoori House
10 Apr 08, 18:41
A London Landmark
I cannot rave about this place enough. However I can imagine others being equally turned off by it. The thing is you have to leave any pretentions at the door (and you can't miss the door what with all the signage around it). You're not going to take a first date here, let's be honest, but if you're alone or accompanied by people you don't have to pretend any airs and graces around then this eccentric eatery is the best quick cheap eat in London. I've got to come back to that word again "eccentric". We love eccentricity in this nation and this place has it in spades. There's not a square inch on the walls that's isn't covered with a poster or quote exhorting you to quit eating meat and go vegge. Personally I think the food itself is a good advert. Although a rabid carnivore myself I certainly don't feel cheated of lamb or chicken chunks as I tear my way through the 3rd helping of their vegge offerings. It's very tasty, filling and amazing for £3.50. Diners are made up of a broad mix of students, professionals, groups lining their stomachs before hitting Upper Street etc. If you're really lucky you'll get to sit near a young family, like my wife and I did, and overhear the boy asking his daddy why, if this was an Indian restaurant, were there no cowboys. And that about sums up the charm of this place for me. Innocent, honest food.
0 out of 0 people found this review helpful.
Review of Bombay Nights
14 Apr 08, 12:23
Good Indian. Disappointing Nepalese 
On the modern exterior, this restaurant likes to shout about how it was featured in the National press. It's only when you are inside that you find it was not really about the quality of the food but a publicity stunt they did flying in food to an event by helicopter. It serves both Indian and Nepalese food and after the great experiance I had at Yak Yeti Yak (Pulteney Bridge) I decided to go with the latter while my wife went for more traditional Indian choices. She really enjoyed her food and said she would definitely go back again if only on the strength (quality not heat) of the Lime pickle. She's a big fan of the stuff. Me, I have to say I was disappointed with my food. There weren't many Nepalese options and I was surprised after eating my starter to see the exact same recognisable green spice rubbed chicken reappear on my main course plate, albeit this time in a sauce. Mind you it was tasty enough. If you want good quality Indian food then Bombay Brasserie won't fail you. If it's the Nepalese food you are after then head to Yak Yeti Yak instead.
0 out of 0 people found this review helpful.