For any fans of Indian food the Red Rose is a "Must", well worth travelling for. To put this in perspective we flew to the UK from Japan for a 2 week holiday. During that time, when all meals are precious & we try to enjoy the cuisine we can't get in Tokyo, we ate here on 3 separate occasions. It was the only restaurant we visited more than once. The popadoms were delicious, served with a unique onion salad along with the usual condiments. We followed this with a small selection of tandoori starters, all beautifully tender, juicy & cooked to perfection. However it was the curry dishes that truly stood out from the competition. The lamb vindaloo & king prawn vindaloo were both bursting with rich, vibrant spices which were perfectly balanced, & provided a beautiful slow building heat rather than merely relying on chilies. The chicken Zalzala uses Mr Naga chilies which provide a balanced heat to accompany the delicately smoked flavours of the chicken. The pilau rice was not the standard plain boiled dish that most restaurants serve, with the addition of carefully selected spices & special cooking method, turning plain rice into something special which could easily be a delicious meal in itself.
The service is also excellent. We enjoyed chatting with our waiter who went to great lengths to explain how the preparation & quality of the ingredients were the keys to creating the wonderful flavours of their food. One tip for would-be visitors is to let the staff know that you are in no hurry for your food. That gives them longer to prepare the dishes, allowing the spices more time to blend & infuse, consequently resulting a deeper, richer flavour. Our (sadly) last visit was on a Monday lunchtime. The manager, Mr. Maha, was on his own but showed off his extensive skills by preparing us a memorable feast. The only minor wobble came when he explained that the tandoor was not hot enough to use so we couldn't order our customary naan bread, however he disappeared into the kitchen & emerged 10 minutes later with a plate of shahi paratha which were exquisite.
Already looking forward to our next visit. Sadly it probably won't be for another year. read more