Saturday 2 February 2008

Nazma Tandoori

By Mark

What have Art Malik, Steve Davis, Aberdeens favourite son Calvin Goldspink (of S club juniors fame.....but you didn't need me to tell you that, did you?) and Mullet Hunter Simon Varwell got in common?

Not much actually, apart from the fact that they've all had a good curry at the Nazma Tandoori. How do I know this? Well, apart from Varwell, they're names and photos are rather prominently displayed all over the place. I don't really have a problem with this (although the list of the semi famous and local heroes on the front of the menus is a little excessive) but, the fact that Willie Miller likes a place doesn't necessarily make it any good. I suppose what I'm trying to say is that a restaurant should be confident about its product and service and therefore wouldn't feel the need to remind us that other people, superior to ourselves, have enjoyed food there in the past.

And Nazma Tandoori really ought to have that confidence. Gone is the tacky 'top of the pops' lighting, and in its place is a pleasant, sophisticated dining room which looks a lot more elegant than your average curry house. The service was generally good, with one or two minor hiccups, (more on that in a mo), and with poppadoms, starters and mains coming in at roughly £25 per head I felt it was pretty good value.

So, what about the food then. To be honest, I was a little let down by my starter, a minced lamb kebab which was a little bland, but everyone else seemed to enjoy theres an awful lot, so I'll put it down to a bad choice. The main course though, was spectacularly good. I had a green herb chicken curry, which was like a spiced up, jazzed up bhuna and washed it down with equally good garlic and keema naans and some rice, which was, well, ricey. Not only was mine delicious, but everyone else's choices were real winners too, so on the whole, it really was a great meal.

My only grumble of the evening was when I found a small piece of plastic in one of the minced lamb kebabs. Nothing dangerous or sharp, but a piece of plastic, all the same. I'd be pretty seriously embarrassed if someone made that complaint to me in a restaurant. The waiter I mentioned it to seemed both embarrassed and concerned, but didn't really know what to do, so went to speak to his supervisor. Fair enough. The supervisor rather brashly swept the whole thing under the carpet and suggested I need not worry, as the plastic was probably from the salad!

So, to sum up.....Nazma Tandoori...a thoroughly enjoyable curry, but I'd give the salad a wide berth if I were you!

Nazma Tandoori
62 Bridge Street
01224 211296

1 comment:

Anonymous said...

Yep I can vouch that the Nazma will give you great value for money , but not cheap that its last thoughts on a night out. It is a place to book in advance and enjoy. I tend to have more buffets during the week, than of the main menu. But both are splendid. i am also one of the less famouse people on the inside page of the menu and i agongside S club7 and Willie Miller (albeit Aberdeens saviour in the Euro cup) these are a little dated. Im sure a few Oil company CEO, Food Standards CEO and even footballers of the day could equal the "well known" factor. Snooker players remain top of the list i see.

Probably after my 20 years of great service from the staff and management at the Nazma I am a little Bias.

Richard