Ok, ladies and gentleman... I have just got back from the very restaurant described in this thread, so lets not waste any time and get on with a frank and honest review from someone who LOVES their curries...
Well anyway,
the last curry I had in Zurich was from the Vulkan Indian restaurant next to the HB. I ordered a take-away from the place and took it home... only to find that what I had thought was a Lamb Rogan Josh, was actually a Lamb Stew, which tasted like it could have been cooked in any one of a gazillion English cafes.
It was tasteless, lifeless, and has no hint that it was meant to be anything approaching Indian. It was for this reason that I desperately wanted to find somewhere tonight that could change my opinion that Zurich curry houses were not all this bad. So, I searched the English forum and found the Tandoori BBQ House... and then proceeded to give the manager Sandeep a call to check if we could have a table... but also I mentioned that we were from the English Forum, and I was very encouraged to hear him not only recognise it (as he would, since he has posted in this thread, duh), but that he was open to giving us whatever we wanted curry-wise in order to make it as "UK-like" as possible. Game on!
Well, on to the Tandoori BBQ. The place is located literally around 5 minutes from my house on Bleicherweg... the funny thing is that i've walked past it so many times and never give it a second glance... it kind of just looks like a generic cafe form the outside... there's nothing "Indian" about the external decor that would make you think: "Ahh a curry house". Inside,
it was very clean and well presented.. still no "Indian identity" in the way that many UK indian restaurants have, but then again who gives a crap, it's the food that matters... right?
The food.... ah... the food. To start with me and the lovely lady I was with had the usual popadoms and dips, standard fare at any curry place, right? Well as much as I never usually even take notice of such trivial things as popadoms... these were noteworthy. We got a good portion of them too, around 10, all perfectly crispy and well-shaped... but the dips? Well,
the dips were simply the best I have ever had at any Indian restaurant, UK included. One was a thick and rich mint yoghurt, the other a sauce of unknown name and origin (delicious, but can't remember what it was, all I know is i've never tasted it before), and the other was the managers own special "blow your socks off" home-made jobby that literally left me gasping for more... as well as air... **** me it was hot!
Anyway since this is dragging on a bit (sorry, but i'm just so happy i've found a good curry house) i'll go on to say that after ogling the menu we ordered a Chicken Tikka Massala (Tandoori style) and a Lambsomething Gosh and were given a choice of "semi-deadly or "deadly" (heh)... we chose "semi-deadly"... best be on the cautious side to start with eh? After an acceptable wait (not too quick, not too long) it arrived... and
the first thing I noticed was how rich it looked, chunky and well garnished, thick and rich. After getting it served we tucked in and I swear that after three mouthfuls I almost had my first multiple foodgasm. After 8 months of nary a sniff of a good curry, I was treated to one of the most delicious i'd had in a
long time... UK included, which for me is saying a LOT. The meat was tender and succulent, and
the sauce just had that real home-cooked freshness that only a good chef with an army of fresh ingredients can supply... it was absolutely superb! In fact I ate well past the point where I felt comfortable, even if only because I felt guilty for leaving it.
After the meal we were offered two glasses of "Grappa" to aid digestion, which after two beers (which were also delicious, from southern switzerland, never tried that type of beer before, was VERY tasty and smooth) and a mountain of curry actually left me feeling like I was going to collapse... I don't think i've ever been so full in a long time, it was almost situation critical.
The service from Sandeep was faultless (though to be fair it was a quiet night, being a Sunday, so he had time to spare), and it really helps that he speaks very good English, because the entire meal was fantastic from start to finish in terms of taste and ambience... and even my lady friend, who is possibly one of the worlds anally fussiest people, had nothing but good things to say about it.
Sorry it's turned into a mini-essay but I really wanted to make a point of writing how happy I am about this place...
the currys really ARE truly fantastic, full of richness and flavour, and I was almost full to bursting when I left, which is what I look for in any Indian restaurant.
9/10 from me...
the Tandoori BBQ really is a great restaurant and I will be a regular customer from now on!
EDIT - Bolded bits for skim readers who want a quick overview of the place without reading the first chapter of Gone With The Wind.