The opening
of a new Indian restaurant and take-away may not be a big deal where you live,
but Dinas Powys has relatively few places in which to eat out.
The Royal India occupies a former pub (The Swan) on the Cardiff Road . Notices proclaiming “Opening Soon” were displayed for about six months, with delays caused by the planning process. Local residents expressed concern about curry
smells, but a state-of-the-art odour extraction system has been installed. The Royal
India finally opened its doors for business on Wednesday (30 May). We were
there (along with many familiar faces) to check it out.
We ordered main courses and side dishes. Starters were typically small portions of curry, kebab
or bhajee (that also feature as mains) served alongside salad on long rectangular plates.
I had the Chicken Tikka, which arrived sizzling in
an iron dish, with onion and fresh coriander. The large chicken pieces, cooked
in a tandoori oven, were succulent and subtly spiced. It came with a very
British side-salad (lettuce and tomato), which was a little unexpected.
My partner
had Lamb Dhansak. This was a satisfyingly hot and sour lentil-based curry, with a curiously shaped piece of cucumber in the centre of the bowl. Quality lamb
chunks were present. It was a little hotter than expected, which might
generally be the case here if you’re point of comparison is standard take-away Indian.
We had two
vegetarian side dishes (there are also several vegetarian mains). The Baingan Bartha was rather good; a generous
amount of very tasty roasted aubergines mixed with spicy tomato. Saag Aloo complemented this, being a
substantial little plate of new potato and spinach with spices, garlic and coriander leaves. We shared the dishes, and
also a Pilau rice and Naan bread. The rice was a little disappointing in its
plainness, but the Naan was light and well-cooked. With the good-looking range
of vegetarian side dishes, I will probably order those instead of rice next time.
There was a
dessert menu, which the few children present appeared to be perusing (so I’m
guessing ice cream).
A range of India bottled
beers were on offer (I had a large followed by a small Kingfisher), along with
Fuller’s London Pride (though unfortunately nothing on draught), as well as bottled cider and a small wine list; most people on the
first night seemed to be drinking beer. Our total food and drink bill came to
around £33.
The Royal
India is the latest venture from the owners of India Gate in Whitchurch, a restaurant established in 1987, and Gate of India in Rhiwbina, a catering
and take-away service established in 1995. This suggests that The Royal India
is designed for longevity. The owners also looked at The Castle Oak in Dinas
Powys (now a Tesco Express), but The Swan was the right choice: it’s a better
building altogether. The restaurant area feels light and spacious, with even the
old skittle alley providing an attractive side area. The bar, with its comfy
chairs, could become popular for an after-work drink while waiting for a
take-away.
There were first night problems. The service was very poor. It was 90 minutes from sitting down at table to
being served our food. We were not the only ones. The table next to us decided
to leave after starters and before their main course because of the long wait (and
that party included the critic for a popular curry magazine!). One of our menu
choices was unavailable (they were polite and apologetic), there was general
confusion about which table dishes were for, and we had to query the bill for
double-charged drinks. The decision to launch straight into a full opening,
rather than a softer one, may have been over-ambitious (the restaurant was full
with around 60 covers). However, I am sure the management will swiftly rectify all these
problems.
The owners
also need to do more homework. On the take-away menu, for instance, Eastbrook
should be one word (not two), while Dinas Powys is in the Vale of Glamorgan
(not Cardiff ).
The website does not have a holding page yet. Little advertising has been done
locally. The Royal India will need to reach out to the local community a bit
more if they want to fill this restaurant on a regular basis, because
early word of mouth will not be enough.
The Royal
India is a very welcome addition to the food scene in Dinas Powys. The menu looks promising and they have created a pleasant dining environment. Next,
we’ll be seeing if the take-away food is restaurant quality. The prices are reasonable and there are interesting options to try. We’ll report
back!
Finally,
The Royal India is located on a bend notorious for traffic accidents, just as
you enter Dinas Powys from the Cardiff
direction. Do take care.
Opening
hours:
Lunchtimes:
Monday, Wednesday, Thursday, Saturday and Sunday.
Evenings:
Monday, Wednesday through Sunday.
The Royal India
Bar &
Brasserie
029 2051
3800
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