WITH a wealth of Indian restaurants for curry lovers to choose from, quality ingredients and preparation now often set apart the good from the bad.
Thankfully, Sonning Common’s Tandoori Connoisseur has set its standards high — and it really shows in the freshness of the dishes and, in particular, the quality of the meat.
Stepping inside it feels clean, fresh and light and is worlds away from some of the dimly lit curry houses that populate towns and cities.
The menu features a wide range of dishes — from the usual kormas, bhunas, and madras curries to the more exotic house specials, including, for the first time, ostrich bazar jaipur, which is marinated and stir-fried in mustard oil with vegetables.
It’s with the ostrich that I begin my gastronomic journey, with a starter of ostrich tikka that comes sizzling on a skillet with peppers and onions.
The meat is remarkably tender and flavoursome and the dish as a whole is delicately spiced and seasoned, leaving me wanting more.
My companion’s starter, the king prawn sabzi, was a well-presented dish of succulent and juicy king prawns that yielded a subtle blend of flavours.
Cooked with turmeric, onions, cabbage and coriander in a tamarind sauce, the prawns were still on the shell, but came away easily. Delicious.
For the main I chose a dish from the extensive list of specials. The shahi mugal chicken is cooked in a coconut powder and cream sauce.
Not normally a dish I would choose, it’s mild and sweet. However, despite its richness and creaminess it is remarkably refreshing and balances well with the spicier elements of our meal.
For the main course, my companion opted for the lamb tikka chilli massala with mushroom and peas pilau.
This dish is something of a balancing act. If the chilli element is overdone, the others are in danger of being drowned out — but that was far from being the case here.
With high quality ingredients, the result was mouth-watering. It also went very well with our chosen side dish of Bombay aloo. All of which was pretty filling, as you would expect, but my companion somehow found room for a pistachio kulfi ice cream for dessert.
Those seeking a good quality curry house, catering for all tastes, need look no further.
Staff at the Tandoori Connoisseur are friendly, welcoming and are happy to offer advice on the restaurant’s dishes.
It’s no surprise then that the eatery has been serving the village for many years with its no-nonsense approach to good food.
For more information, visit www.tandooriconnoisseur. co.uk or call 0118 972 3104.
