Ryde Tandoori Restaurant - Isle of Wight

After negotiating countless stone steps at Carisbrooke Castle one Saturday afternoon, we had worked up a good appetite and had just enough time for a bite to eat in Ryde on the Isle of Wight. Having gone for Italian on the previous occasion, I agreed that Indian would be worth a try and we headed for the Ryde Tandoori restaurant on Union Street. As soon as we went in I admired an over-sized Arabesque coffee pot in one corner and a delicate floral display in another. A large photo of a Bengal tiger on one wall seemed quite unusual and more striking than the Bengal landscape on the opposite wall.

We were seated at a table for two in a front corner of the restaurant. Although it was a small table, we did at least have room on the floor in the corner for our belongings. I noticed that all the other tables already had mango chutney, lime pickle and chopped raw onion ready and waiting on them, but ours didn't. Each table also had a pink carnation in a small vase, and ours had unfortunately seen better days. The waiter handed us a menu each and handed us our linen napkins to put on our laps straight away. We ordered a fruit juice each and started to have a look at the menu.

When our drinks were served, the waiter asked if we would like any poppadoms so we ordered three. As it was approaching 6.30pm and we had to catch the last hovercraft back to Southsea at 7.45pm, we asked if we could also order our main dishes then. I'd had a quick look at the specials, but then I'd noticed tandoori trout (£7.95) on the menu. I love trout and had never seen it on an Indian menu before, so I looked no further and decided that it would be my choice. My son had previously tried and very much enjoyed the moglai chicken (£8.45) amongst the specials, and he picked this again. We also order a portion of pilau rice (£2.15) and a vegetable stuffed paratha (£2.45), deciding that we would share everything between us.

Having finished our poppadoms, I hoped the main course would soon be served so that we wouldn't have to rush too much. A few minutes after we had arrived, a couple came in with their two grandchildren. It was obvious that they were regulars from the way they were greeted and chatted to after they had sat down. I was rather peeved that they were served before us, especially as we had been so quick in placing our order. We wondered if it was because tandoori trout takes longer to cook, so perhaps I should give them the benefit of the doubt.

It was nearing 7pm by the time the heater was brought to our table and the waiter brought the food on a trolley. The chutney and pickle had been left on the table, and there was just enough room for everything else. The whole trout was served alongside a salad consisting of two slices of cucumber, two tomato quarters and some finely sliced iceberg lettuce with red cabbage. A slice of lemon was also added. The fish looked gorgeous; I cut it down the middle and passed the tail end to my son. I started of with some rice alongside the trout, which tasted as good as it looked having been cooked to perfection. After a while I tried the moglai chicken, which comes in a creamy almond sauce with pieces of mango. It wouldn't be the right choice for someone who likes hot, spicy curries, but we both enjoyed the fruitiness and the smoothness of the sauce. The chicken was very tender, but nothing could quite compete with the trout for me. I realised that I was neglecting the paratha so had a few pieces of it as I finished off the moglai chicken.

When the waiter came to clear the dishes, we asked if we could have the bill straight away as we were in a hurry. There was no time for dessert – perhaps one day we'll go back on the ferry instead of the hovercraft so that we can have more time to linger. Orange segments and hot towels were brought first, followed by the bill with After Eight mints. The total was £26.90 which we paid by card, leaving a tip in cash.

My son told me that on the previous occasion he had been there, the Ryde Tandoori had been full, although it had been later in the evening. This time, there were plenty of customers coming in to collect takeaway orders, but not many eating in. It's hardly fair to judge, however, as England were playing in the World Cup that evening. I did feel that the tables were a little close together and there wouldn't be much privacy if all of them were occupied.

In terms of food I would say this was one of the best meals I have had in any Indian restaurant. The service was polite, but our waiter did seem a little lacking in confidence. I liked the restaurant itself; it is small with stylish furnishings and décor. Indian music is played at a fairly low volume that does not intrude on conversation.

Not everyone would enjoy the main dishes that we chose, but for those who like spicy Indian food the usual curries are on the menu. I noticed that one of the children who was with her grandparents was having chicken and chips, so there are options for members of a group who don't go for oriental food. 

The toilets were perfectly clean, but there were one or two tiles coming away from the wall in one corner. Paper towels were provided rather than a hand drier.

I would definitely recommend the Ryde Tandoori on the basis of food, but I would prefer to go early before it gets too busy. If I lived locally I can imagine I might use the takeaway service rather than eating in. I should mention that the staff were very friendly and welcoming towards the children who were there. The restaurant is just five minutes' walk from Ryde Esplanade, and therefore ideally located for anyone travelling to the Isle of Wight by ferry or hovercraft.

The Ryde Tandoori is open for lunch but closes between 2.30pm and 6pm, seven days a week.

Ryde Tandoori Restaurant

45 Union Street

Ryde

Isle of Wight

PO33 2LF

Tel. 01983 563165

Wagamama, Gunwharf Quays, Portsmouth

Having visited Wagamama in Bristol a couple of times, I was enthusiastic about going to the branch that opened in Gunwharf Quays at the end of March. It took me a few weeks to get round to doing so, but I eventually did on a Sunday afternoon in early June. Wagamama is located on the upper level of the waterfront, above Zizzi's and sandwiched between La Tasca and the Slug and Lettuce. The weather was fine and warm enough to sit outside where there is a view of Gunwharf Marina and the entrance to Portsmouth Harbour.

We chose a table that was partly in the sun; there are large black parasols to give shade on the hottest days. The tables have wooden slats and a matching bench either side – there is no back rest, but surprisingly I find this a comfortable way to sit. I did find the bench a little heavy to move back so that I could actually get in, but once there I was fine. Before leaving I went inside the restaurant to the ladies; I was surprised to find several tables on either side with seats that had quite high backrests. Everyone was sitting at the tables that had those seats. They might be pleasantly surprised to find that the benches are more comfortable than they look.

A waitress had to attend to a couple who arrived seconds before us, but she then brought our menus. There was a small printed specials menu which I think is always the same; the crab cakes and kedgeree on this were no longer available. I might well have chosen the kedgeree as I love smoked haddock. The waitress put paper serviettes and a pair of chopsticks each beside a container that held soya sauce, chilli oil and packets of sugar.

It wasn't long before the waitress came to take our drinks order. We both decided on apple and lime juice – my son order a large one (£4.05) but I decided the regular size (£3) would be enough. The drinks at Wagamama are rather pricey, but they are not just juice from concentrate out of a carton. They have a layer of real fruit pulp at the top, and you can tell that they have a lot more goodness in them than run-of-the-mill fruit juice. The tables have a panel down the centre that the waitress writes the numbers of items as you order them with an erasable marker. My son could see the impressions of some numbers that had previously been rubbed off, and said to the waitress that it would tell you what the most popular dishes were! 

We continued to study our menus and decided to order some yasai gyoza (£4.90): five steamed, grilled vegetable dumplings, served with a sweet ginger soy dipping sauce. These were from the side order section, and our idea was to share them. 

Main dishes are priced between £6.45 and £10.45. They are divided into several sections, the majority of which feature noodles: big bowls of noodles in soup, noodles in a coconut based soup, noodles cooked on a hot, flat griddle or noodles in a spicy sauce. There are thick udon noodles as well as thinner ramen noodles. If noodles really aren't your thing, you can choose a rice-based dish or one of three salads. There are quite a few dishes that are suitable for vegetarians, but surprisingly few fish options. Unlike most Indian restaurants, Wagamama offers no western dishes such as steak and chips or omelette, so stay away if you have no desire for Japanese food.

One of my sons was with me and decided to order Miso ramen (£8.45) from the big bowls of noodles in soup section. This consists of 'noodles in a chicken and pork spiced miso soup topped with stir-fried chicken, carrot, leeks, garlic and bean sprouts, garnished with wakame, menma (pickled bamboo shoots), mixed sesame seeds and chilli oil' (quoted from Wagamama's menu). I had in the past few months tried udon noodles both at Wagamama Bristol and Sakura in Southsea, as well as salmon teriyaki at Yo! Sushi. I wanted to try something slightly different this time, so I chose  chicken tama rice (£7.65), grilled chicken breast stir-fried with courgettes, mushrooms, red onions and spring onions in an oyster, garlic and wine sauce, served on sticky white rice.

We then sat and waited, knowing that at Wagamama individual dishes are served as soon as they are ready, and that our main courses might not be served at the same time. So we waited, and we waited. Half an hour passed, which I know is not unheard of, but it is unusual for Wagamama. Fortunately we were not in a hurry and there were some mildly interesting events going on to commemorate D-Day down below on the waterfront.

Eventually the waitress came to apologise, explaining that not one but all the computers had crashed. Apparently it is impossible to prepare and serve food when the computer system is not functioning – that's progress for you in our technological age. I suppose we were lucky to have got our drinks just in time. The waitress assured us that the problem had just been fixed and that food was just beginning to be served again. Sure enough, I saw plenty of it arriving a couple of tables away, and then our yasai gyoza was brought on a stylish curved rectangular white dish. There were five of them, and I decided two would be plenty for me. They were nicely crisp on the bottom and softer on top. The vegetable stuffing was slightly crunchy without seeming undercooked and very tasty. I did enjoy them, but didn't find it very easy to hold on to them with the chopsticks and so didn't really take advantage of the dipping sauce.

It wasn't long before my chicken tama rice arrived, along with a spoon and fork in case I preferred them to the chopsticks. The chicken and vegetables sat on top of a dome of sticky rice, with a sauce the consistency of a clear soup around it. I did of course need the spoon for the sauce which was delicious, although I couldn't honestly detect much of a taste of garlic. The chicken was quite thinly sliced and very tender. The pieces of courgette were rather chunky but well cooked, and there were plenty of slices of red onions and spring onions, again perfectly cooked. The mushrooms were sliced into quite small pieces. I ate all the chicken and vegetables, but the rice proved too much for me and there was so much sauce that I left a little of that as well. Perhaps I shouldn't have had the dumplings, but they were more interesting than the rice.

My son's miso ramen was served soon after I had started eating, and it certainly was a big bowl. I was fascinated by the wooden ladle that came with it – you obviously use that for the soup but have chopsticks for the noodles, meat and vegetables. It was apparently quite spicy but definitely a good choice. Once again, though, it was such a large serving that my son couldn't finish it.

We were both far too full to even consider dessert and had waited longer than expected for our food to be served, so we asked for the bill. It came to £28.05, not including a tip – quite reasonable considering the price of the drinks.

The toilets were very clean and well appointed; the restaurant had of course only been open for just over two months, so I hope the high standard of cleanliness will be maintained.

I am no expert on Japanese food, but I would say that the dishes at Wagamama seem quite similar to those at Sakura, Southsea's traditional Japanese restaurant. The most striking differences are the lack of sushi at Wagamama and, as I mentioned, the limited number of fish-based dishes. If you are in Gunwharf Wagamama makes a change from the ubiquitous Italian chain restaurants and is in an ideal location if you enjoy looking out over the sea. I was happy with the polite and friendly service, although I think we could have been told a little sooner about the reason for the delay in serving our food. Presumably this is not a problem that occurs frequently. Wagamama may not be the favourite for families, although they do have a special children's menu for those who enjoy  Japanese food. I loved the food and hope I will have many an occasion to go back.

Opening hours:

Monday – Saturday 12 noon – 11pm

Sunday – 12 noon – 10pm 

Wagamama

North Promenade

Gunwharf Quays

Portsmouth

PO1 3TR

The restaurant is located on the upper floor at the waterfront; disabled access via the lift next to Vue cinema

Tel. 023 9286 1128

www.wagamama.com