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

Spice Village, Emsworth

Considering Emsworth is such a small town, it has a surprisingly good choice of restaurants. A couple of them are right out of my price range, but the Spice Village, an Indian restaurant right in the centre of town, offers very good Oriental cuisine that is affordable as well.

Spice Village took over one of Emsworth's pubs a few years ago, and it is surprisingly spacious – larger than any Indian restaurant I've been in Southsea, for example. We arrived at about 6.15pm one Sunday evening, and things were still very quiet. I suggested we take a small table as there were only two of us, but the waiter encouraged us to sit at a table for four as my son had a tripod and camera bag and I had a couple of bags as well. The tripod went on the floor, safely behind the table, but we were asked to put everything else on the two spare chairs. Menus were brought and the waiter hovered a while until we each asked for a fruit juice.

Spice Village is very stylish, but if you are not keen on pink you might find it's a little overdone. Almost everything, from the walls to the tablecloths to the lighting, is in shades of pink. It is very comfortable, but it did occur to me that many of the tables are very close together so there wouldn't be much privacy at busy times. The waiters, thankfully, do not wear pink; they are smartly dressed in purple shirts and black trousers.

Taking a look at the menu, starters include onion bhaji (£2.50), mulligatawny soup (£2.95), king prawn butterfly (£4.75) and even prawn cocktail (£2.95). We decided just to order three plain papadoms (60p each) which were served with the usual mango chutney, raita and raw onion finely chopped with a few slices of cucumber and tomato.

Looking at main dishes, which are divided into several sections, I was tempted among the fish dishes by ayre delight (£10.50), having once enjoyed it at the Spice Merchants in Southsea. Passanda is another favourite of mine, and this was listed under the chef's recommendations in a chicken or lamb version (£5.95). The meat and chicken dishes offer the usual varieties such as korma, madras, bhuna, rogan and korai, and most are priced under £6. Biriani dishes range from mushroom or vegetable (£5.95) to king prawn (£9.95). Then come 'some modern favourite regional dishes' which include shahi duck (£9.50) and Himalayan chicken or lamb (£8.50). There are just four Persian dishes, such as meat, chicken or prawn dansak (£6.75) and king prawn patia (£9.50). The seafood section actually consists only of prawn curries of various kinds. A good variety of tandoori cuisine offers, for example, duck korai (£8.50) or lamb tikka massala (£6.95). Spice Village balti specials are served with nan bread and include balti jhinga massala with king prawns (£9.50). There is a special section for vegetarian curries such as dupiaza, jalfrazi and balti, all £5.50. For those who aren't fans of Indian cuisine, the choice is between sirloin steak (£8.95), fried chicken (£6.95) and chicken, prawn or mushroom omelette (£6.95).

There is a good choice of vegetable side dishes such as Bombay potato (£3.20), keema aloo (£3.10) or dhall tarka (£3.20). Various types of nan bread include coriander and cheese nan (£2.25), and the bread section also offers paratha and chapati. If you find plain rice (£1.95) boring, there are four other kinds to choose from, such as special fried rice with peas and egg (£3.10).

I eventually decided on tandoori chicken served with salad (£6.50), and my son chose Goan chicken (£8.50), a 'fairly hot' dish of marinated chicken cooked with garlic, ginger, coriander, Goan red chilli, coconut and cumin. We also ordered a portion of plain rice and a paratha stuffed with vegetables (£2.50), both to share between us. When I asked for the tandoori chicken, the waiter was at great pains to explain that it was dry, in other words served without sauce. I assured him that I was aware of this, but it sounded as though they must have had some complaints or misunderstandings in the past by customers expecting lashings of curry sauce with everything.

Our order was taken while we were enjoying our papadoms, and we didn't have to wait too long for the main dishes to arrive. My tandoori half chicken came on a large plate with finely chopped lettuce, one slice each of tomato and cucumber, a wedge of lemon and some lime pickle. A small bowl of raita was also served, but I'm not keen on it and left it as it was. The Goan chicken and vegetable paratha were both placed on a hotplate, with the bowl of rice on the table. The tandoori chicken was topped with finely sliced vegetables – mostly onion; the chicken was well cooked and very tender. I had a helping of rice alongside the salad, and almost forgot about the paratha. Eventually I had a few pieces of it but, delicious as it was, I just couldn't manage to finish my share. My son certainly enjoyed the Goan chicken; he had been to an excellent Indian restaurant on the Isle of Wight the previous weekend which had impressed him slightly more, but we both agreed that the food at Spice Village was as good as any we have had in Portsmouth or Southsea.

We asked for a glass of water each but were far too full to even think about having dessert. Hoping to get down to Emsworth beach before sunset, we asked for the bill. It came to just over £27, to which we added a tip. Payments by card are accepted.

The service was polite, attentive and efficient; all but one of the waiters had heavy accents, but we managed to understand them fairly easily. I think I do have to mention, however, that when my son went to wash his hands one of the waiters walked over and eyed up his camera (complete with extra lens) that was sitting on a chair. He then started chatting to one of his colleagues, and I heard the word 'camera' mentioned more than once. After we'd finished eating my son got out his iphone; in a twinkling there was the same waiter, peering over his shoulder. We concluded he must be a gadget freak, but I think it was bit of an odd way to behave.

The ladies' toilet was very clean and extremely pink, of course, right down to the toilet tissue. I forgot to ask my son whether the pinkness extended into the gents as well!

Spice Village offers a takeaway service and accepts telephone orders. There is an area by the bar with comfortable chairs where customers can wait for their takeaways. I remember visiting Spice Village three or four years ago when we lived near Havant and they were very obliging over calling a taxi for us. We were able to wait in that same area by the bar.

If you are visiting Emsworth or passing through, Spice Village is the place to go for Indian cuisine. I believe it gets busy on Friday and Saturday evenings, so a reservation would probably be necessary unless you arrive at around 6pm. It's not far at all from Havant, and both Portsmouth and Chichester are no great distance from Emsworth. We combined our visit with a walk along the shore of Thorney Island, which is just a few minutes' walk away, and an evening stroll by the beach in Emsworth. It's a refreshing change from the city.

Opening hours

Sunday – Thursday: 12 noon until 2.30pm and 5.30pm until 11.30pm

Friday and Saturday: 12 noon until 2.30pm and 5.30pm until midnight

Spice Village

47 High Street

Emsworth

Hampshire

PO10 7AL

There is a car park at the rear of the restaurant. The Coastliner 700 bus from Brighton to Portsmouth stops just a few yards from Spice Village.

Tel. 01243 379222 or 01243 389333

www.spice-village.co.uk