Showing all reviews for Amani, Epsom Downs on 16th Feb 2011
(Scores out of 10)
jonyboy007mattmungfleshnamesy
(Scores out of 10)
jonyboy007Food:80% [Quality:9] [Value:7] [Portion Size:8]
Ambiance:75% [Service:8] [Atmosphere:7]
mattFood:73% [Quality:9] [Value:5] [Portion Size:8]
Ambiance:70% [Service:6] [Atmosphere:8]
This restaurant is almost right next to the famous Raj and tries to cater for the same high class market. The menu is not what you'd expect from a standard curry house and has many high end dishes e.g. curried lobster on the starters list (for near £20).
Prices were very expensive - mixed grill starter for 2 was £16, compared to about £10 in most places and main courses were about £15 (but included a rice). The mixed grill was very large (not sure if they served us one each by accident!), tasty and good quality.
For the main I had lamb shank in a Rogan Josh sauce. I asked for some finely chopped extra green chillis, which added a bit of punch to a very tasty and perfectly presented dish.
The food could not really be faulted. Very tasty, very well presented and good size portions. However, one has to ask if one really wants to eat curry 'fine dining style'. If the answer is "yes", then it might be worth paying out the £46 each for drinkers that the meal cost (we did have the full works).
Things I didn't like:
1) They only served small cobras, which added to the cost.
2) Popadom dips were pathetically small.
3) As a bunch of lads, not particularly smartly dressed, I didn't think we really belonged there.
Prices were very expensive - mixed grill starter for 2 was £16, compared to about £10 in most places and main courses were about £15 (but included a rice). The mixed grill was very large (not sure if they served us one each by accident!), tasty and good quality.
For the main I had lamb shank in a Rogan Josh sauce. I asked for some finely chopped extra green chillis, which added a bit of punch to a very tasty and perfectly presented dish.
The food could not really be faulted. Very tasty, very well presented and good size portions. However, one has to ask if one really wants to eat curry 'fine dining style'. If the answer is "yes", then it might be worth paying out the £46 each for drinkers that the meal cost (we did have the full works).
Things I didn't like:
1) They only served small cobras, which added to the cost.
2) Popadom dips were pathetically small.
3) As a bunch of lads, not particularly smartly dressed, I didn't think we really belonged there.
mungfleshFood:90% [Quality:10] [Value:8] [Portion Size:9]
Ambiance:90% [Service:9] [Atmosphere:9]
The fact they don't serve large Cobras appeared to be a bad omen, however I'd put it as possibly the only negative in a long list of positives.
Having had many a takeaway from here, all of which were excellent, I was eager to see how the sit-down experience would compare. The poppadums were fresh and crispy but the superb dips were on the small side. The initial shock of the menu being quite different from the take-away menu was short-lived, once we had tucked into our starters. I had some kind of barbequed lamb dish and it was elegantly served and delicious. We're talking way beyond the average starter at most Indian restaurants and a head above the rest.
For main, I tried another lamb dish from the a-la carte menu, which is automatically served with rice and nicely presented in a large plate with the meat dish.
The food here is all of a high standard and, I suspect, is free from dodgy ingredients which seem to be all too common at most other restaurants these days.
The price is proportional to the quality and whilst on the pricey side, I felt I got value for money and would most definitely return. The service was very attentive and the restaurant itself tastefully decorated, so all in all a good experience.
Having had many a takeaway from here, all of which were excellent, I was eager to see how the sit-down experience would compare. The poppadums were fresh and crispy but the superb dips were on the small side. The initial shock of the menu being quite different from the take-away menu was short-lived, once we had tucked into our starters. I had some kind of barbequed lamb dish and it was elegantly served and delicious. We're talking way beyond the average starter at most Indian restaurants and a head above the rest.
For main, I tried another lamb dish from the a-la carte menu, which is automatically served with rice and nicely presented in a large plate with the meat dish.
The food here is all of a high standard and, I suspect, is free from dodgy ingredients which seem to be all too common at most other restaurants these days.
The price is proportional to the quality and whilst on the pricey side, I felt I got value for money and would most definitely return. The service was very attentive and the restaurant itself tastefully decorated, so all in all a good experience.
namesyFood:86% [Quality:10] [Value:8] [Portion Size:8]
Ambiance:75% [Service:8] [Atmosphere:7]
Having previously had a take away from here I was looking forward to this CCC. However the main menu was totally different. But this was far from a bad thing.
The poppas were good, as were the dips. Although the dip sizes were on the small side to say the least. This was the only poor thing about the place. The starters and mains were both superb. Very tasty, good strength and good sizes. Highly impressed
The bill was higher than normal and the beers were only available in 330ml but we had a lot of them and also had deserts, coffees, sides etc. Basically the full monty! So in all not as expensive as seemed in comparison to other highly priced but far less good curry houses.
This one felt more like a restaurant that did curry rather than a curry house. The menu is unusual and doesn't contain anything expected. However don't worry the dishes on offer will satisfy!!
Already planned to go back.
The poppas were good, as were the dips. Although the dip sizes were on the small side to say the least. This was the only poor thing about the place. The starters and mains were both superb. Very tasty, good strength and good sizes. Highly impressed
The bill was higher than normal and the beers were only available in 330ml but we had a lot of them and also had deserts, coffees, sides etc. Basically the full monty! So in all not as expensive as seemed in comparison to other highly priced but far less good curry houses.
This one felt more like a restaurant that did curry rather than a curry house. The menu is unusual and doesn't contain anything expected. However don't worry the dishes on offer will satisfy!!
Already planned to go back.
My first impressions on looking at the menu were a little disconcerting, as they didn't have the usual range of curries associated with a traditional curry house, rather they looked rather high end posh dishes, such as lobster, lamb shank etc. However, they also had a set meal offer menu, which had different dishes available. In addition, some of the CCC members regularly had take aways from this place, and the take away menu has other dishes not listed on this occasion. I think therefore that they perhaps change their menus regularly to keep it interesting, and would happily order dishes that aren't on that day's menu.
The Cobras were only served in small bottles, which was a bit annoying as it meant that we had to keep getting refils very regularly, rather than our usual ploy of ordering 4 bottles for "table topage".
The popodums were nice and crispy and fresh, and the dips were also very tasty- however, they only served them in tiny bowls which meant that with 5 people woolfing them down, they quickly ran out.
For the starter, I shared a mixed platter with Matt. This dish was really flavoursome, the various meats and fish were cooked to perfection with lovely flavours, and wonderfully presented. The portion size was very large indeed - in fact as Matt mentions I wonder if they served 2 portions by mistake!
For the main, I ordered a Chicken Labradhar - not on the main menu but from the set meal menu. I asked for some extra green chillis in the dish to satisfy my desire for a chilli kick. The dish comes with rice included, and when delivered was nicely presented. The flavours were really lovely, in fact one of the nicest dishes I have had for a while. It manged to combine the chilli heat with a creamy sweetness, not unlike a Pathia, and with a lovely thickish texture. Perfection on a plate.
The chilli and cheese nan was also well cooked and tasty, and I ended the night with an irish coffee.
To sum up, it was a very nice, tasty, flavoursome, elegantly presented meal. It was quite expensive, but then again you are paying for the quality of the food received.
This restaurant is clearly aiming for the high end of the market, and in that respect it delivers hands down. I think it's target audience is perhaps people who would not normally eat in their local curry house, rather for those that like fine dining but would like to think they are having indian food.
For me, I did enjoy the meal immensly, however I tend to prefer the "normal" curry house dishes that are always available in your more regular restaurant. Add that to the increased price this time, and I would have to say that I would return only periodically if I wanted a real treat, and for my regular curries I would probably stick to the cheaper and cheerful normal curry houses.