This tucked-away Indian on Holland Park Avenue shows some deft touches but fails to truly stand out.

The Venue
The Royal Tandoori is set at the very end of Holland Park Avenue, a position otherwise most notable as the point at which the Western end of London’s still much-debated congestion charge begins. That the charge should start here appears logical enough; the small walk to the restaurant from either Shepherd’s Bush or Holland Park tube stations is accompanied by a steady boom of cars and buses coming off the Holland Park roundabout and heading towards Notting Hill and the West End.

Step through a double set of heavy wood doors, however, and that loud, churning boom turns more into a quiet blush; walls are covered in dusk-orange paper while a series of large paintings show scenes of rural India at work and rest. Though not necessarily a memorable look of itself, it is a style that provides a sudden and refreshing change from the stark signs of metropolis just outside.

The Atmosphere
The sense of calm continues with friendly staff, always on hand but happy to let customers set their own pace. It says much about the Royal Tandoori that it seems to attract a succession of suited City workers on their way home; none seem too bothered about calling their order ahead and instead are happy to sit, wait, and soak up some of the restaurant’s soothing, smiling tones.

The Food
Where this all-pervading calm can be a bonus, it can also prove a drawback when it comes to the food, with many dishes that seem too toned-down to really make their mark. A starter of paneer tikka – succulent cubes of homemade cheese in a smart, smoky marinade - is let down by its too-sweet sauce that dents much of the tikka heat. Similarly, king prawns are firm and fleshy but are compromised by a shallow masala sauce that both looks and tastes some way closer to tomato soup.

Perhaps unsurprisingly, it is the less staple Indian dishes that give the kitchen more licence to attack. Served sizzling in an iron souk, chicken korai is a dish that truly inflames all the senses. Tender chicken pieces are glossed in warm spices and come with sweet onions and soft peppers that combine to create a lasting, luscious taste. Unfortunately, it is an effect that too often gets forgotten. A side of Bombay potatoes, for example, has a perfect, smooth texture but altogether fails to live up to its spicy listing.

The Drink
Drinks at the Royal Tandoori are, yet again, well within a safety zone. Alongside standard curry-house beers and spirits, the wine list is short and very simple. An easily forgettable house white is described only as Italian table wine, and tastes part straw and part sugar, yet is the only white available by the glass. Information on other wines is conspicuously lacking, with most of the bottles listed by grape and price alone. With glasses from as little as £2.50 and most bottles well below £15, this is clearly a list still stuck somewhere in the past.

The Last Word
The Royal Tandoori offers an inoffensive, inexpensive Indian experience and so a cool retreat from the rat race or the ride home, yet it could be so much more. While some dishes have some real punch most settle firmly at average. A useful local, certainly, yet the Royal Tandoori would unlikely be worth any detour.

venue information venue map view london review user reviews (2)