Cambridge Foodies

The Regency Club has been on my list for a while now. I have been dying to visit for some time but due to the comparably awkward location from Cambridge to Queensbury, it has always escaped me.

Tonight, however, I decided to finally take the plunge and make the journey for my birthday and see if the restaurant lived up to the hype.

The Regency Club has been recommended by numerous people from The Cambridge Curry Community. It is a place that appears to have a sensational reputation for inspiring dishes, style, customer service and quality. I have been foaming at the mouth to try The Regency Club, and for good reason and at last…I made it!

The Regency Club stands out like a sore thumb in the streets of Queensbury. Located on a nice little green amid numerous phone shops and off-licences. Here it stands proud with its golden sign and marble walls.

Upon entering we were warmly greeted by the man at the door. We were struck by the beautiful stained glass ceiling which seems to be the trade mark for The Regency Club. The bar too looked fantastic, you could see across into the open kitchen at the chefs cooking away, something I always find very reassuring. I also noticed that they had a selection of their own beers – The Regency Club FOUR and The Regency Club PILS.

While we were all being shown to our table I was blown away by how friendly and warm the place was. Every waiter I walked past shook my hand. I even had a gentleman who came to greet me and wish me a happy birthday.

I felt like a celebrity.

I had no idea how he knew it was my birthday. I put this down to their fantastic online presence through Facebook and Twitter. Either way, this goes to show the level of communication and attention to detail they take with their customers. Please check out their profile on The Regency Club Twitter page, their Facebook page and The Regency Club website, you will not regret it.

Once we sat down we were put at a small table at the back of the restaurant which seemed a little small for 7 people. I noticed that the area took a very sharp turn from classy stained glass ceilings and open-plan kitchens to very average pub-like surroundings. We had a TV with the cricket on above our heads and the tables were basic and a little cramped. Either way, we made it work but it was hardly the glamour of the Regency Club promotional video.

Once we were settled we looked at the menu and were incredibly pleased with the diverse selection of food available.

There were a few chef specials on today including something they only have on the menu once a month – The pulled lamb naan, which just so happened to be TODAY!

So naturally I couldn’t control myself and decided there and then what I wanted. There were a few things which have been recommended to me by friends which I felt obliged to try, so I ordered the mixed grill, their famous lamb chops and the garlic mogo (garlic and chilli wedges). I ordered a bit of a mix of food to get more of a diverse idea about what The Regency Club was about.

There was something for everyone here! The usual Indian food most people come to expect from standard Indian restaurants nowadays, such as curries and tandoori chicken. They also do a fantastic selection of grilled meats, pan-fried fish, vegetarian food and spring lamb. I really couldn’t see anyone leaving here
unfulfilled, there was so much choice!

While we waited for our food we ordered some beer. We went for a few pints of The Regency Club’s PILS. I was incredibly impressed with the cost of their beer, coming to a little over £3 each. I didn’t feel like I was in London at all.

The beer itself hardly blew me away, it came across as a little watery, but a part of me thought that this went well with the type of cuisine they serve. Being mostly heavy and spicy meat, a nice light, watery beer might be just right for the occasion. Either way, for £3, I can hardly complain.

The food all came out in a fantastic time. This was one of my favourite things about The Regency Club. The staff were never a bother but there was always someone lurking around if you needed anything. They were incredibly attentive and efficient. As you can see by the photo, we ordered a lot of food and had to resort to stacking empty plates on top of each other to make things work.
I felt from the start that they had put us on a small table for 7 of us, but again, we made it work and the staff were quick to take things away which were no longer of use.

The garlic mogo was one of the stars of the show for me. Such a bold flavour and crispy on the outside, yet a soft texture on the inside. I have been thinking about their garlic mogo for days since visiting and really couldn’t recommend these enough to anyone. £5.20 might seem a little steep for chips but I assure you they are well worth it and great to share.

The lamb chops were incredibly decent and not too dry. The portions were good and they were presented well. They had a great flavour and my girlfriend, who is not a big eater, made quick work of them – Which speaks for itself!

The pulled lamb naan was my favourite dish of the evening. At first, I thought paying over £9 for a naan was steep, but that was until I saw the amount of lamb they put on this monster!  The naan itself was huge and covered in a yoghurt sauce which made the texture incredible. The lamb was succulent and very juicy. You could tell the naan was made fresh as it was so soft. The yoghurt brought it all together too, which created a divine dish big enough to share between all 7 of us! I hope they find a way of introducing this onto the menu every day because it pains me to know people are missing out on this!

My mixed grill was great. It consisted of chicken tikka, kebab and Mushkaki. The meat was bursting with flavour and the portions were generous. The meat might have been a little dry but it was all easily forgiven. There were some Regency Club sauces on the table to help me with that anyway.

Upon finishing…well, maybe not finishing, I had ordered way too much to ever finish…but when I was done, the staff took our food away.

Again, they were very on the ball here. They were good at making sure drinks were flowing, and empty plates and glasses were taken, yet at the same time, it didn’t feel like they were getting in the way. They had it down to an art form.

My family thought it would be a great idea to embarrass me with a birthday cake, so sadly I didn’t get to try any dessert here.

When we got the bill we were surprised about how reasonable it all was. Especially when quantity, choice and quality were considered. As promised, the beer was still only £3 too.

Bravo guys!

Conclusion:
The Regency Club takes customer service and revolutionises it. They made us feel like a star walking in and made us feel like pigs walking out! Their staff were fantastic at what they do and were able to keep a small table between 7 reasonably spacious and were always around when we looked up to get attention. They were polite, friendly and professional. It made their service feel like an art form. Their social media activity is second to none and I highly recommend you check them out on Twitter and Facebook.

The food was incredible. I can safely say that if this place was any closer, I would be an obese man in a mobility scooter by now! The choice, the quality, the way it was prepared. It was reassuring to see their chefs doing what they did, and doing it so well in a spotless kitchen. The food came out quickly and didn’t let quality suffer because of it! All the meat was bursting with flavour, especially the pulled lamb. I really couldn’t recommend the pulled lamb naan and garlic mogo enough.  These two dishes were the stars of the show for me. I have been thinking about both dishes every day since dining with her, and I trust you will do the same.

Their beer was average by its merit, but it was fantastic value. The style of the beer worked with the spicy food served so you can see why it was made in that way.  Being quite light and watery was a good balance but not something I would ever order while at the pub or home. They have thought about this well. I don’t think a Czech beer would have mixed well with heavy Indian food so they got it spot on.

The place is incredibly classy upon entering. The stained glass ceiling was beautiful, I loved the fish tanks too. Their bar was long and being able to see through to their open kitchen was incredibly reassuring, it was a nice touch and made the place feel very lively. I was a little disappointed by the very pub-like location where we were seated, with the small table and TV above our heads. I hope it isn’t like that in the rest of the restaurant.

There is no doubt in my mind that I will be coming back soon and when I do I will be exploring the many many more things left on their incredibly diverse menu which I want to try.

Thanks for reading!