Can it really be 9 years since my last visit to Tandoori Palace?

It was all the way back in 2015 that I last popped in for a curry. I remember being left with mixed feelings about this cheap and cheerful Indian restaurant, which might explain why it has been so long since my last visit.

Tandoori Palace has always been old fashioned, even back in the day. It felt like a restaurant that hasn’t changed or modernised in years but still offered great value and managed to hold onto some of the novel charms lost by other Indian restaurants.

I was delighted to be invited by long time Cambridge Curry Community contributor Stuart Woolf to his monthly curry night. Each month he joins his friends at a different Indian restaurant in Cambridgeshire. Tonight, it was Tandoori Palace.

The first thing you will notice about Tandoori Palace is how big it is. In fact, I can’t think of a larger Indian restaurant in Cambridge. If you are looking for a restaurant to be able to host a large number of people then look no further!

There is a wide selection on the menu with everything you would expect from an Indian restaurant. Curry starts from £6.50 for a vegetarian and £7.50 for chicken, meaning that Tandoori Palace is still competitively priced. For a restaurant this close to Cambridge centre, that’s pretty good going!

Kingfisher beer is also served on tap.

As it had been a while since my last visit I decided to go for my usual favourite – the chicken tikka vindaloo with mushroom rice and a side of saag aloo.

We ordered a few pappadums while waiting for our mains to come out. These came out with the classic 4 sauces served in the iconic twirly metal containers. This always means good portion sizes and makes it easier to share between the table.

The mango chutney was your fairly standard sweet and smooth mango chutney. It served its purpose perfectly but didn’t stand out either. The lime pickle was bold and very salty…exactly how I like it! This takes me back to the days when lime pickle was sharp and chunky with a real punch to it. Some won’t like it but this was right up my street. The onion salad was also finely blended with a variety of tomato, onion, cucumber and herbs. A good selection all round!

We also ordered a few onion bhajis, which came out in a portion of 3. There was absolutely nothing wrong with these and they went down nicely with the table but failed to stand out. It would have been nice to have these brought out with some yoghurt but did come with a lemon for that zesty kick.

The food was presented in ceramic bowls with the rice being served on a plate. The vindaloo had a beautiful brown colour and the chicken was clearly tikka’d well. There was a generous amount of meat in the dish and a single potato chunk. The vindaloo itself had a frisky heat but failed to challenge me in any meaningful way. It tastes like a classic vindaloo none the less and for just over £8, was competitively priced.

The saag aloo was a bit of a let down. It was a soggy dollop of overcooked potatoes, with the only saving grace being that it added more potato to the vindaloo.

The mushroom rice looked fantastic and served its purpose really well. It had a beautiful golden colour and had lovely big mushroom chunks. The portion was a little small but with the side portion of saag aloo helped mitigate this. If I had not ordered the saag aloo then I would have felt short changed.

I want to thank Stuart for inviting me to dine with him and his friends. Everyone made me feel welcome and a good time was had by all. There is nothing I love more than talking curry while having curry and I look forward to the next one.

As for the Tandoori Palace; it offers the cheapest menu I have seen in a good while. Frankly, I don’t understand how they do it but with this value also comes inconsistency, small portions, and a questionable dish or two. With that said, they get a lot right with a good (if not mild) vindaloo, delicious mushroom rice, and some marvellous papadum side sauces.

Tandoori Palace feels like a blast from the past, as it hasn’t changed in decades and that isn’t necessarily a bad thing. Though I can’t see myself rushing back again it’s great to know it’s here.

Thanks for reading…