Delhi Palace Indian Cuisine — Restaurant in Sydney

Our experience here couldn't have been worse. Made a booking for 3 people and was given a small table meant for 2 people. This table was poorly placed next to the staircase. We intended to order quite a few dishes to share (we ordered 6) and felt there wouldn't be enough space for all the food. There was an empty table for 4 people so we asked if we could move. We were told that table was reserved. They later gave that same table to a group of 2 which made no sense at all. So they put 3 people at a table for 2, then 2 people at a table for 4. That's just bad management. After our entree there was no sign of our mains. We looked around and saw multiple delivery drivers waiting. The table that was there long before us was still waiting for their mains. When we asked about our mains, they said they'd be out in 5 mins but we could cancel the order because they hadn't started cooking our meals. We found that hard to believe considering the no of people waiting for their food. We decided to get the rest of our meals takeaway because I didn't want to spend another minute looking at a staircase. When we expressed our opinions about the tables, the waitress fed us with excuses about how busy they were and they were trying their best. The whole point of making a booking was to secure a table on a busy night like this. If there was no table available they should've rejected the reservation instead of squeezing us into a small table next to a staircase. They took $4 off our bill (total was $84), which was a complete joke. Food was okay, not even remotely good enough to make up for the service. They gave us plain naans instead of cheese naans, which we ordered and paid for. We weren't the only unhappy customers there so not sure where all these 5 stars reviews are...

Smothered with chilled yoghurt, frosty green mint raita, tangy chutney and chat masala, dahi bhalla chaat ($10.90) are the perfect ending to a hot summery day (finally). I’m very enamoured with this mouth-cooling mess of lentil dumplings, and I suspect my vegetarian readers will be too. Along with crisp brown onion bhajee ($9.90) balls, resplendent with turmeric, ginger, spring onions & gram flour, they form a list of seven different vegetable-based entrees you can enjoy at Delhi Palace Indian Cuisine.

This small, well-priced suburban gem opened in North Strathfield a year ago, during one of the most challenging years Sydney restaurants have faced. The atmospheric dining room, lined with backlit wooden screens, was drenched in natural afternoon light on the evening I dined. The menu is mostly North Indian, though you will spot the odd Southern Indian dish or two.

Hari mirch chicken ($22.90) made (to request) nice and spicy with fresh green chillies was my favourite curry. We ate it over well-separated steamed basmati rice in a green pea pulao ($9.90), though it was equally good with a garlic spicy naan ($4.50). The four-dish side platter ($10.90) is money well spent if you’re keen to freshen up curries with kachumber and lachha onion salads. Goat & potato masala ($24.90) worked best against a cooling tub of cumin-laced raita, and scrubbed up very nicely the next day for lunch (serves here are generous). Consider the cheese & chilli naan ($5.90) an end in itself, rather than a foil for dipping: it’s substantial and definitely contributed to us needing to ask for takeaway containers for both of our curries.

This spot has slid right into my North Strathfield favourite place for a curry, edging out its more...

Tonight, my tastebuds were blessed by quite possibly the best tasting butter chicken that I have eaten in the past decade - to put things into perspective, my lovely girlfriend (who is the one picked out this restaurant) and I probably eat 3 butter chickens on average per month. We’ve been together for about 3 and a half years, so that then becomes about 130 butter chickens, give or take. These have been all over Sydney and also up and down the coast of NSW. Delhi Palace are not a force to be reckoned with when it comes to the flavour, texture and overall quality of their butter chicken. If my rambling has long you along the way, let me sum it up like this - they have nailed what I believe to be the perfect butter chicken. The naans, rice, and chicken 65 we had for entree were also superb, however obviously the butter chicken was the star of the show.

I’d also like to add that the service from the lady that served us was great, and the restaurant itself had a warm and inviting atmosphere.

We will obviously be back, and I hope to see my some fellow butter chicken enthusiasts...