Talk of India — Restaurant in Bay of Plenty

Arguably the best Indian food restaurant in Tauranga region. Apparently relatively recently taken over by a new family (the earlier version of the restaurant used to be with horrendous food, and thus after one attempt some years back, we never went back), they boldly proclaim that the restaurant is "under new management" on their window panes.

The yellow daal (lentil) tadka - a test of an Indian restaurant (much like vanilla ice cream is for an ice cream brand to understand the basics are in place or not) was great. Perfect balance of spice and garlic without overdoing it. Was fresh.

The tandoor prawns were succulent, beautifully marinated and with the right amount of chilli heat. Served on a hot plate. So was the paneer tikka. The softest paneer tikka I've had in Tauranga - such a delight (and a relief) - reminded me of India. Accompanied by onion and green bell pepper pieces, which could have been barbecued a bit instead of being served like a salad. The bittergourd (karela) fry was very tasty too - had a lovely refreshing taste and did not feel oily. I wish they had not added the raw tomato pieces - took away some of the crispiness which I think the dish is meant to have.

The tandoori roti and the butter man were fresh and soft - and tasted great.

The service was friendly and warm. We were waited upon by a gentleman by the name of Mukesh (spelling?) who along with hia uncle have apparently taken over the place. He was very open to suggestions on improvement, thanked us for being forthcoming, and clearly mentioned that he would love criticism and not just praise - to be able to improve. Am sure they will go far with such positive attitude. They had more staff in the kitchen than in the serving section - which is a welcome change, and is often the opposite of many restaurants in the Tauranga region. The other staff member I interacted with - Manoj (spelling?) was very polite and warm too.

Another interesting aspect of this restaurant - one can call them with the order, and they would deliver by themselves!! That is such a great option to have.

I would definitely go back to this place.

Overall -...

The best Indian in NZ!

My partner and I live in Auckland and periodically come down to Tauranga to visit my parents. It’s now a tradition for my partner and I to come here every time we’re in town because we can’t find anything up in Auckland to compare. Every Friday rolls around and we order from a new Indian place, but to no avail! My partner will get so excited he will start chanting “butter naan, butter naan” on the car drive down to Tauranga.

I first started coming here about ten years ago and it’s still my favourite, and it’s not just me. The faces of anyone from Tauranga that I speak to will always light up when I mention ‘Talk of India.’ Some of them live in Australia now and still get jealous when I say I’m coming here for dinner.

Obviously, the food is delicious. The portion sizes are generous (we always overeat) and the staff are so friendly too.

These guys have been around a long time, for good reason. Thank you Pradeep, I hope you’re...

One of the best features of this restaurant is that all the menu ingredients are prepared on site with some herbs being grown in the Owners garden. It is the only Indian restaurant that I visit that I do not have a gripey stomach The menu is extensive and varied and covers all tastes. No matter whether we want vegetarian, lamb or fish there is an option available - beef of course is offered but we are not big beef eaters. The staff and service is excellent and friendly. The experienced staff are ready to offer a suggestion if one is requested. We try to visit at least once a week. If we don't want to eat in - takeaways at a slight discount are just as great. We have been frequenting Talk of India for...