Royal Indian Curry House — Restaurant in Makati

Last night's heavy traffic didn't stop me from trying this Indian restaurant situated in the liveliest place in Makati City, Poblacion. I've been hearing some good feedback from friends and other people about this restaurant so I checked it myself to confirm.

By checking the menu, I was overwhelmed by huge selection of traditional Indian food. It's thick but good thing it's user friendly. Their products are Halal Certified so whether you're a Muslim or a Christian, a vegan or a meat eater, you'll definitely get your preference here. Asking the staff of their best sellers might be of great help.

We started with drinks. I had Strawberry Lassi (Php 239). I have tried Lassis from different restaurants and this is the best Lassi I had so far. They put less sugar syrup, which is a good thing because aside from my sugar level is high, it retains the tanginess of the yogurt, which is the main ingredient of this popular Indian drink. Strawberry balanced out the flavor of this Lassi. A must try!

Here are some of the best sellers we had last night. List in ascending order of my preferred dishes.

R.I.C.H Grand Tandoori Grilled Platter (Php 1,409) Mix Kebabs (Chicken, Fish, Sausages, etc. ). This is good for 5 people or more, depends on your appetite. Everything here is really good. The meat are well marinated, juicy, tender and grilled to perfection. It comes with 3 sauces - Mint, Tamarind Chutney and Hot Sauce. Tamarind Chutney is my fave!

Hyderabadi Biryani (Php 579) If I were to dine here alone, this would be my top choice. You can have basmati rice and chops of tender lamb's meat in one dish. I really love this one.

Murg Makhani (Butter Chicken) (Php 449) Crowd's favorite. I love the tenderness of the well marinated chicken here. Heaven!

Mutton Rogan Josh (Php 509) One of the most delicious mutton dish. Well marinated and cooked to perfection. Succulent! A must order!

Keema Mutton (Php 709) Rice please! This dish is best enjoy with rice. With the spiciness level that is tolerable, you'll definitely love this one.

Palak Paneer (Php 409) Indian cottage cheese in smooth, thick and creamy spinach paste. Perfect dish for vegetarian!

You can never go wrong with Naan. They have huge selection of Naan on the menu. More than 10 Naans to choose from !!! We tried 2 of their best sellers in Naan. Soft and creamy. Best eaten when warm!

Garlic Naan (Php 199)

Butter Naan (Php 159)

Hara Bhara Kebab (Php 399) Samosa (Veg) (Php 209) Masala Papad (Php 159)

Our dinner ended with a semi-sweet, goody and milky Gulab Jamun (Php 149). Yum!

The restaurant has 5 floors. The 1st & the 2nd floor are for dining. The 3rd floor is where the sports bar is located. It operates from 6 pm to 2 am. This is my favorite place of all because you can chill here with friends and you can also play billiards. If you want to have a venue for an event, they have the 4th floor available for you. You can request for a customized meal plan for the event. Lastly, they have the top bar on the 5th floor wherein you'll find the amazing aflatoon jeepney bar. You can chill here while watching live games on TV.

The staff were friendly, accommodating and knowledgeable about their food.

Overall, we had a great dining experience at R.I.C.H. Highly...

Five stars. This is now the benchmark for upscale/authentic Indian cooking that I gauge every other Indian restaurant in Manila against.

First time in an Indian restaurant I order the same thing every time so I know what I'm getting. Chicken tinka masala, garlic naan, samosa, and a salty lassi if they have it. Everything was on point. Their curry preparation is of the style where herbs and vegetables are diced and minced so finely that they slide together as a faux gravy layering and texturing the flavors like tiles in a mosaic. The chicken was tender, the bread was buttery, the drink was actually salty (and seemed to be fresh).

What I enjoyed about this location is that you have an option of what dining experience you want to enjoy while you are there. We opted for the 5th floor lounge with a view over the night market and Makati avenue. The third floor was under renovation and the fourth floor was being used for a private event but the first and second floor were appointed for fine dining/non smoking. The third floor will be converted into a sports bar and the owner's assured me there will be billiards and a more relaxed lounge atmosphere while the 5th floor lounge creates a great option for conversation and relaxation whether you are a couple or a large group. The entire staff were incredibly helpful and welcoming. When discussing menu items if I could not think of the name of a dish or beverage they were able to interpret what I was looking for and get me to that part of the menu.

One final word about the atmosphere on the 5th floor. Low lighting, comfortable couches and tables of different heights so that you can have your own setting to emphasize to get together or the food, to close you off from the rest of the space or to expand to take in your friends and neighbors. The music selection tonight was torch songs and smokey ballads which complimented the lighting, interior arrangement, and intimate atmosphere perfectly.

Will be returning on...

Reviewed September 3, 2022 Prices reflected in parenthesis are their base price final price inclusive of the 10% SC and 12% VAT, (which imo should have been included already in the pricing). Service Charge is still also charged even on deliveries so... that should be a point to deduct.

Mr. Vijay and Mr. Puran has done something wonderfully sinister. Living in the Philippines, your choices of good, authentic Indian food are few and far in between. Say hello to Royal Indian Curry House then. Having lived in the MidEast for close to a decade has opened up my palate to a wide array of Indian and Pakistani cuisine and whenever I have that craving, would just opt for kebabs, shawarmas, and maybe some chicken tikkas. I can never get that authentic experience anymore. Fast forward to today, I can't stop being giddy about what was served to me. The Hyderabadi Biryani (749 923) is good for 2 people and is served piping hot in a claypot covered in Naan. Absolutely wonderful taste with good portions of meat. The ever bestseller and must try Dal Makhani (489 602) is rich and decadent, again, good for 2 or even 3 people. It makes you order more Butter Naan (189 233) and Butter Roti (159 196). Murg Tikka Butter Masala (559 689) is flavorful and an absolute must try as well.

To summarize, despite the higher than normal price point, Royal Indian Curry House is absolutely worth the cost. I spent a grand total of Php 2,600 ++ for all these orders, but for some reason, I can't wait to spend more...