United kitchens of India — Restaurant in Loulé

Absolutely and easily one of the most positively unforgettable dining experiences ever. We were recommended to United Kitchens of India, and honestly, I wasn't expecting too much other than a good meal.

From the moment we arrived, we felt welcomed and special with a "reserved for Ms. Andria" sign and a comfortable seating arrangement. Little did we know, we were about to embark on an extraordinary culinary journey. The chef himself greeted us and engaged in friendly conversation. Upon learning that it was our first time in Portugal, he presented us with a unique choice: we could either order from the menu or allow him to prepare a personalized dinner for us as his guests. Without hesitation, I opted for the latter, excited to experience something truly exceptional.

The starters that the chef brought out were nothing short of sensational. The "Crackling Greens," featuring crisp spinach with house special sauces, was a revelation. As someone who isn't a spinach connoisseur, I was blown away by the incredible flavors and textures. The fried cauliflower that followed was a standout dish, and I would have been content if the meal ended there. It was genuinely one of the best things I have ever tasted, with the perfect balance of spice that tantalized my palate. Throughout the meal, the chef enlightened us about Indian cuisine, gastronomics, and even shared tips on how to manage the spices (hint: salt is the secret). This was more than just a meal; it was a complete and immersive experience, and I cherished every second of it.

As a family of five, each of us had a different favorite main course, but we unanimously agreed that the starters and desserts were truly exceptional and unforgettable. The desserts, including mango ice cream chunks, "Gulab Jamun" (fried milk dumplings soaked in cardamom-flavored syrup) with vanilla ice cream, and pistachio ice cream, left us speechless. I was astonished by the fried milk dumplings—I initially mistook them for fruit—and they were an absolute delight.

Chef Narayan informed us that he usually works at the United Kitchens of India in Valo Do Lobo. The fact that we encountered him at this location in Vilamoura on a Sunday was a fantastic coincidence, and I am grateful for the serendipity that led us to this exceptional experience.

I doubt I will ever come across Indian food as remarkable as this again. I have already reminded myself not to endlessly search for a similar experience, as it would only lead to disappointment. While in Portugal, we ventured to another Indian restaurant in Lisbon, hoping to relive the magic. Unfortunately, it fell far short of our expectations, earning a meager 10/100 rating, while United Kitchens of India deserved nothing less than a perfect score of 100/100. Remember, don't bother searching elsewhere.

I've heard people talk about wanting a particular dish or meal as their "last meal." Previously, I found this idea peculiar, but now I understand it completely. The meal I just described from United Kitchens of India easily ranks as one of the best dining experiences of my life. If given the choice, I would undoubtedly select it as my "last meal."

Lastly, I have a question for the restaurant: What style of cuisine do you specialize in? This exceptional meal has made me want to explore more of your food, but I'd like to ensure I steer clear of other styles that tend to be on the sweeter side. Is it...

We were lucky to find this amazing authentical piece of India with Incredible forward thinking proprietors Narayan and Mrudula Rao.

Everything was absolutely perfect from the booking right through to leaving the restaurant.

(The location made everything easy as we didn't need to sit in traffic queue's and parking was easy) Happy days.

We were greeted by the host Mrudula as we arrived and escorted to our table (which I had originally booked for inside the restaurant as the ladies mentioned they may feel chilly!), However as I expected it was a beautiful warm evening so my wife and her mother chose to change table's to the outside terrace this was absolutely no bother and was handled by Mrudula and her happy enthusiastic staff whom we're extremely helpful and accommodating with amazing knowledge of all the food and beverage menu's making excellent suggestions to assist and enhance you're evening.

(Each reserved table had a small standing chalk board with the person's name on who made the booking a really great little touch).

Once are drinks we ordered arrived at the table the Chef Narayan introduced himself offering a completely unique eating experience asking what ever we desired to eat he would produce dishes based on our choices or we could just leave it to him to produce a complete menu for us.

Chef Narayan suggested two vegetable starters that were absolutely amazing and totally new for all of us and we decided to make our own choices from the menu which were all incredible, the flavours, textures and perfect cooking of excellent produce was amazing and authentical truly inspiring with the Chef's own special touches.

Chef Narayan his wife Mrudula and staff were all incredible and visited our table throughout the evening making sure our evening was perfect without being over bearing.

Chef Narayan explained how he was working towards being able to operate without a menu and he will provide the meal based on your preferences, a very innovative idea and going from our excellent evening here he is well on the way to achieving this totally unique eating experience.

We wish them every success and will most definitely be returning for that experience with out a doubt.

Thanks to you and your whole team for a...

A very bizarre experience. We ordered some popadoms as well as other starters. After placing our order, which the waiter took with no issues, the chef promptly came to our table and was clearly very passionate about his job. He declined to serve us popadoms as starters as said this wasn't an authentic Indian experience and popadoms should be eaten with main courses only. He compared this to burger and chips and said you wouldn't have chips as a starter. He said he had some starters in mind that he just KNEW we'd love and asked us to trust him. We all thought this was slightly strange but went with it. The chef visited again after we placed our mains orders and said rather than cooking each of us what we had ordered he wanted to make us his choice of food. We'd noticed in the meantime other tables round us happily receiving popadoms as starters with no issues and no table visits, so declined and just went with what we originally ordered. The chef was clearly very passionate about what he was doing but was overbearing and ruined the experience by trying to pressure us into having what he wanted us to have several times. It also cost double every other meal we've had during our three week stay, with the starters we'd received being very expensive. The food was ultimately nice, but we won't be going back. If you're adventurous and happy to put your trust in the chef then this might be ideal for you, but some of the party I was with were horrified by the idea of someone else choosing their food. The location is also along side a swimming pool so there was people jumping in, screaming, shouting etc, which also deducted from the...