India Raj — Restaurant in Arun

Edited, Updated Review (after restaurant reply): I’ve read the restaurant’s reply and I genuinely appreciate that they take the time to read customer reviews and respond thoughtfully, which shows they care about feedback.

To be fair, I may have come across a bit harsh in my original review. We had just returned home after two weeks away and were really looking forward to a nice Indian meal, so perhaps our expectations were high, and the disappointment felt stronger because of that.

That said, there were still some positives worth mentioning. The portion sizes were generous, with around 10–12 pieces of chicken in the Murg Xacuti. The tarka dhal was lovely, and we actually did enjoy the taste of the chicken tikka once you get past the colouring.

However, my main concern remains the overuse of red food colouring. The chicken tikka was unnaturally bright, and in another curry, I could literally see the colour seeping into the sauce, which may have been a one-off oversight. It just felt unnecessary and a bit off-putting. The Naga Chicken was also overwhelmingly spicy, lacking the signature balance that makes a proper Naga dish so special. When done right, especially by Bengali chefs, Naga chicken should highlight the aromatic flavour of the ghost pepper, not just raw heat like a Phall or Vindaloo.

I would also like to clarify that yes, I did order from India Raj, and I’ve attached the receipt to confirm this. I’m not a professional food critic, but when I say I’m a genuine critic, I simply mean that my reviews are honest, based on real experiences, and never written to badmouth any business. I only review to help improve things where possible, and I do not expect any refunds or future discounts.

I hope you take this feedback in the constructive spirit it’s intended. You have a solid base to work from with generous portions and a well established and beautifully decorated restaurant...

So close to a review rating of four. Just fell short because one waiter thought that we had ordered our mains and so did another so we sat for over thirty minutes waiting just for menus.

That said the chicken korma was tasty and cooked just right, the portion very ample and very well presented. My lamb shaslik masala was probably one of the nicest, if not the nicest that I have had. The lamb was beautifully tender, the sauce wonderfully spiced and seasoned. Our mushroom rice was light, not heavy, and was serving nice and hot. Our mains were accompanied by a garlic naan and a keema naan - both served just right. Some say that its impossible to get naan breads wrong, but that's not the case. They can be burnt, dried up or in the case of a keema naan the meat can be all dropped to one side, not so at So India. Just right.

The drinks weren't overly expensive either. I had the mandatory pint or two of cobra whilst my wife had a very generous (really generous) glass or two of gin.

The service was good, the staff were very friendly and I'm sure that the little confusion after we were seated was probably due to how busy the restaurant was. It is very popular indeed, the food was very good and the atmosphere was good too. No rowdy yobs here, as sometimes you find in some curry houses. This was a true restaurant, not a takeaway selling meals in a cramped space. The restaurant was nicely spaced out, the tables weren't right on top of each other.

There's also plenty of parking. The restaurant is easy to find on the main road on the outskirts of the village. We walked from our B&B in the centre, no more than twenty to twenty five minutes. The restaurant is well worth a visit, so close to a four - maybe...

I have dined in at So India on a number of occasions and had a great time and enjoyable meals. This review is for their takeaway service, essential due to covid-19. We ordered a family meal for 6:30pm through Just Eat. The restaurant emailed us to say the food would be delivered for 7pm, however it arrived at 5:35! An hour before our preferred delivery time, and an hour and a half before they said it would be with us! Thankfully we were in and weren't expecting guests, so we reluctantly accepted the delivery with a comment to the delivery guy that it was very early and to pass a message on to the owners. Unfortunately, my gripe doesn't end there though. Despite the restaurant being located only about a km from my house the food was only luke-warm, so had to be microwaved before we could eat it. Additionally the chicken madras on the order was seriously tame for what is usually a fairly hot spiced dish, it was no hotter than my children's chicken tikka masala. 😭. I hate complaining, and rarely find cause to, but the compounded situation resulted in a spoiled eating experience. Whilst I love the restaurant and want to support local businesses, I'm unlikely to order takeaway from them again....