Melford Valley Tandoori — Restaurant in Babergh

This review is based on their delivery service. I've held off reviewing for a while because it's such a hit and miss experience and it's my fault for persevering with them. One week you will get a swift delivery and good quality food and the next time it will take forever to arrive, be cold, missing items and average quality. Not only that, but they've increased their minimum delivery charge from £15 to £20, so unless you're incredibly hungry or there's more than one person, it's not worth it. This past weekend was the last time I will be using their service. It took over 2 hours to arrive which is a completely unacceptable time to wait. When my housemate enquired if it was still hot, he got attitude back from the driver, who also did not want to give any change until requested. I'd have no problem leaving a tip, but not for poor service. Makes you wonder how these places stay in business really, especially with things being difficult at present, but I won't be wasting my time or money again that's for sure!

EDIT May 2024: I did give them another go, more fool me! Ordered at 5pm on the website (said delivery in 60 mins). On their online menu when you click the "delivery areas" button it shows £15 minimum order within 1.5 to 8 miles, yet on the footer it states, "FREE HOME DELIVERY within 3 mile radius, £1 per mile thereafter. Minimum order £20." I am just under 4 miles away. However, when you order, it adds £2.50 delivery charge and a 50p service charge regardless, whether it's over £20 or not! Anyway, I bit the bullet because I really wanted a curry. 90 mins later I called to find out where it was, only to get a non-committal, "the driver will be there soon". 20 minutes later I get a call saying the driver had an accident (may well have been true, but can't say I'm convinced), but they will send it straight away with a money off voucher. Fair enough.... Guess what? The driver arrived with no voucher and when I asked, said, "phone your order and they'll take the value off" (sounds like a complete fob off) and then didn't even give me my change until I asked! They messed me around, didn't provide what was promised due to delayed service and then automatically expected a tip on top of the delivery and service charge and poor service. You can't make it up. The only reason they get 2 stars is because the food is above average, but I've had way better. Really...

Very poor greeting upon arrival as felt it was inconvenient for staff to greet us as they were trying to clear the buffet away. We had booked for 6.00pm as buffet should finish at 5.00pm. Booked for a party of 8 people and were given two separate tables of 4 which we moved together ourselves as staff though this was fine and were hence not very attentive. 50% of the food we ordered was very nice however there were some very disappointing dished indeed. Sparkling soft drinks were generally flat as it seemed previous;y opened bottles were being used up. Staff were also not attentive in asking if we would like further drinks, so we just kept waving them down. Took an age to receive the bill after asking three times, and no one bothered to open the door for when we left or even a thank you. Worst of all is that myself and my wife who shared a particular chicken dish which no one else in our group had were suffering extremely upset stomachs in the early hours of the morning and continuing through the next day. We both commented at the time on the chicken, and if I didn't know better I just wonder if left over chicken from the afternoon buffet finds its way into some of the evening meals. I sure I am wrong here, but having been so unwell one just questions these things. Never felt so unwell ever before after eating a curry, and I've been eating them for...

Ordered our first takeaway from here tonight. Ordering online and the wait times were fantastic. Super fast. Get home and it goes downhill rapidly. Upon unboxing we were already beginning to doubt our choices of takeaway we had used. Tikka masala had so much food colouring that it almost glowed. My wife’s biriyani rice looked bland and soggy. Regardless we pushed on. Still hopeful of a miracle. At this point I will add we have recently returned from 15 years overseas. A good healthy portion of that time in the Middle East where we had daily experiences of fantastic authentic Indian,Pakistani and south Asian foods. Tikka masala is quite possibly the worst I have ever eaten. I have no explanation for how it’s possible to make a tikka masala taste like a piece of chicken in water. (That’s glowing red) there was no taste. I even waited and waited hoping for even a hint of aftertaste. Nothing! To cut a long story short we know have a bin full of 1/3rd eaten Indian from a takeaway that we sadly won’t be going back to. Save you money and go buy a masala in a packet from Tesco. Probably more taste. Probably less food colouring.

Attached pics of tikka and the keema nan that had no meat until you get the last 3rd of it. (No it’s not in a thick pile at the back. It’s a thin layer but just short 2/3rds of covering the entire...