Elai Restaurant — Restaurant in Great Britain

Please don't be put off by navigating the UK's worst car park outside* persevere and you'll be rewarded with an absolute gem of a restaurant!

We received a lovely warm welcome from the staff, even though we hadn't booked and it was a Saturday night. The decor is nice and modern, with a nod to the owners Indian heritage.

There's a large selection of food and drinks on the menu, but not too overwhelming like you may find in some restaurants. I was impressed with the very fairly priced wine and there's even cocktails if you want to push the boat out. The menu is well thought out, celebrating South Indian cuisine and I thought it was a great sign that the waiter proudly talked us through it and explained the mouthwatering selection of dishes.

We began with some popadoms, with the most moorish chutneys and it's hard to pick a favourite, but the beetroot chutney was a first for us and very tasty! For starters we shared the scallops and they were the best we've tasted in years! Fresh, succulent with really delicate flavours and a nice little kick. Mains were a beautifully presented Tandoori salmon and an extra side salad, Kerala Beef Curry (medium heat, but was slightly spicier than expected, however the staff are very accommodating and will adjust spice levels to suit your tastes.) Accompanied with pilau rice and another first for us - a yummy fig and coriander naan!

I want to commend all Elai staff for the attentive service, beautifully cooked food, with such fresh and authentic flavours, it really made for a lovely evening! We're very much looking forward to a visit in the summer where hopefully we can sit and enjoy the lovely river setting alfresco!

I'd like to add this was not a gifted meal, we paid and it was SO good that I wanted to write a review and make sure everyone supports this fantastic restaurant - long may it reign!

(*Come on Salisbury council, let's get this...

My recommendation can be summed up in one word: Avoid! We ordered takeaway (to pick up, which was the only option) by phone and were told our order would be ready in 20-25 minutes. We duly arrived at the alloted time and paid. The restaurant wasn't busy and there weren't any other customers waiting to pick up. It appeared to be well staffed and functioning as normal. From the time we arrived (25 minutes after ordering) we waited another 30 minutes, therefore 55 minutes in total, for our food to arrive. 50+ minutes isn't unheard of for delivery, and you're made aware of such when ordering... but we were collecting in person and the estimate was 20-25 minutes! Of course sh*t happens... restaurants can be short staffed, an emergency occurs in the kitchen, they're unexpectedly flooded with orders etc... but you respond by making the customer aware, adjust the ETA and apologise. You may then see fit to provide a goodwill gesture, for instance a discount on your bill, an extra free item or (my least favourite) a vouchers to use on your next visit. No such responses, or gestures of goodwill, occurred... and worse still not even a "thank you for your order". No recognition that anything was out of order... simply a check that the bag contained the correct order and then hand it over! When restaurants face the aforementioned unexpected difficulties, respond and make goodwill gestures I always give them a second chance... and would have done so in this case... but with none of the above they don't deserve a second chance! They will not receive our custom again.

Worse still, my food was mediocre at best. I sincerely believe it was no better than DIY curry one used to buy in a jar in a supermarket decades ago.

We really wanted to support a local business (and one we're told is in difficulty due to ongoing roadworks nearby), but sadly we will avoid...

We recently hosted our Diwali celebration at Elai, and it was an incredible experience from start to finish! With around 80 people attending, we were impressed by how seamless the entire process was. Right from the early planning stages with Nithin, who helped us with choosing the food, to the final wrap-up, the Elai team went above and beyond to meet every request we had. They even reserved the whole restaurant just for our event, which made it feel extra special.

The restaurant's location is stunning—set right by the river, with swans swimming nearby. It was a perfect spot for photos, and we captured some amazing moments by the water. Inside, the decor is elegant and beautifully designed, creating a lovely atmosphere for everyone. We had the dance floor set up downstairs, and it was spacious enough to fit everyone comfortably, allowing us to enjoy the evening with music and dance.

As for the food, it was absolutely delicious! Both our vegetarian and non-vegetarian guests were thrilled with the variety, and everything was bursting with flavor. The dessert was a true highlight—an authentic Kerala treat that added a wonderful touch to the meal. And as a surprise, they even provided Diwali sweets on the house, which was such a thoughtful gesture.

The staff were incredibly friendly and welcoming, always smiling and attentive to our needs. Overall, we couldn’t have asked for a better place to celebrate, and we’d book with them again in a heartbeat, whether for dining or another event!Thank you, Elai team, for making our Diwali...