Sultan Of Lancaster Indian Restaurant — Restaurant in Lancaster

High prices not very authentic taste. Went there on a Thursday evening with family. Not greeted on arrival but plenty of tables as was not busy at that time. Amazing looking restaurant. Chairs and tables were very out of place(old and worn, wobbly tables) and the cheap plastic table cloth, didn't match amazing decor of building and inside. Ordered staters chicken Tikka, lamb chops and seekh kebab. Did not look or taste fresh at all, taste like it was re heated and brushed with oil to look shiny. Very small portions considering the price for each item. For starters cost £16 got 4 cubes of chicken, 2 small chops and 2 of the skinniest seekh kebabs I have ever had( my fingers are fatter) also no sauces where given and probably a tablespoon sized of mixed salad. For mains got 2 dishes (1 chicken special and 1 lamb dewanna) and chicken biryani some naans and keema naan. Where to start special chicken dish was £17.95 and was small was supposed to be a authentic butter chicken dish but just tasted sweet with the same chicken as the starter. The lamb dewanna was also very small portion and a funny deep red colour and also very sweet. As British Asian I know my curries and this doesn't taste of anything I ever had I wouldn't class these dishes as Indian/Pakistani/Bangladeshi/Afghani at all nor Chinese/Taiwanese. Now for the biryani, this was not a biryani at all if lucky it was a very bad chicken pilau. Tasted as if the same chicken from the starter was used and re-cooked in the rice again with oil. This rice dish came with some weird vegetable sauce which was revolting. Also ordered mango lassi and some tropical juice which were ok. Keema naan and naan were very good and tasty these were made fresh best bit of the meal but for £2.95 a naan very expensive and small. Manager/owner was not really happy when we arrived to the restaurant my guess was he knew how bad his food was and me and my family being British Asian we know a bit about Asian flavours, we were not greeted by him, as when we came in the place was empty. Waiters were nice and efficient gave us new cutlery and plates for starters and mains. On paying for the food had to go up to the bar area to pay as bill just left on table and manager walked off without saying anything. Paid at bar and manager didn't even talk to me to ask about my meal as I was ready to tell what I thought but if he wasn't bothered I am not going to waste my breath. I decided to write this detail review to help other people who know the flavours don't bother, as I have seen lots of positive reviews I thought it will be good but was very disappointed. If you want authentic and very good service I recommend Sultan of Lancaster Experience located in the University of Lancaster very nice restaurant and modern I came to this restaurant the day after. What...

Well......

Just....oh my.

My girlfriend and I decided to go to the Sultan for dinner after stopping in Lancaster for the weekend.

I was suprised to get a table last minute on a sat night, I was even more suprised to see the restaurant half empty on arrival.

After being seated by a girl who sued the charm school, we began by ordering a jug of lemon sherbert, some popadoms and a long wait. All of which arrived promptly and we tucked in.

After polishing off the popadoms and our corriander in a jug we continued our long wait for our mains. The long wait consisted of the manager whizzing about the place in a haze of panic and confusion.

I hailed the waiter and politely asked for a bottle of water. Whether this was being collected from a Bangaladeshi river I do not know, as It took me three attempts of asking the waiter for it to arrive. It was lovely and warm.

Bang on an hour our food finally arrived. I ordered the Sultan special and my girlfriend ordered a mango exotic. Mine definately was special, a dish that would be best reserved as an exreme torture method for war criminals and mass murderers. Honestly though what I tasted was horrendous. A salty, dry lamb covered...and I mean covered, in fried onion pieces. The kind yoy get out of an american diner.

Now I love my food, and Ive never left a meal...but this was so bad I didnt finish it. The keemah nann that I ordered had virtually no lamb in it but was two quid more than a plain nann.

My missus mango exotic was more like Joe Exotic...excentric but lacking in taste. Two apricots presented themselves on the top of the coconut concoction, like two pasty white English buttocks on a beach in benidorm. The consistency was like vomit and the overpowering taste of coconut was all too much for my girlfriends delicate flowery tastebuds. Thus she too was forced put down her knife and fork, surrendering to the overpowering forces of flavourlessness like a cowering Argentinian after the falklands conflict.

In 10 mins of eating we were done and trying desperately to leave the building.....all the while being offered complimentary deserts by an embarressed manager.

Overall staff were polite and nice but service and food...

Impressive building, the restaurant is located in an old Methodist church and it's very ornately decorated. This a dry house so for anyone who insists on a beer or glass of wine with your meal you may be disappointed. The two waitresses didn't listen to requests and weren't particularly welcoming. There was a strange atmosphere and we didn't feel entirely comfortable. Some of the other diners were also very peculiar not that is the fault of the restaurant. We weren't bothered about the lack of alcohol but I think it should be made clear at the entrance and on their website to avoid any confusion.

The popodoms were greasy unfortunately. The starters weren't hot temperature wise. More like they had been reheated and not properly.

The Madras and Balti dishes with rice were pretty good. There was an abundance of rice. Sadly the garlic Naan was very chewy and tasted very sweet. It didn't look or taste great.

This place claims to be authentic Indian food and the inclusion of vegetarian thalis is a credit to that. It would've been nice to see paneer on the menu.

If you are looking for a classic BIR (British Indian Restaurant) which is actually Bangladeshi then this place isn't for you.

Ice cream at the end if the meal was a nice touch.

All in all, I really wanted it to be great and it fell short. The main dishes were good. The two front of house guys were welcoming and friendly but the wait on staff were...