Sakura Indian — Restaurant in London

NB This contains my post to Tripadvisor, plus more commentary at the bottom.

This was probably the most tasteless Indian meal that I have ever eaten! Completely bland, I even had to add salt, which is something I have NEVER done in any restaurant before! Starter was a very red coloured Tilapia, all food colouring, no spice whatsoever!

Main was shai aubergine that tasted of sugar but nothing else. We ordered many side dishes, cauliflower (gobi), tarka Dahl (could not taste any garlic), bhindi, sag paneer, all had no spice not the slightest hint of coriander, cumin, mustard seed, curry leaf ABSOLUTELY NOTHING! Garlic naan & mushroom rice also dreadful greasy paratha. I will not be going again. Nb it seems there no Indian people eating in this restaurant... I wonder why?

Above is what I put on Tripadvisor to which I will add that when enquiring if the management had changed because the food was very good a year or so before the pandemic, they said it has been in the same hands for 42 years and "next time" I should ask for the food to be made spicy! I pointed out that it is an Indian restaurant so I would expect to eat Indian food (it tasted more like boiled veg) and that I would not be returning, A great pity. Another friend had a very sugary chicken korma.

If the staff know that some people want exceedingly bland food, a warning would have helped. For example a wonderful Thai restaurant in Hastings always asks, "Would you like it mild, medium or hot?" and if you say Hot, they ask "Is that English hot, or Thai Hot" At least that way the customer can tailor their food choice to something that suits...

Please kindly excuse my inadequate vocabulary, English is not my native tongue.

Now, I'm not a man of many words,

But I recently had the pleasure of dining at your establishment, and I wanted to take a moment to express my sincere appreciation for the outstanding experience I had. I must say, this restaurant truly exceeded my expectations in every way.

First and foremost, your food was nothing short of excellent. Each dish I tasted was a symphony of flavors, showcasing the authenticity and quality of your cuisine. The attention to detail and the use of the finest ingredients were evident in every bite, leaving me thoroughly impressed.

However, what truly made my visit memorable was your amazing staff. From the moment I walked through the door, I was greeted with warmth and genuine hospitality. Your team's dedication to ensuring a memorable dining experience was palpable, and it truly set you apart.

The knowledge and passion exhibited by your staff were exceptional. They were not only well-versed in the menu but also took the time to offer recommendations and share insights about the dishes and their cultural significance. It added a wonderful educational element to my dining experience.

I can confidently say that this restaurant is now one of my top recommendations for anyone seeking an authentic and unforgettable Indian dining experience. The combination of excellent food and an attentive, knowledgeable staff is truly commendable.

Thank you once again for a remarkable dining experience. I look forward to visiting your restaurant again soon and sharing this exceptional find with my...

if i could give this a 0 for service i would, we booked to come here for our friends birthday and we were first told we could only have the set menu ( we had called 3 times to make sure we could have the normal a la carte menu as we were drinking too and wouldn’t be able to finish 3 courses ) he then told us if he was to give us the a la carte menu we would get charged £5 each on top ????? we then got our food, was probably the worst indian food i’ve ever had tasted too sweet to swallow and each dish tasted the exact same we then all had around 2 drinks with our meal and when the bill came i was charged £77 ?? I asked him why and how this was possible and he told me you have to just pay it, we calculated the bill and it should have been 30-35 each?? Staff were shocking and made awful comments all night, told us at the beginning to write a good review on here show them and get a feee shot (thank god i ignored them )...