Duchess Of Delhi — Restaurant in Wales

Such a disappointment. On the day we went it was cash only and some things I had to ask the waiters for twice like a drink (no water was offered) and a fork as I’d used the only one on the table for my starter so I was sat staring at my meal for about five minutes as well as trying to get a waiter’s attention for about five minutes. The food was lovely although disheartening as we had apparently looked at an older menu and some things were now no longer available since Covid. Also the prices have sharply risen since then it seems! My meal with a starter (the samosa which is highly recommended), poppadom (the pickled lime possibly the best I’ve tasted), and sharing rice and a naan (which is very dry) with my friend came to £45 with two pints of kingfisher on draft. The main meal was £18. I’ve been to restaurants in central London that charge less than this where you get bigger portions as well, I walked away still feeling hungry and also very surprised no kulfi was on the menu either. I feel the restaurant need to up their game a little. The decor is a bit tired as well. Like I say, an overall disappointment and considering where it is this could be a superb restaurant and even gives you that sense of promise with the well written menu too. Won’t be rushing back for the sake of lime pickle and a rather nice samosa (also very overpriced at £10.50). Do trust previous reviews. It’s not the worst in Cardiff but it’s not the best and is very average and extremely overpriced for what you get, plus frustrating the “classic” curries are £6-£8 extra for meat options… I don’t believe even the best Indian restaurant in town (this is another Benghali restaurant btw) charge £18 just for a meal nor £5 for rice. It’s just far too expensive for the portion sizes and the quality of the food and the service isn’t the best. Friendly enough but also even though it wasn’t particularly busy they looked like they couldn’t be bothered or were on auto pilot. I believe the manageress was in and she was friendly enough however. Other Indian style restaurants are in the bay and dare I say actually taste better and offer better value for money over in the red dragon centre....

As someone who was born and raised in Delhi and has been living in the UK for the past five years, I have to say this was the worst restaurant experience I've ever had. I recently visited a restaurant Duchess of Delhi that claims to bring the authentic flavors of Delhi to its patrons, but the reality couldn't have been further from the truth.

Right from the start, things went downhill. The restaurant has an absurd policy that they won’t serve starters unless you order a main course first. As a Delhiite, I know the joy of sampling a range of appetizers and sharing them with friends and family, but this restaurant seems determined to rob customers of that experience. When we asked to order just a few starters, we were met with rude and dismissive responses from the staff. Their attitude was nothing short of horrible, and it was clear they had no interest in providing a welcoming or enjoyable dining experience.

The behavior of the staff was shocking—they were not only unhelpful but downright rude. It was as if our presence was an inconvenience to them, and every request was met with a scowl or a curt reply. I have never felt so unwelcome in a place that is supposed to offer hospitality.

To the owners, I would like to say: stop using the name of Delhi. The city I come from is known for its incredible food, warm hospitality, and vibrant culture. This restaurant is a disgrace to that reputation, and it certainly doesn’t deserve to be associated with Delhi in any way. If you’re looking for a place that respects its customers and serves great food, avoid this place at all costs. This was a deeply disappointing experience, and I won’t be returning and also the guy asked us to leave if we didn’t order...

We had eaten here once before, again on the evening of an international rugby match day, and had enjoyed our experience, both with regard to the food and atmosphere. Hence this much more recent return in March 25 mid-evening after another international match. The online table booking procedure went well, and we arrived as arranged. We were immediately shown to our table, and were then immediately rather hustled for our drinks and papadoms etc appetiser order, which was delivered to table very quickly indeed. However we then had to wait a full 40 minutes before any of the waiters/waitresses returned to take our further meal order, which only happened even then after further chasing. During that 40 minutes we were made very well aware of adverse comments being made from several of the other neighbouring tables regarding slow service. It was then a full 1hr 15 minutes after arriving at the restaurant that our main course meals were eventually delivered to table, again only after chasing. Throughout, and as mentioned in other customer reviews, we were not at all impressed by the surly, impatient and abrupt attitudes of the seemingly larger number of more senior restaurant staff to certain younger staff, and were just left feeling that several of these more senior staff could spend their time better actually serving and ensuring close and regular customer care, rather than micro-supervising the small number of younger staff who were clearly trying their best. Given all of this experience, we will definitely not be returning to the Duchess of Delhi....