Indiana Cuisine — Restaurant in Wales

We had a very strange experience eating here, greeted with warm pints of Cobra which had been individually poured into pint glasses from bottles to give the illusion that they were on draft. This illusion was destroyed due to having only one bottle opener, and our first round taking over an hour to be served. They soon gave up and left bottles on our tables. I asked for a menu and was handed one takeaway menu between six with the comment “you don’t want to see what you’re eating here do you?” They brought out a selection of very deep fried snacks, the type that you would find in an ‘Iceland curry banquet’ pack. The mixed grill course was the redeeming feature, it certainly made up for what had been a dismal start. Then four very small curries arrived, with one piece of meat each, between the six of us as part of a larger group. Without forgetting the one bowl of rice to share with one Naan bread, so it’s fair to say that portion sizes felt conservative. The curries themselves were very good so no complaints from the one mouthful I had. The waiter/owner was a bizarre chap, he locked us in at one point because he either didn’t want other customers to arrive to create further chaos or he either thought we would leave without paying. There was no music to cut through the stale atmosphere, it was an all round strange evening. One of my fellow dining compatriots had to put some Bollywood classics on to create some ambience. The £36 per head fee for this experience was a surprise, although why wouldn’t you when you’re the only Indian in the area and when you’ve locked your punters in. Maybe give this one a miss if...

A hidden gem that's remarkably well used!

A full restaurant greeted us even on a blustery and very dark winter's night where we discovered a different take to the usual contemporary BIR (British Indian Restaurant) fayre. Here there is a strong emphasis on producing well balanced, delicately fragrant spiced food - rather than taking things to the more dizzy heights of the taste bud numbing scoville scale. It's nice to taste all the fresh ingredients, complimented, rather than dominated by the spice combinations.

A relatively small menu means that the dishes featured have all been mastered. Expect a convivial and unrushed dining experience because each dish will be freshly prepared especially for YOU. This isn't a grab a curry type meal. It's one to be savoured and enjoyed.

So. We discovered a genuinely authentic experience featuring some excellent Asian fayre in a very beautiful and unexpected rural location. I suspect this restaurant was once a closely guarded secret but I can see that the secret's out - especially amidst the more descerning lovers of fine subcontinental cuisine.

Booking, I would suggest is highly recommended because this is only a smallish restaurant of 20 or so covers. We were there on a pretty miserable winter's evening but the place was very well attended. I dare say the summer months means a regular full house.

Easy access from the railway station - for those who prefer to WINE and DINE.

A very pleasant surprise and a truly great find. One...

I think most people would agree that the best place to eat Indian food might be India. Failing that; the bigger cities in England where the taste has grown immensely since the 60’s. Being brung up in Derby and a citizen of the East Midlands I might not be an expert but am used to a variety of Asian cuisines. When I first visited this little restaurant a decade ago I was astounded to find such a brilliant chef and such a careful, attentive owner in far west Wales, off the beaten track, so far away from the big cities. I expected a plate of curry and rice and was, to our pleasure, astounded. A decade on we still visit Indiana Cousine every single time we visit Einion House, (the best guesthouse in the west), as the food is so good. Book early beforehand and discuss what you would like to eat with Raj. He will advise and you will not be disappointed. At the moment they are trying to restrict in house bookings but, as covid eases, that may change. The area, in general, has suffered much during the lockdown and the sea has not helped. The front looks run down which may be off-putting. Believe me none of that matters since the food is excellent. There is, simply, no better asian restaurant for a...