Lal Qila Restaurant (ZABIHA HALAL) — Restaurant in Carrollton

I would like to start out by saying, please be careful when signing event contracts. The details of the contract, especially additional fees and cancellation policies, are not explained by the owner. After reviewing and selecting menu options for the event, the owner will immediately skip to the signing page. The original quoted price per head does not include tax or 18% service charge. Please read every page of their contract. Two days after signing the contract (and 3 months before the event date), I’d called the owner to cancel the event due to personal reasons. And, I was told it cannot be done. Breaking the contract would have meant we pay a large penalty fee, even if it was just 48-hrs after signing. I was able to keep the original date, and was able to proceed as planned, but I was forced to select this location.

Here is my event experience:

Food & Drink –In General, food was below average. Chicken Tikka looked nothing like the dish it should have been. Vegetarian dishes were not flavorful. The only thing that tasted good was Chicken Kabab. I suggest you taste ALL your selected menu items before ordering for any event. In addition, soft drinks for the party weren’t offered when dinner was served. It was done AFTER I reminded the staff about it. Also, water was never refilled at the tables. It was only done AFTER asking the servers three times.

Service – The staff was friendly and willing to help once you engage them. I didn’t think it was my job as the host to remind them how to do their job.

Venue – Ambiance for this banquet hall is elegant, and as a host, you do not have to invest much into decorating this place. It is brightly lit and pictures come out very well. However, it lacks in other functionality, such as (1) projector (2) speaker quality and (3) clean bathrooms. A day before our event, we were told that the projector stopped working. The owner didn’t do anything to remedy the problem. We purchased a table projector to successfully run our slide shows and other presentations. They have very old and outdated music system that is NOT reliable. Their bathrooms had an awful sewage stench. I had noticed this issue a day prior to our event, and was told by the owner that they will have it fixed. It wasn’t fixed. We eventually had to put our own (timer) air fresheners which we’d purchased as a backup plan. Bathroom lights were also turned off during the event. I had to go the staff to request their help in this area as well.

Overall, my experience at LQ's Banquet Hall was extremely disappointing from start to end. I will not be a repeat customer and will not recommend this place...

The Chicken Samosa, despite the uneven frying, was surprisingly good. The complimentary Papad and name, Lal Qila, confused me about the heritage of this restaurant but obviously it is good to have a surprise or two when it comes to fine dining.

The Burns Road (yes the one that evokes childhood memories for many but totally unfamiliar to yours truly) Seekh Kabab Fry was more suited to be doused with a paratha or two but in my limited wisdom I chose to experiment with Kandhari Naan. Needless to add, I enjoyed both. The kebab spices were a rare restaurant dining treat because most restaurants do not use the key spices in controlled quantities to impart the distinctive taste of "seekh kebab".

The Namkeen Goat Karahi was indeed special. The only criticism, and a minor one at that, is that the chef adopted the prevailing practice of not trimming the meat. Why rely on a butcher's cut? Expediency?

The Kasuri Falooda was good too but ever so slightly thin because the ice-cream had not fully dissolved. Perhaps another tablespoon or two of the ice-cream would have made it perfect.

Sincerely appreciate the service. Even though the place was busy with two large gatherings (and the inevitable noise) the staff continuously kept attending our table. Every request on our part was met with a smile.

The interior decor was not our cup of tea but then we probably have a minority opinion in these types of decorations. Don't have any suggestions on this matter except to ignore it and enjoy the food and the service - which is precisely...

I ordered the biryani, nihari, goat kadhai, and naan. Unfortunately, the overall experience was disappointing.

Food:

The biryani was underwhelming. It was made with short-grain rice, which was surprising and not what you expect these days.

The nihari came with only three small chunks of meat in a large bowl which is definitely not worth the price.

The goat kadhai also had a small portion size, leaving much to be desired.

On a positive note, the naan was excellent. It was soft, fresh, and flavorful.

Service:

The restaurant was nearly empty, but service was still very poor.

The waiter was kind but extremely forgetful like there was no napkins and plates were given until we asked, and the water served was warm bottled water, not cold or filtered, which is disappointing given the price point.

It took 40 minutes for the food to arrive, which felt excessive given how quiet the place was.

Overall, this place has potential with its naan, but the quality, quantity, and service need serious improvement if they want to justify...