Tandul — Restaurant in Cleveland

Every neighborhood needs to have within its confines a good Indian restaurant. It just has to, right? So I was pretty excited when I saw Tandul open its doors a few years back. Since then, we've dined here three times and every time we've left completely stuffed and satisfied. From the traditional music playing in the background to the friendly, albeit sometimes awkward service paired with some of the tastiest Indian food I've experienced in Northeast Ohio, Tandul is firing on all cylinders.

First, a couple of things that prevent me from bestowing the coveted 5-stars. As I mentioned above, the service, while friendly and prompt, can lean a bit toward the awkward side. I'm sure it's a combination of the language and culture barriers getting in the way, it's just that sometimes you're not sure if you understood your server and sometimes they're not sure if they understood you and you're both like - um, yeah, nodding your head with a smile hoping for the best. It's not a huge deal, just don't be shy and ask several times if necessary.

The service is really good, though. You're immediately greeted when you enter, as soon as you're seated you're brought over some complimentary papadum chips and dips to nosh and waters are always filled - almost obsessively so. They also do a nice job of pacing the dishes, which can be a big deal if you want to sample your way around the menu.

The other thing that bums me out a tad, and this is even more minor (mostly because they're a traditional Indian place) is the fact that they don't offer draught beer. They do have a decent bottled beer selection and they're really cheap. I'm talking $4.50 for a Dogfish Head Namaste or Victory Golden Monkey. They've also got a few Indian beers on the list, inexplicably priced at $8 each (they're pale, yellow lagers, so...). If wine is more your thing they also have a rather solid wine list and a full bar if you wanna booze it up. Now on to the food.

Among the half dozen or so Indian joints I've patronized in the Cleveland area, Tandul has to be the hottest. Seriously. Be prepared to have your tastebuds seared off. Even the samosas are blazing. While you can ask to have your food's heat level modified to suite your tastes (tell them from 1-10 how hot you want it), even my wife's level 1 dishes were considerably spicy. I enjoy hot wings and the occasional habanero salsa, so my level 5 was spot on for me. I'm just saying, these folks are not stingy with the hot peppers. If spicy food isn't your deal, you probably don't want to eat here.

The food really is the reason to come to Tandul. Everything we've had here - lentil soup, Manchurian paneer, samosa, pepper chicken, chicken vindaloo, alleppey vegetables - has been cooked perfectly and beautifully spiced. One of the things I love most about Indian food is the incredible depth of flavor they manage to get with relatively simple ingredients. The chef at Tandul cooks from the heart, you can taste it. Speaking of taste, you have to try really hard not to fill up on the naan bread at this place. We go a bit crazy every time we come here, ordering both the garlic butter and cheese naan, and it's ridiculously addictive. Chewy, crispy, hints of oven char. Perfect for sopping up sauces or wrapping 'round chunky bits....

As my friend group was wrapping up a session of ax throwing at a local establishment in middleburg heights, we were trying to collectively decide on food. With a group of 8 people, this is typically somewhat challenging. As we listed of general types of restaurants, Indian food hit for pretty much the entire group immediately. My wife suggested Tandul as she had been there several times before and very much enjoyed it. We called ahead to make sure they would be able to accommodate our group (yes, it was no problem) and we headed out.

If you are not familiar with the Tremont area, awesome area of Cleveland that has really gotten a glow up over the past 15 years or so. The challenge though, is that space is at an extreme premium and there is a significant residential presence throughout the area. As such, most restaurants and establishments do not have their own parking and you must rely on street parking. With the popularity of the region, combined with all the residents who mostly don't have driveways or garages, it can make for some very challenging parking at times.

In our case, we had to drive three separate vehicles unfortunately and our party parked from 1-4 blocks away amongst the three of us. Not a big deal in fair weather but just something to be aware of.

Once we arrived at the restaurant, we were seated quickly and the staff immediately took drink orders. Once our party has a chance to review the menu, the staff stopped back (again very quickly) to grab our orders. Sadly, the hand held terminal our waitress was using crashed on her after mostly finishing our orders and she had to grab a backup and retake the orders. She was very apologetic and we completely understood technology is just fun like that sometimes.

Once our food arrived, our group dug in quickly. A few of us at the table are not able to tolerate much spicy heat so our waitress ensured ours was put in as mild as possible. For me, my chicken tika marasala and peppered mushrooms were the perfect amount of season, spice, and flavor. My friend, who generally has the same tolerance as me, found her chicken tika marasala a bit too spicy for her overall. Our waitress brought out a yogurt based sauce to help dial down the heat a bit which was very appreciated by my friend.

Overall consensus amongst the group was that they very much enjoyed everything they ordered and the food was quite flavorful, well spiced/seasoned, and a good portion size. Everyone needed to go containers and were excited to chow down again the following day on their choices.

Our group would absolutely recommend Tandul if you are in the mood for Indian cuisine and find yourself near or around the...

My recent encounter with Lamb Rogan Josh cooked in what was supposed to be Kashmiri style gravy turned out to be a woeful disappointment. As a lover of Indian cuisine, I was eager to try this renowned dish, but alas, it was one of the worst tastes I have ever encountered. Right from the start, the presentation left much to be desired. The dish lacked any semblance of finesse, with the lamb pieces appearing unappetizing and overly dry. The aroma, far from the delightful spices I had anticipated, was not there, almost making me hesitant to take a bite. Regrettably, the taste of the Lamb Rogan Josh was equally disastrous. The meat, instead of being tender and flavorful, was tough and chewy, he spices that should have been the dish's highlight were strangely muted. The so-called "Kashmiri style gravy" was far from authentic. It lacked the complexity and depth, ailing to evoke any sense of the exotic spices one would expect from a true Kashmiri preparation. Instead, it was excessively red cury it look like there was food color was added into it for making look like authentic Kashmiri style lamb rogan josh. The experience left me questioning the restaurant's commitment to quality and authenticity. It was evident that corners were cut in the preparation, resulting in a dish that did not do justice to the rich heritage of Indian and Kashmiri cuisine. I regret to say that this dish ranks among the worst I have ever tasted, and I cannot recommend it to anyone seeking an authentic and enjoyable culinary journey.

"I highly recommend the young lady named Kaira at Tandul Indian Restaurant! My takeout experience reached new heights, thanks to her wonderful presence. Kaira dedication to customer satisfaction and infectious positivity set this establishment apart. When my takeout order was ready, Kaira presented it with the same care as a lavish dine-in experience. The impeccable packaging ensured no spills during transport. Her warm hospitality and genuine interest in customers made the encounter...