Gateway To India — Restaurant in Madeira Beach

My wife and I are out of town and gluten intolerant - a combination that can make it very difficult to find good tasting food. We hit the jackpot with Gateway to India!

First - the food:

We explained to Monty that we had gluten issues. Not an issue - he knew exactly what we meant and was ready to handle it. Again, nice to see!

My wife ordered the Chili Paneer and Chicken Tikka Masala. Monty asked how spicy she wanted it. Most places will ask, "One star, two star, or three star?" Monty used a ten point scale that was, for me, much easier to relate to. My wife wanted 3-4. After the Chilie Paneer arrived, I asked how it rated on his scale and was answered, "About a 4." When the food arrived it matched perfectly. The Chicken Tikka Masala was great; nice, rich, tasty, spicy!

I ordered the Chicken Jalfrezi, looking for some vegetables. This had that, and chicken, and spice, and taste! Wow!

For desert, we had some "pudding" made from carrots that is not a part of their normal menu. Who would'a thunk that one could make a rich and tasty treat from carrots that was soooo filling/satisfying and sweet ... but not too sweet, just right!

Note that they do carry-out, catering, and (I think) some sort of lunch(?) buffet.

Second - the decor. Very casual. Not shorts and t-shirts casual, but polo shirt and slacks. Fabrics hanging from the ceiling were just the right touch to turn the suspended ceiling into some quite a bit more welcoming. The walls were hung with appropriate art work and there was some free-standing imported shelving with other very interesting artwork. Nice touch.

Third - the service. We arrived and were greeted in a most friendly manner by Monty almost immediately upon entering the front door and shown to a table that was directly under the A/C vent. We vetoed that. Without hesitation, Monty suggested another table that was close to the A/C without being blasted by it. Wonderful.

We are in town for another three days and we will eating dinner that at least one more time before...

Ambience: 5/5 The restaurant is beautifully decorated and classier than other establishments we've been to. Cloth tablecloths and napkins. Nice water glasses. Full place settings at each seat. The guy taking care of us was dressed very professionally.

Cleanliness - 5/5 No complaints! Everything at our table was pristine. Place settings were all good. No funky smells or anything to deter us from the mouthwatering aromas of food.

Service - 5/5 We were greeted and seated and brought water in under 3 minutes of us stepping foot inside. Appetizers came out quickly and plates were cleared efficiently when entrees were brought. Lots of refills, our cups were never empty and we did not have to flag anyone down for anything. We were asked multiple times how our meal was. AMAZING service.

Food - 5/5 Everything was delicious. The samosas were flaky and hot. Filling was flavorful. The two sauces that came with them were both good. The chutney had a nice kick and the tamarind was a good sweet sauce. Onion bhaji - not greasy and you get 4 huge pieces. These were very tasty. My fish curry was flavorful, fish was nice and flaky. The butter and garlic naan - so yummy. The other orders at our table were the butter chicken and the chicken tikka masala - both very good as well.

We were happily full after our meal and will...

Nice environment and friendly staff makes this Indian restaurant feel welcoming. But the food is a complete miss. That said. It is the best in the area since it is also the only choice in the area for traditional Indian food. Having eaten and lived in places like NYC and DC and Phoenix and other places where Indian culture is more prevalent and the Indian food extremely traditional using proper ingredients, this may be a harsh review since when you have no competition you can produce marginal results. So here it is. Simple and to the point. The Naan was too doughy and chewy. The Curry Chicken had too much tomato and very little of the bold curry spice this traditional dish should carry. The Tikki Masala was flat out too thin on the sauce and it too lacked the bold kick this dish is known for, not to mention is was onvious the chicken was not cooked in the dish so it also lacked the beautiful flavor it normally would absorb. The tandoori was not soaked long enough in the mix either for the chicken to absorb the flavor and end up with the proper texture. The rushed cooking style and lack of truly traditional fresh spices and bold flavors are the theme here. Nice place. Nice folks. But the food a complete miss if you are accustomed to the quality you get in larger cities with substantial Indian...