Words by

Catharine Fulton

My eyes rolled somewhat when I saw the font Tandoori’s owners chose for the restaurant’s signage. It is glaringly similar to that of nearby Saffran. So, based on this first impression, I prepared myself between the car and the large automatic sliding doors of the building for a blatant rip off. Before I go on, I will maturely admit here in print that I was entirely wrong in doing so.
Tandoori is bright and sunny; its goldenrod and lavender walls making the large space seem all the more open and airy. A lovely locale in which to enjoy a mid-day work break. As I visited during the lunch hour the full menu was not on offer, instead my dining partner and I enjoyed a serviced buffet of five colourful warm dishes and a selection of cold salads, sauces and papadums (1590 ISK).
I sampled the tandoori chicken, saag aloo and chicken korma, while my date swapped out the korma for the vegetarian sabszi curry. Once our plates were sufficiently filled with chickpea and rice salads and a papadum each, what adorned our table was a vibrant feast for the eyes. The tandoori chicken was a shocking ruby red and was so evenly and expertly spiced as well as pleasingly moist and succulent that I would have been satisfied had that been my only dish of the day. Lucky for me, the saag aloo, combining spinach and chickpeas, among other things, with a house-blend of Indian spices—and the korma, so creamy and with an appreciated kick to it—rounded out this hearty and healthy sub-continental meal. My date was equally pleased by his choices, indicated by his satisfied silence until ever last morsel of food was cleared from his plate. Admittedly, I was equally silent and efficient in clearing my plate.
While it would have been nice to choose from the full menu during the lunch hour, the buffet dishes were so well prepared and fresh tasting, despite being made in bulk and kept warm, that I found myself content with the small selection. I look forward to visiting during dinner hours to sample some of the full menu.