Ever a korma-lover, I have been to my fair share of Indian restaurants.
Although I am often mocked for choosing the mild dish, that hasn’t stopped it from remaining a firm favourite of mine since my first taste.
While often pressured to eat outside of my comfort zone – see Maria and I’s spice-infused Drive-Thru review – I allowed myself to choose an old favourite this time.
But I’m getting ahead of myself here.
It was the thought of a korma that beckoned me from down the street, when I spotted the bright frontage of the Broughty Ferry venue.
Clad in red paint, it looked warm and inviting from the offset, a tempting reprieve from the chilly weather outside.
We were cheerfully invited inside and directed to a snug table for two where we began to defrost.
Everything about the restaurant was warm: from the temperature inside, the yolk yellow walls and, of course, our welcome.
The restaurant wasn’t packed – yet – though the place had a pleasant cosy feel, with plenty of regulars sat about the place.
We were attended to swiftly, ordering drinks and hungrily eyeing up the menu.
Maria, former food journalist with The Courier, said she was a little overwhelmed by the size of the menu.
She had never been to an Indian Restaurant before, so the cuisine, and the huge range of choices, were a first for her.
Poppadoms, prawns and samosas – oh my!
Maria and I went for two poppadoms each, plus the pickle selection (£9.25).
Thankfully, we had both left room for our dinner, knowing that we’d be in for some sizable portions.
There was the typical tasty selection, which covered all the bases in a sweet, tangy, creamy and spicy mix.
Maria pronounced the mango chutney her favourite, as, unfamiliar with Indian cuisine, this sweet option was “safe”.
My favourite was probably the onion chutney, with its satisfying crunch and classic pink colour.
Next came our starters. I’d ordered the king prawn butterfly (£9.95) and Maria the vegetable samosa (£6.95).
The butterfly prawn had lovely light panko topping. The dishes arrived with an unknown pink sauce which was deliciously sweet and paired well with the very fresh-tasting prawns.
When we asked what was in the sauce, a waiter gleefully replied that it was their “secret” sauce.
The accompanying salad was nice but I could have done with some crispier lettuce.
Maria rated her samosas, which were filled with potato, peas, sweet corn and carrot. The filling wasn’t too spicy, but there was a nice flavour to it.
I tried a bit and was delighted that it wasn’t just a soggy mess of veg inside as can often happen with samosas.
And how was my korma? Drum roll please…
Now, we’re at the star of the show.
The dish that would make or break my trip to Indos restaurant.
So what did I think?
Well, we’re starting with Maria’s dish, so you’ll have to wait a little longer.
Another huge portion, my dinner date was grateful that her paneer and mushroom curry (£14.95) wasn’t too spicy.
The big chunks of paneer were well-cooked, with a really nice texture. Paneer, she says, is one of those cheeses that can feel dry and squeaky, but there was none of that here.
The mushrooms had a nice bite to them and weren’t slimy or disintegrated. There were plenty of onions, some of which were caramelised, which added a surprising sweetness to the dish.
The korma (£14.95) was even better than I had hoped.
With succulent, sizeable chunks of chicken and the lovely sweet sauce, it was like a warm, familiar hug.
The sauce was thicker than I’ve had before, but this made for more flavour and a better texture than some runnier kormas.
I loved the colourful pilau rice (£4.95) which soaked up the sauce perfectly.
You can’t forget the peshwari naan (£4.95) which, combined with the korma’s creamy, coconutty sauce, was almost like a dessert.
The naan was doughy in places and crispy in others, with that gooey sweetness inside.
Perfect pistachio kulfi at Indos
After the main, there was a bit of a wait for us to get served as the restaurant started to get busier after 7pm. It was clearly a popular spot.
Once we got the staff’s attention, we ordered a dessert.
We finished off with Indian ice cream – or kulfi – pistachio-flavoured.
With pistachios crumbled on top, the delicious creamy texture was the perfect end to our meal.
It wasn’t too sweet, nor too heavy, but a nice light dessert which was ideal for sharing.
The verdict
Although on the pricier end, the food at Indos was delicious. It was an excellent first venture into Indian cuisine for Maria.
The quality of service did deteriorate slightly as the restaurant filled up, but we got so much attention at the start that it made up for it.
I’d definitely recommend Indos – especially their creamy korma.
Information
Address: 289 Brook Street, Broughty Ferry, Dundee DD5 2DS
T: 01382 730930
Price: £80.80 for poppadoms, two starters, two mains, two soft drinks and one dessert.
Scores:
- Food: 4/5
- Service: 3/5
- Surroundings: 3/5
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