The Taj Bar and Grill, on Hinckley Road received the attention of our monthly appraisal and review excursion for November. It had slipped below our radar until now, so it was time to give it a chance of impressing the team and scoring highly in our 2022 ratings.

The booking was made under the name of The Leicester Curry Club and the management was aware of the purpose of our visit, so a little effort to please was expected from the staff together with good food and attentive service. The restaurant was busy for a midweek evening and that might go some way to explaining why we were somewhat dissapointed, but it doesn’t excuse a poor performance.

We were served with our drinks, poppadoms and two pickle trays between the five members, which always makes things easier for more than two or three diners. We studied the menu on offer and selected one Chicken Taj Tower, one Chicken Rogan Josh, one Chicken Saag with Chana, one Chicken Curry on the Bone, one Medium Sizzler, one Plain Naan, one Garlic Naan, one Keema Naan, two Special Rice, one Plain Rice and a side of coriander.

When our meals arrived they were generally tasty and enjoyable in line with many other local restauarants that we have reviewed, but not exceptional. The big problem, however, was that one of our members was served with what was supposed to be a Chicken Tawa that was quite unlike any Tawa that any of us have had in the past, this on its own would not normally have raised an issue, but the dish and food were cold!

Discussions ensued, with the management being involved and the dish was finally replaced with an acceptable meal. Comments from our members in the appraisals that were later received were that while the food was generally acceptable, the service was poor with an inattentive and ambivolent attitude towards us and one of the naans was also cold.

We were left with an overall feeling of dissatisfaction, which rather spoilt the evening for us, so we were happy to pay the bill, which was near enough thirty pounds per head, and leave.