Occasion: Works night
Party Size: 11
Overall Rating: *** Average
Date Visited: October 2012
Price Per Person: £10.95 Early bird deal x3 dishes
Price Per Person: £10.95 Early bird deal x3 dishes
Nawaab claim to be the “Home of the Finest Asian Cuisine” situated on Wellington Street this Indian restaurant is close to the train station and the financial quarter of Leeds City Centre. Due to the location you are close by to numerous bars such as Toast and Lazy Lounge so this is an ideal restaurant to follow on to after work.
The venue itself is quite big, modern and light. Not the finest setting compared to Akbars and Aagrah but it is nice and the tables are well spread out. The staff were very attentive and to say we were a large group the service was good. There were no wrong orders and everything came out in good time.
As a group the majority took up the Early bird offer whereby you get 3 dishes for £10.95 (starter, main course, side) before 7pm. The menu choice for this deal was surprisingly good, with a selection that pretty much covered 90% of their main menu and was more varied than some of the other competitors.
I went for the Tandoori Chicken Tikka Starter wanting something grilled and light. The portion was big and the chicken was nicely flavoured. Others at the table ordered, Samosas, Onion Bhajis, Vegetable Pakora and Chilli Pakora. All the starters were tasty and
generous - worth the price if buying off this deal (price range from £3.20-£5.50). Special note to the Chilli Pakora - these were Hot! A real treat for those who like things spicy but I think it would be a challenge to finish them all without getting heartburn.
The main courses at Nawaab cover pretty much everything Balti, Biriyani, Korma, Masala, Karahi, Madras etc with an impressive selection of 9 Vegetarian main courses. I ordered the Balti Chilli Chicken, with boiled rice and a chapatti. The curry was a lovely thick and rich consistency, not swimming in oil/ghee. The flavours were good and there was plenty of chicken. This dish came with a hot rating and it delivered, nice and spicy but not too hot to handle. I didn’t think the chicken was as tender as I have had before but I am not sure whether this is down to the way it was cooked or the quality of the meat. The rice was well cooked, very fluffy and a decent portion (enough to share) the chapatti was fresh but I felt mine was a bit doughy. A friend had the chicken Biriyani which came as a huge portion with a separate sauce on the side. Others had the Lamb Madras, Nirali Special and the Achari to name a few. Everyone was pleasantly surprised with the standard of the dishes and everyone enjoyed their meals. Having starters as well and given the big portions there were a few “doggy bags” going home!
However, I must now go on to the bits that didn’t meet our expectations. There was only a single toilet for ladies – given the size of the restaurant that was surprising and the toilet didn’t seem to be as clean/nice as the restaurant area. 2 of the diners at our table found a hair in their curries. They were both sat at opposite ends of the table and let’s just say they didn’t match their hair colouring! Then at the end of the meal when we came to settle the bill it all got a bit awkward when we came to pay on card. As a restaurant they clearly prefer people to settle in cash. But in this modern world if diners choose to pay on card then it should be accepted. We unfortunately experienced the waiter pushing us to settle by cash which was rather embarrassing. He then insisted the card machine was broken. When we said we did not have enough cash to cover the bill they then reluctantly said they would get the machine which turned out to not be broken but slow. It was all a little disappointing and unprofessional and this was pointed out to the manager who was very apologetic and gave the table a more than acceptable discount.
Overall this restaurant is very affordable for the city centre with starters under a fiver and mains approx £7-£10. They also do a Set Menu along with the early bird deal we had at £10.95. We booked a table for the evening but given the size of the restaurant I think you could probably just turn up and be seated. This place is nothing special it certainly is not the “Home of the finest Asian Cuisine” as they claim. However, the curries were tasty, the portions good and the service generally good. Ideal place to go with friends and colleagues but if you are looking for something a little more special then there are better competitors in Leeds.
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