This Indian restaurant in Rugby has a good reputation. Previous visits have been pleasant with attentive service and excellent food. We were looking forward to a good night out.
A table for seven was booked to celebrate a family birthday. Despite the reservation taking place some three weeks earlier, we were seated at a table that was too small for the party. A table for 6 with the 7th chair positioned awkwardly at the end, the chair then effectively blocking the space between us and another table. The restaurant did rectify this after we requested more room.
Food quality cannot be faulted. As a party, we all started off with popadoms and then our mains. My wife and I both eating mixed biryani dishes with lamb, chicken and prawns. The food was without doubt excellent. All appeared to have enjoyed their mains which was pleasing after such a long wait.
The difficulty we faced on this occasion was that the restaurant was so busy at peak on a Saturday (7pm), restaurant tables appeared to be second priority to take out orders. We waited one hour and 10 minutes before our main courses appeared (which is far too long). Meanwhile, we saw many take out orders prepared and whisked past us.
The staff were all pleasant but they needed to be much more attentive. You had to prompt them for more drinks and enquire where your food was. No one is assigned to your table overseeing your table experience. The staff appear to work as a team but the failing is that no one is personally aware and in tune with the table guest experience. Without doubt, take out and phone in orders were turned around quicker than restaurant table guests.
While a pleasant evening, when wishing to request the bill, it was requested several times and a dessert menu brought over after a bill request.
Would I eat here again? Yes I would as the food was excellent. However, I would avoid peak Saturday night.
My advice to the restaurant is that you need to focus on your table guests as attentively as your desire to handle take out orders. A table guest waiting excessive wait times does not want to see numerous large bags of take out orders pass by and see no food being delivered to restaurant guests. A system whereby it is obvious that allocated staff are working and look after sections of tables would make sense.
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