The Jaipur is one of the most eye catching restaurants you will see and looking at this establishment alone makes you want to eat there. Their website claims Jaipur is the largest Indian restaurant in Europe, if not the world. This statement left me thinking; “Impressive, but what about the food?” So it was time to give it a try. We made our booking for 8 o’clock on a Thursday evening and on arrival, we were greeted by a large gentleman, fabulously dressed in Indian attire. He opened the door for us and my guest and I were then met by the smiling and welcoming waiting staff. We decided to be seated immediately.

Décor

Jaipur is equally impressive to the eye on the inside as it is out. Immaculately furnished, they do a tremendous job is creating a cosy feel to the place despite the fact it is so large and also has reasonably high ceilings. A large water feature forms the centrepiece to the restaurant. A partition runs along one side where there are several comfortable seats for guests wishing to enjoy a drink before or after their meal next to a piano. This area is often used for business functions and is ideal for anyone looking to entertain in large numbers.

Food

We chose the usual papadoms to start with the accompanying chutneys and whilst enjoying these, we gave ourselves plenty of time to view Jaipur’s extensive menu with countless main courses, seafood selections, specials and vegetarian dishes.

My guest started with my recommendation of King Prawn Puri, spiced prawns with tomato sauce rolled into a fine bread. £6.95. This was beautifully presented on an almost square white plate. The prawns were incredibly meaty, and the sauce was spicier than expected, but tasty all the same. I opted for the Raunaq-E-Seekh, aromatic lamb mince infused with herbs and spices skewered and barbecued. £5.95. This was satisfactory but the lamb was probably ever so slightly overcooked.

For mains my guest ordered the Pistachio Chicken Korma, breast of chicken pieces in silky pistachio sauce flavoured with cream. £7.95. We ordered Jeera Pilau (cumin flavoured Basmati rice) to share and this arrived in a huge white bowl which could easily have been shared amongst six people. But back to the Korma. This was tasty, creamy and the chicken tender. A simple dish maybe, but one of the better Kormas we have tried.

I stayed loyal to the lamb and ordered Aachari Gosht, spring lamb pieces cooked in yoghurt, curry leaves and a tingling mix of pickled spices. £7.95. This again arrived hotter than expected but it certainly was not overpowering. Past experiences of Indian food has shown me that there is a fine line between a tasty dish, and one that loses it’s taste by being too spicy. With the Aachari Gosht, the chef got this one spot on!

The Peshawari Naan was outstanding. The bases of naan’s only have to be slightly burnt to ruin the flavours of these breads but this was cooked to perfection and I liked the way it arrived cut into quarters. This made it easier to eat rather than picking up a whole plate’s worth of bread to break into pieces. Compliments to Jaipur here for not only producing good food but also for considering the customer’s eating experience. The side order of Bombay potatoes was also enjoyed and these were as they should be, incredibly soft, lightly spiced and not too oily.

The dessert menus in Indian restaurants normally disappoint. Whilst Jaipur had many of the classics listed, there were also traditional Indian desserts alongside a long list of yummy treats including Punky! My beautiful guest and I were both very full but wanted to try something that would sooth the pallet and cool us down a little. We agreed to share the Tasty Lemon Cake, a tangy lemon cheesecake set on a digestive biscuit layered with lemon mirror topping. £3.50. This was one of the strangest cheesecakes we have tried with a mixture of cream and ice cream but it was a fantastic choice to end on and I will definitely order this again when I return.

Atmosphere

A piano played nearby for the duration of our stay and whilst ‘live’ music is normally well received, this was probably a little on the loud side. It certainly added to the atmosphere but I was dreading the possibility of one of those comical moments you see in films; raising your voice to be heard by your guest only for the music to suddenly stop with the whole restaurant hearing your every word. Thankfully this did not happen but you should not have to raise your voice when dining.

Service

I had actually heard mixed reviews before visiting Jaipur so this was an area I paid particular attention to. I found the waiting staff to be attentive, thoughtful and welcoming. They work as a team and in their eagerness to please, you may find one asking you a question you have previously been asked by another. Although initially I felt they were too quick to take our drinks order, and I did worry at that point that we might feel rushed, they looked after us well and from that moment on we were given all the time in the world to choose our food. Our dishes arrived promptly and in conclusion, the service we received from the immaculately dressed staff added to the experience.

The Jaipur offers a pretty unique dining experience and whilst some of the dishes are perhaps priced on the high side, it’s definitely a place to be enjoyed whatever the occasion, whether that be for business or pleasure.