Tandoor temptations

Treat yourself to delicious North Indian cuisine at the Ceylon Continental Hotel

By Nizla Naizer

Copper plates and copper ceilings, wooden carvings and colourful seating, entering the Tandoor restaurant at the Ceylon Continental Hotel was like taking a trip to a favourite dining spot in India, the tricolour, Hindi music and all.
The attraction of Tandoor lies in its authenticity. From North Indian Chef Buddha Bahadur to the Manager Suresh who speaks fluent Hindi, from the latest heart warming Hindi songs emanating from the speakers to a true replica of the Taj Mahal in one corner, the entire setting at Tandoor makes you forget that you are still in Colombo, and in a restaurant in Agra. Beautifully embossed images of Emperor Shah Jahan and his wife Mumtaz on copper and paint lining a wall only helps reinforce that feeling as you sit on a chair painted in green, white and orange (the Indian tricolour), awaiting your North Indian meal.
Since its inception in 2002, Tandoor has attracted countless Indians, foreign nationals and Sri Lankans through its elaborately carved wooden doors. The ambience is welcoming and authentic. I was not joking about the copper ceiling. One part of the restaurant has brightly polished copper rafters while the crockery sticks to the true Moghul custom of copper plated tumblers and plates which are just as ornamental as they are useful.
Achcha hai!
Tandoor is quite simply, a purely North Indian restaurant. The Lasuni (garlic) naan that came my way was just perfect, while a personal favourite, butter chicken masala was the right combination of thick, curd filled gravy and tender pieces of chicken. The chicken biriyani and the raita was the ideal combination of cold and hot and the palak paneer (spinach and cottage cheese) could tempt the staunchest of non-vegetarians to give it a go. All dishes true to form are served in copper vessels but I loved the little copper bucket and ladle which is used to serve the delicious dhal makhni or butter masala dishes.
Tandoor, outdoes itself in the tandoori dishes. From the well done tandoor chicken to the bite sized pieces of tandoor mutton, try the special tandoor platter for a complete experience of true tandoori delights. Some of the signature dishes at Tandoor which have many patrons coming back for more include the gulnar jalpari tandoori (jumbo prawns), chicken tikka, mutton rogan josht, for the vegetarian, there is always the ever popular aloo gobi (potato and cauliflower), butter paneer masala and another personal favourite, the dhal makhni. If you haven’t tried these dishes already, I suggest now’s the time for a different culinary experience altogether.
Tandoor also has an extensive range of naans and rotis, from the shahi Naan (stuffed with cottage cheese) to the thin Rumali rotis, you have a selection to choose your mood.
The sweet lassi I tried at Tandoor was one of the best I have tasted in Colombo so far. The curd was blended just right and the sweetened flavour did not take away the delicious refreshing tang of the curd. I would recommend it as the ideal accompaniment to a rich North Indian meal.
And for dessert? You cannot go wrong with Tandoor’s delicious Gulab Jamun or Mango Kulfi, a typical Indian ice cream that is flavourful and irresistible. At the end of the meal, Chef Bahadur was promptly given a wide smile and a well deserved ‘Kana bohot achcha hai!’ (The food was very good).
Tandoor tamasha
In a bid to make the meal more entertaining, Ceylon Continental PR Manager Himali Wijesekera explained that very soon live music will be provided with sitarists and tabla players on the elevated dais at one end of the restaurant.
Currently, the restaurant has a buffet every Friday where for Rs. 1550 nett you are treated to a range of 12 different salads, a soup, veg and non-veg biriyani, five non-veg curries, four veg dishes, hot naans and 12-15 varieties of desserts. The restaurant also runs an offer where for every 10 pax who dine, one dines free. For lunch, try one of their wholesome ‘tali’, which is an all you can eat combination of rice, roti and several accompanying dishes.
A true taste of North India, head to the Tandoor at the Ceylon Continental to taste its delights.