Tamatanga Leicester

Tamatanga Leicester is a fab addition to the city’s food scene. Located in the well known city centre shopping centre, High Cross, it is a easy to get to and situated near the other eateries.  

Ambiance:

Tamatanga has a relaxing environment where you can enjoy a drink and/or a meal. You can dine Al Fresco too if you fancy.  There is a great buzz inside and I have heard the atmosphere in the evenings is pretty good too. The restaurant prides itself in serving fresh homely food.

Staff are upbeat and the Tama Team definitely know how to make you feel welcome.

The decor is on trend (yes Instagram friendly)! With beautiful light fittings, neon signs and a colourful flower wall you are sure to get at least one photo in the restaurant.

Drinks:

The drinks menu has a good selection. You can enjoy a drink by the bar whilst you wait for your table or just go for a drink. Every day between 12pm and 7pm,  they have 2 4 1 on cocktails.

On the evening Kev started with a Tama Shandy (a mixture of ginger beer and cobra) which he enjoyed. I went for the mango and chilli mojito and it sure got my appetite going. Perfectly garnished and just the right balance of sugar it did hit that spot. To go with our meal Kev has the mango lassi while I enjoyed another cocktail. The lassi consistency was perfect and it tasted how it should.

I had the Delycheeous cocktail. Gin based with lychee juice, lime, passionfruit and pomegranate I could easily have had a few. Both cocktails were beautifully garnished too. At the end of the meal, I had a chai (with two desi style biscuits “yum”). The chai was just how I like it: Strong, sweet, slightly spicy and milky.

Food:

I have been to Tamatanga before and loved it! This time was no different. The food comes out as and when it is ready so you know it’s not waiting around on that hot rack.

Chaat Please: There are three dishes in this section. We went for the Chaat Bomb. Street food is my favourite and when available I have to have it. The puris were crispy, tamarind tangy, yoghurt sweet, pomegranate crunchy and spices were spot on. It was delicious.

Small plates: Gunpowder Paneer: Paneer and pepper pieces perfectly coated with spices is another favourite of mine. The paneer was soft and enjoyable. £5.95 for four chunks of paneer was reasonable.

From the clay oven: First class lamb chops: 5 marinated lamb chops came on a plate with the famous Tamatanga fries, a bowl of tarka daal and dressed salad.The lamb chops have got the bone part covered in foil so you don’t need to get your fingers messy.

You can choose fries, rice or naan with the dish). The fries are a favourite of mine.

The lamb chops were beautifully flavoured. They could have been a bit more tender but we still enjoyed them.The daal was made well and the dish was great value for money at £13.95.

Curry Bowls:

Prawn Nilgiri: A coconut based curry with fresh coriander and mint, the prawn Nilgiri will not disappoint you. All their curry bowls sounded delicious. You get a good number of juicy prawns and the curry has a nice blend of flavours. We chose garlic naan to go with the curry but like the lamb chops, you can choose rice or fries. There was evidence of garlic in the naan and they were soft and perfect. Another great value dish at £12.95

Desserts:

It’s not an Indian restaurant unless there is chai, ras malai and gulab jaman on the menu! Tamatanga definitely ticked this box. I went for the chai which came with two typical Indian biscuits (perfect for that dunk).

The chai was sweet, strong and slightly spicy just like I like it. The biscuits filled that tiny gap I had left after the meal. Kev went for the gulab jaman. Warm, soft juicy balls of sweetness served with vanilla ice cream. Absolutely delicious and a good portion size too.

I enjoyed my meal at Tamatanga and look forward to returning for more cocktails and food. Try it for yourself..You will not be disappointed.  They have branches in Nottingham, Birmingham and Leicester. More information can be found online.

Tamatanga Leicester: Highcross, 1 Shires Lane,  Leicester LE1 4AN
TEL: 0116 444 3434 EMAIL: leics@tamatanga.com

Neha

Disclaimer: The meal was complimentary thanks to Cool As Leicester & Tamatanga. There was no obligation to write a post. All opinions are my own.