Stepping into the sparkling space of Rishi’s Indian Aroma restaurant in Aberdeen, I imagine it was a little bit how Lucy felt upon discovering Narnia behind the wardrobe.
Many times, I had walked past Rishi’s on George Street noting the Indian takeaway.
However, from glancing at the dark glassed front which looks onto a reception desk, I had failed to realise there was also a restaurant hidden inside.
After being set right by a friend recently, I decided to find out what I had naively been missing out on.
Inside Rishi’s Aberdeen
One Sunday evening, my very hungry husband Chris and I quickly darted inside Rishi’s on George Street.
We had not managed to make a booking and were desperately hoping there would be a free table.
Walking into the reception area, we were very warmly greeted by the woman manning the desk and told we were in luck, there was a table.
This would have been a very short review otherwise.
We were guided down a corridor which then opened into a glowing and elegantly dressed space which housed a fairly large dining area.
Tables were dotted with white leather chairs and creatively folded red napkins and the space was lit by bright and cosy lights.
Making our way past a few groups of friends and families enjoying their meals, we were kindly seated by a window by the archway cut out of a middle wall.
The food
Turning our attention to the seven-page food menu, right away we were hit with a problem.
We were very hungry and there were too many good options.
The menu was full of a whole host of dishes, vegetarian and halal dishes included, and clearly marked for those with allergies and dietary restrictions.
It was very easy to read and used a lovely selection of photos to give a taste of what was to come.
After a lengthy browse, we decided on a divide and conquer approach with the starters and of course, ended up ordering too much.
This included a range of three starters: samosas, chicken sukka and masala dosa. Although we severely underestimated the size of that last one…
While we waited for the mini banquet to arrive, we enjoyed sipping our drinks, a pint of Cobra (£5.99) for Chris and a glass of Pinot Grigio (£6.99) for myself, and got caught up in the beautifully folded napkins.
It was not long however before a smiling team of staff swept our starters through.
The first to arrive were the samosas. Laid on a bed of salad, the three samosas were artfully surrounded by a beautiful display of a sweet and tangy sauce.
The main events themselves were perfectly crispy hot pockets and the filling was subtly seasoned making sure a range of flavours came through.
Next to grace our table was the chicken sukka which held an explosive mix of smokiness and spice.
The chicken was crispy but tender and was well immersed in the sharp and rich spices and flavouring.
I was a big fan of the level of heat in the dish which left it being a definite favourite of mine – Chris did not get much of a look in on this one.
Then the dosa appeared and I tried not to let my jaw drop.
Having never eaten dosa before, we were ill-prepared for the size of south Indian crepe-like cuisine.
Taking up half the table, the thin crispy pancake, made out of rice and lentil flour, was curled and presented on a silver platter.
Alongside it, were three chutneys and sambar (a lentil and mixed vegetable stew).
Not entirely knowing where to start, Chris and I slowly broke off pieces of dosa and dipped them into the chutneys and sambar.
As soon as we had tasted the first, our eyes met gleaming with a smile. We had made a great food decision.
As we alternated between dips, we discovered a new favourite when we spotted the spicy potato masala filling.
The potatoes were light, creamy and oozing flavour in a way that did not overpower the dosa and complimented it well.
It goes without saying the filling – and the food on all the plates – disappeared quickly.
The mains
As the clean plates were taken away, we had a moment to compose ourselves before our mains arrived.
Although, given the amount of food we had consumed, the hunger was certainly wearing off leaving me to wonder if I would make it through my main.
My husband still remained certain there would be no crumb, pool of sauce or grain of rice left behind on his plate but that was before his platter of a main arrived.
Carrying on the apparent theme of the night – wanting to try as many dishes as possible – Chris had opted for the non-veg thali for £15.95.
This consisted of a range of small tasters including a chicken curry, lamb curry, chicken 65, chana masala, raita, yoghurt, dessert, pickle, poppadoms, pilau or plain rice and a tandoori roti.
Presented on a round silver tray was a bowl of rice with a roti and poppadom placed on top surrounded by eight dishes. Even Chris’s eyes bulged a little at the sight.
He was quick to dive in and enjoyed going from dish to dish struggling to pin down a winning favourite.
I had gone down a simpler route and ordered the chicken chettinad curry for £12.45.
However, I wondered if I had been a bit of an overachiever in ordering from the extra spicy section. Especially considering the chicken sukka, with one chilli to its name on the menu, definitely had a kick to it.
After a few tentative bites, I realised I had been fortunate.
The south Indian curry is made with curry leaves, dried chillis, chopped garlic and ground coconut.
The sauce is dark in colour due to the roasted spices which created a rich blend of the spices, garlic and shallots.
It was seasoned perfectly and had a lovely kick to it and made for easy eating, especially when paired with mushroom pilau rice (£4.95) and garlic naan (£4.25).
The verdict
From the moment we walked through the door at Rishi’s in Aberdeen, we felt welcomed with warmth and friendliness.
The exceptional service and geniality displayed by staff at every turn on top of the generous portions of vibrant and delicious dishes is certainly an addictive mix.
It seems Rishi’s has managed to create a well-decorated and pleasant space which lends itself to ease and community and leaves customers feeling comfortable and surely always coming back for more.
We cannot thank the lovely people who served us enough and will certainly be making a return trip.
Information
Address: 210-212 George Street, Aberdeen AB25 1BS
T: 01224 633610
W: www.rishistakeawayaberdeen.co.uk
Price: £74.13 for two drinks, three starters, two mains and two sides.
Disabled access: Yes
Dog friendly: No
Scores:
- Food: 4.5/5
- Service: 5/5
- Surroundings: 4.5/5
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