REVIEW: Tap & Tandoor, Solihull
Not wanting to give it all away in the first sentence, but Tap & Tandoor is exactly what Solihull has been missing.
Tara and I were welcomed by the friendly staff who directed us to our table (Number 14, my lucky number!).
I normally don’t like going to the bar to order food, but as we were quite close to it, I didn’t mind as much. Food ordered and a cheeky beer to keep us going until the starters came, owner Ajay came over to introduce himself and explain what he is trying to achieve here. Having been to sister venue, Zindiya, in Moseley I had some high expectations for this place.
Whilst also waiting for our starter, it was nice to be able to have a chat to one another without having to shout to get heard. Still keeping its pub shell, Tap & Tandoor is bright and welcoming, with a great family feel.
After just a short wait, despite the place being really busy for a Wednesday night, our starters turned up. Tara has the Chilli Paneer and I had the Amritsari Fish. I thought I’d try something new as I normally go for the safe options of Chicken Tikka or Sheekh Kebab, but I’m glad I tried this dish. The fish tasted delicious and with the two sauces we given, it made it even more heavenly. Being a gentleman that I am, I shared and also got to try some of the Chilli Paneer which was also really nice (Tara seemed to enjoy it, as it was gone in 2 minutes). Much saucier than other Chilli Paneer dishes that I’ve tried, it had a kick but just the right amount of spice.
Starters polished off and then it was the waiting game for our main courses. I had my back the kitchen so had to endure Tara constantly thinking our mains were coming out – it’s like they were teasing us every time food came out. The wait was actually very short… we (she) were just being impatient because the starters had been so great.
Tara had the Mixed Grill and I had the Chicken Curry, which sounds boring but Ajay had explained earlier that their curries were made just like “the ones [they] have at home” so I just had to try one. Served up with chips (don’t judge me… I have to have chips with a curry), Beer Battered Onion Bhajis (some of the best bhajis I’ve ever had) and Chilli Cheese Naan to share.
As you can see from the picture we took, the food looked amazing… and tasted even better.
Let’s start with the curry; it was absolutely delicious, and as Ajay explained to us before, they try to use the ingredients from home and boy did it work (I could happily eat one of these everyday). Then onto the mixed grill… Tara loved it, especially as she asked for the extras (King Prawns and Salmon). She’s a real mixed grill kind of girl so knows when one isn’t up to standard, but this didn’t disappoint. Being lovely as she is, she let me try some of the Sheekh Kebab and Chicken Tikka – both tasted really good and not dry at all; both moist and very flavoursome. Served up still sizzling, the mixed grill was everything you could want – packed full of succulent meat, seasoned to perfect.
The chilli cheese naan was just so fluffy and moreish (would of taken some home in a doggy bag if it had lasted long enough) and the beer battered onion bhajis were the best I’ve had. Using an IPA from behind the bar, they were smooth, full of texture, and the highlight of the meal. That said, all of it was great and we’ll definitely be going back again.
I think Tap & Tandoor has really hit on something here. It’s not a formal restaurant and it’s not street food. If you wanted a curry with the family, or just a few beers and snacks with friends, it absolutely does the job for both. Really impressed with the place and I can definitely see myself going more often.
I want to give a shout out to Ajay and the team; they made myself and Tara feel so welcome and didn’t rush to get us out of the door. We didn’t have to wait long for them to clear down the table inbetween courses, and they did ask if we wanted dessert but we were both too full for that.
*I want to say thank you to Lucie Ray-Barrett for the invite to this new restaurant in Solihull. I didn’t have to pay for this meal as I was coming to do a review on behalf of Midlands Business News, but the words are all my own and I’ll definitely be back!*
