Taj Palace

aquacous · Joined: 05 Jun 2006 Posts: 1

Awesome food but a long wait.

Been to the Taj Palace on and off for a while now. I don't think I've had better Indian food in Hobart. The Kafta Sham, which I think I'd describe as spicy Spinich dumplings in a yummy sauce, is delicious! The main problem is the wait. I believe Indian food usually takes a while for the good stuff (not from a bain-marie), but on a Saturday night I had to wait for an hour+.

Service is friendly but somewhat inexperienced unless from the owners.
The couple running the place even offered to mind my baby one lunchtime which was greatly appreciated.

Would like to know what other people think and then maybe run a poll on the best Indian in Hobart.

zesty · Site Admin Joined: 29 May 2006 Posts: 79

I have been here twice and had the same dish both times, because the first time it was so tasty. Some kind of cheese almond balls in an aromatic sauce. Yum.
The first time we went the service was appalling. We waited more than an hour for our main courses and getting drinks and extras was almost impossible.
The second time we went with some friends who knew the owner and had quite a different experience. Efficient indeed.
The balls were still yummy though.

jasonjames · Joined: 29 May 2006 Posts: 439 Location: Hobart

I went there for about the fourth time on Monday. It was fine. It was very quiet so the service wasn't a problem. The food was tasty. The wine was good and not over priced.

foodbitch · Joined: 30 May 2006 Posts: 518 Location: Verandah Llama

I was lucky enough to have the owner bring me in a large plate of samples. VERY tasty indeed, authentic too. Beats most of the other indian places for sure. Very Happy

jasonjames · Joined: 29 May 2006 Posts: 439 Location: Hobart

Sounds good. I tend to go for the Thali for a similar reason. It is nice to have a selection if you are eating with people who do not share.

sanga · Joined: 30 May 2006 Posts: 220

As authentic as Indian food gets in Hobart, I prefer the Palace to some more expensive places. It's nicely varied and doesn't suffer from every-curry-tastes-the-same syndrome. I learned recently that the nutty cheese balls are known as Malai Kofta. Tasty indeed. Have only been there weekday lunch when it was quiet so can't comment on the service except to say that it was friendly.

Ben Crothers · Joined: 02 Nov 2006 Posts: 202

It was a sack of dead bears.

Service wasn't the best. The lady in the sparkle dress was certainly a stunner!

The food was stodgy and plain. You only get one papp. I got the Malai Kofta medium and it was in no way hot and very untasty; way too much Almond. The accompanying cheese and spinach Naan was doughy, stodgy and sickeningly rich.

I couldn't finish my meal and felt sick for most of the rest of the night.

Might&Power · Joined: 10 Nov 2008 Posts: 13

Well, it was authentic indian.... The first (and only) time I went we got takeaway. Got home and the naan had hairs in it. So did my beef. I was a bit worried when I got there. Dirty, greasy walls, a cook prepping veges into a tub that was sitting on the floor, old stodgy rice in a cooker that looked like it hadn't been cleaned since the night before and the floors looked like it hadn't seen broom let alone a mop in at least 2 hours. But I stuck with it.. Bad idea! Next time I'll stick with gut instinct.

bri · Joined: 26 Feb 2008 Posts: 80

My favourite Indian in Hobart. Love the Thali. Got chicken korma takeaway recently and enjoyed it immensely. Was very pleased to find whole bay leaves, cardamon and cloves in the sauce, it had wonderful flavours.

Buffetslut · Joined: 19 Apr 2009 Posts: 163 Location: North Hobart

Ate in Saturday night. Got my usual favourite dishes - dhal makhini and chicken tikka masala, with a garlic naan. Both great, though the chicken tikka masala had less sauce than usual and too much onion and capsicum. Washed it down with two Kingfisher beers - nice beer. Used to eat here most weeks until we indianed ourselves out and craved other foods. Its definately the best indian in Hobart though, and was nice to revisit the place. I don't understand why the clearly inferior Annapurna is always packed out - the food there is average and not a spot on Taj. Last time I went to Annapurna my garlic naan had dried garlic from a jar instead of minced garlic, which I thought was pretty poor.

When Harry first started Taj, the wait times for meals could extend over an hour (!), but we had no such wait this time, and haven't for a long time really, so maybe they have got their act together. However, he did sit my dining companion and I alone in the upper section, which we initially thought was great as it was quiet and private, but then quickly realised it was next to the door that led outside to the freezing cold and to the bathrooms, and was broken so that each time someone went out, we would have to get up and close the door. I think we must have done this a good 20 or 30 times over the course of our meal! Fix the door Harry!

This aside though, Taj is definately the only place I go when it comes to indian. Its so tasty! Noting Might&Powers post - I have myself wondered about the hygiene of the place - indian being notorious for poor hygiene standards - but I haven't personally come across anything bad in my food, so don't feel compelled to stop eating there for now.

stuporman · Joined: 20 Sep 2009 Posts: 22

Aye - I've endured sitting in the top area, right under the tangle of cables that ensures they can see all the cricket being played around the world. The place is a shambles, but having been to India I consider it part of an authentic Indian dining experience.

Buffetslut · Joined: 19 Apr 2009 Posts: 163 Location: North Hobart

Yeah Harry loves his cricket for sure. I've sat in the top area before and the door previously never posed a problem, it must have recently broken. What it requires is a spring up the top so it shuts automatically.

Anyway, after having to cancel a much anticipated meal at Don Camillo tonight due to a domestic spat (I couldn't bear to go out in public with my red weepy eyes), I ordered Mr Buffetslut to emotionally recompense me by fetching some indian from up the road (at his expense of course) and a bottle of shiraz thank you very much. Of course, since he was to blame for, well everything really, I thought it was only right that I got to choose all the dishes as further compensation. I chose my favourite, dhal makhini, then remembering how good the prawn molee had been once, I got that too, plus the lamb jalfrezi. Wow what a tasty trifecta! I couldn't pick a favourite they were all so good - the spice rich gravies so nourishing for my depleted soul. Ah, I think my taste for indian has returned!