Indian Mahal - Baxter

Lets start at the end. We had a fabulous two course meal and asked to settle the account. We offered our credit card and it came back for signing. We opened the small bill folder to find a mini Flake and Boost bar inside. Now that's a nice touch. Indian Mahal may not have the smartest looking restaurant, both on the inside and out, but the food leaves you hungry. Let me explain. The menu is so extensive and the food so very, very good you just HUNGER for more. But after a course or two, you're full.

We had heard for a long time that the best Indian was just out of Baxter. It looked just like a little take-away joint. Then you spy the white table cloths and table settings. No it's a restaurant. Inside the "shop" it could almost past for any Asian style eatery. Then you look at the menu which is extremely well arranged and very stylishly presented. It is almost an art work. The first page is about Nepal and how it dropped its century old boarders to unite with the rest of the world. I figure the food is based on food from Nepal. In the menu you will see (among many other selections) a Nepal page.

Just the different Breads (Roti), entrees and starters leaves your taste buds bursting and you are yet to select your main or mains!! I went for an old fav. Tandoori Lamb and my wife the prawns. The prawns were huge and not frozen before preparation. The lamb was soft, juicy and melted in the mouth. My wife's meal was rated "medium hot" mine "hot". A more accurate rating would have been medium and medium hot. If you want denture melting hot and spicy food ask the waiter for extra hot. They are happy to oblige. Be careful what you wish for.

Take the kid's piggy bank with you and your best bottle of wine. Indian Mahal is both very inexpensive and BYO. You want to try their wines and beers? They have a good selection of both. Ignore the plain interior of the restaurant. Try to ignore the big screen tele with the cricket on. It's not noisy inside and there is plenty of room between tables. Any back ground music or entertainment is kept to a minimum. Gaze at the menu and try to select from dozens and dozens of beautiful Indian dishes. You will have your fill and hunger for more. Best Indian food on the Peninsula. Period.