The demise of the King Alfred pub in Chippenham was not exactly a blow for the town’s nightlife.
Its mix of hideous wallpaper and uninspired food made a 1970s Berni Inn look like Gordon Ramsay at Claridge’s.
In its place is The Tamarind restaurant that instantly earns points for being within walking distance of my house. It still looks like a 1950s-built pub from the outside but the interior is clean and modern, a subtle mix of browns and creams.
The dining area is still dominated by the old pub’s bar, which seems strange because a restaurant does not need a 24ft long counter. You’d have thought it would have been removed to create more table space.
We went early on a Saturday evening and were surprised to find more than half the tables occupied. Almost as impressive is the Bangladeshi-inspired menu, which features quite a few dishes I’ve not seen in a curry house before.
It is certainly unusual to see five different fish dishes in a provincial Indian.
We had starters in the interests of research. Helen and I chose a Tamarind mixed platters, an onion bhaji, chicken tikka pieces and a vegetable pakora. Six-year-old Kate chomped her way through three large chicken pakoras on her own.
The starters to me did not look homemade but they were well cooked and tasty.
Kate had a very meaty and rich chicken korma for main course. I chose Devil’s Tamarind, pieces of lamb in a very sweet, lightly spiced, piquant sauce. The lamb was good quality meat and the sauce was lovely for the first few mouthfuls.
Helen chose Chingri Bagunia, king prawns with Bangladeshi pumpkin in a subtle sauce. The prawns were juicy and the sauce a light and delicately flavoured delight.
If I had a criticism it would be the rapid changeover between courses.
The waiters bring all the food out on trolleys and it was a bit like eating at Clapham Junction as they continually trundled past at high speed.
I was waiting for a tannoy announcement: “The meal arriving at table six is the chicken jalfrezi and lamb bhuna ...”
Our meal came to £72, which was pricey but inflated by a few drinks, an unfeasibly large chocolate dessert for Kate and a few too many side dishes.
The Tamarind is an excellent addition to the town and, I believe, offers something genuinely different.
Tamarind
Malmsbury Road, Chippenham
(01249) 445440/445503
Car parking
Disabled access
Vegetarian options
No children’s menu
Takeway service
Free bottle of wine with tables of four or more (for a limited time)
Open noon to 2pm and 5.30pm to 11.30pm
Our Eating Out is an independent review carried out by the Gazette without prior knowledge of the owners.
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