A Taste of India

The history of Indian restaurants in Luxor is a little complicated. The best known used to be a small restaurant called the Bombay, beyond the Isis hotel, more or less opposite 7Days7Ways, where the Petra travel agency is now. That restaurant is no longer there, but moved across the road, still called the Bombay, as part of a restaurant complex originally called 3Choices, now Asia House.

There is still a restaurant called the Bombay as part of that pair of restaurants, but it no longer has the same management. The ex pat Brit who ran the original Bombay and started the new Bombay, now runs A Taste of India. The restaurant that still has the Bombay name has no management connection with the old one.

So if you remember the original Bombay, its replacement is A Taste of India, not the new Bombay. Got that? Never mind, what really matters is the new restaurant and the food it serves.

The restaurant has been fitted out to a high standard. Originally in neutral colours it now has textured red and gold walls and tiling to the floors and counter. Tables are uncovered wood with matching plain wooden chairs. Most restaurants in Luxor are cutting down on smoking or banning it altogether. At a Taste of India there is a novel compromise. Smoking is allowed for much of the day, but not from 6.30pm until 9.30pm.

The menu is very full, and has the choices you would expect: both the European versions of Indian dishes, such as kormas, masalas, jalfrezis and sags, and the original asian indian meals, such as malayan, madras and vindaloo as well as biriyani and tandoori alternatives. In each case the variety is available with a choice of meat, which determines the price, prawn being the dearest and chicken the cheapest, although there are also vegetable options that are cheaper still. Most of the meat and fish main courses are in the LE35-LE65 range.

There is also a small range of soups from LE10, appetizers and side dishes between LE16 and LE25, breads from LE5 and rice from LE10 - LE16.

If your party includes people who prefer to eat international dishes, these are available too. Traditional soups are from LE10 to LE14 and a choice of starters including salads and prawn cocktail are mostly under LE20. International main meals start with pastas between LE22 and LE40 and include steaks from LE45 with sauce for a small one or LE65 for an 8oz. There is a small special children's menu with dishes between LE14 and LE18 and a good variety of desserts are between LE12 and LE18. The prices all include taxes but not service.

We have eaten 'european' indian meals in europe and classic indian meals in India. The quality of the meat is probably better at A Taste of India than you would find at the average restaurant in the meals' homeland. Although the meals appear to be pre-prepared rather than cooked from scratch, we thought both indian varieties were as good at A Taste of India as you would expect at from an Indian eat-in. That is not to say it cannot be surpassed, but it compares well with good Indian restaurants in the 'west' and we have tasted worse within sight of the Taj Mahal.

At A Taste of India you have an indian restaurant with additional international choices, a children's menu and daily specials, fair pricing and good variety. If you prefer your meal to be cooked just for you, in the traditional indian way, you will find fault at A Taste of India. On the other hand, if you want a typical, good quality, fast-food Indian in Luxor, we think it is the obvious place to go.

Review updated March 2010
Prices at March 2010