The Gandhi in Sandy, High Street, Sandy
I had already spent far too much money on food for only one weekend but when my boyfriend all but begged me to go out for an Indian, I really couldn’t resist throwing the idea of an oven pizza out the window.
We have driven through Sandy a few times before and always chuckled to ourselves at what is probably the most inventive name for an Indian restaurant I have ever seen. So we decided it was time to try something a bit further afield.
Throughout the UK Indian restaurants are pretty much two a penny, The Gandhi in Sandy however is truly exceptional for more than just its name.
Although for some reason the entrance is temporarily around the back of the premises, once through the door I was hit by an aroma of spices from paprika to coriander which set off the ‘addiction to Indian food’ switch that is often triggered somewhere inside my brain.
From the moment we sat down, the waiters couldn’t do enough to ensure we were having the best experience possible.
Gentle music plays in the background and with low lighting and candles on the tables, it breeds romance. Although ideally I would like a bit more lighting for a meal with family or friends, for this occasion it was the perfect way to round off a weekend with him indoors.
Luckily by visiting on a Sunday night there were only a couple of other tables occupied, one I suspect was a fellow food critic, though obviously not as well-disguised as myself.
We are delivered the standard poppadums and dips, always a nice touch I think to distract me from how hungry I am, and as I browse the menu I am astounded by how reasonable the prices are for an eatery voted best Indian restaurant in Bedfordshire in 2010.
As my eyes always end up being bigger than my belly, my boyfriend and I shared a garlic naan, pilau rice and a portion of mushroom bhaji. For the main he had the halfchicken tandoori and I had the Chicken Korma which were both between £4 and £5 each, which is without a doubt the best quality Indian meal I have had for such a low price.
Together with drinks, the whole lot only came to £23, which included an optional service charge and believe me we were not left hungry.
When it came to the end of our meal we were not rushed into paying, nor were our plates whipped out from under us as is so often the case and the refreshing towel and complimentary chocolate are nice touches.
KATHRYN CAIN
