Tandoor Palace

I always thought that if you wanted exotic cuisine you would have to travel to Philadelphia or New York. You can imagine my surprise when my wife Mary told me about an authentic Indian restaurant located right in Clementon. My real surprise came when we visited this little gem, situated in a small shopping center on the White Horse Pike.

Tandoor Palace, which opened in 1990, is a cozy restaurant with traditional Indian decor that features a large and robust menu. It has a light and airy atmosphere, and the service is beyond reproach. Servers are always on hand to help you with your menu selection or to simply fill your water glass.

When Mary and I visited there on a recent Tuesday evening, we were greeted with a complimentary Pakora - fresh spinach and potatoes dipped in a delicately spiced batter and fried to golden perfection. It was served with three accompaniments: a tamarind sauce, a cooked onion dish, and a coriander and mint sauce that had a good kick but didn`t require a fire extinguisher afterward. We followed this with Coconut Soup ($1.25), one of three available from the menu. We were both impressed with this delightful dish. Mary thought it tasted sweet; as for me, I usually don`t like sweet dishes, so you know it had to be good.

Next, we split Tandoori Mixed Grill ($9.95), a combination of Tandoori Chicken, Seekh Kabab, Chicken Kabab, Shrimp Tandoori, Boti Kabab and Chicken Tikka. This is one of Tandoor Palace`s most popular appetizers, and both of us could tell why. We were practically fighting over the last piece.

Because the menu is so large - consisting of four Chef Specials, six Tandoor specialties, 12 chicken selections, 15 vegetarian dishes, four beef dinners, 5 biryanis (rice specialties), six shrimp entrees and seven lamb dishes - we had some difficulty in making a selection. Mary finally chose the Chicken Tikka Masala, boneless pieces of chicken broiled in the tandoor (i.e., charcoal clay) oven, then cooked in a rich tomato, onion and butter sauce ($11.95). She also had a side order of Raita, grated cucumbers made in homemade yogurt with mint leaves ($1.25). I had Lamb Saagwala, tender lamb prepared with fresh spinach, coriander and other fragrant herbs with saffron rice ($11.95).

We also sampled three of the 17 breads Tandoor Palace offers: Naan, a teardrop-shaped traditional white bread baked in the tandoor ($1.75); Tandoori Roti, a round whole-wheat bread baked in the tandoor ($1.50); and the Aloo Paratha, a paratha bread stuffed with delicately spiced potatoes. ($2.25).

We finished the meal off with Kulfi, authentic Indian cone-shaped ice cream, flavored with pistachio and cashew nuts ($1.95).

To say that all of the food was delicious would be a gross understatement. Although we had a good debate, we couldn`t agree on which part was the best. I think the lamb was outstanding, but Mary claims her chicken was even better. She also said that the Raita was one of the most unique and tasteful dishes she`s ever had.

I have to warn you: When you go to Tandoor Palace, go hungry, and get ready to be spoiled. The portions are large, the food outstanding, and the service is excellent. Tandoor Palace`s motto is "Fine Food & Quality Service." Judging by our experience, they far surpass that standard. The restaurant also has a banquet room available for lunch or dinner parties and offers catering for all events.

Tandoor Palace (Plaza 30) 328 White Horse Pike Clementon 435-1234

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Author: Joe Flanagan