Topic ID 1532
Went there last night. We waited an hour for our food, when it arrived we only received two tandoori mixed grills. When we pointed this out they went to get an additional tandoori mixed grill within a couple of minutes (clearly these are just sitting around in the kitchen) we received no apology.[:(!] One of the reasons I like to have tandoori foods at a restaurant is because I like it to come straight from the tandoor, this food hadn't, it was cold and not very pleasant. I would grade it as takeway food, (although I would say the Bismillah is better than the Shahenshah) and at £23 per head, one course plus wine, very poor value for money. We shan't be going there again.
Reply ID 18896
Never had a problem with the food on our rare visits but its too expensive by far (hence the rare visits)
Reply ID 18914
I ordered a takeaway for 4 people from there a few weeks ago and it was awful. It was for delivery and it arrived late and cold. The food was very oily, one of the dishes was wrong and they had burned the naan breads so badly that the bottoms hadn't even made it into the packet. Did they not think we would notice the state of the naan breads...........they had obviously just pulled off the burned bits before putting them in the foil bag. I phoned up the next day to complain and received a complimentary meal.
Reply ID 19082
Never been a great fan in recent years. It is OK but not hot enough for me and overpriced. Give me the Raj or Tikka Cottage anyday. When it first opened about 20 years ago, it was great but it hasn't been able to recreate this and all the decent staff in my opinion (such as Unis in Bollywoods) left ages ago.
Reply ID 19084
We went there earlier this year - as part of a booked group of eight. They insisted on sitting us in the window, on a table more suited for six. We pointed out the table was too small, but they wouldn't put us anywhere else. We couldn't walk out - where do you find a table for eight on a Friday night? The table had been booked some days in advance - if they didn't have a large enough table they should have told us. As it is, we won't be minded to go there again.
Reply ID 19086
The Shahenshah used to be my favourite. But I do not go there anymore. My last two visits (after the refit) were a joke. The service was terrible, and they wacked the prices up too. We were halfway through our poppadums, and the waiter asked us if he could take the centre basket away (we had only been there a few minutes). We asked him to give us a bit more time. He came back a minute later, picked up the basket, cracked the remaining poppadum, and brushed the large pieces onto our side plates and walked off with the basket without saying a word! We were dumbstruck.
Reply ID 19089
Dude.. Sounds like a poppadum heist to me!! Try The Raj ... the food is great, much better atmosphere and the pickes and onions are the best in town!
Reply ID 19122
I like the Raj, and Tikka Cottage, and The Hot house. Its just a pitty the Shahenshah went so downhill.
Reply ID 47777
I thought I'd bump these boys back up the list. Had yet another excellent Bombay Gosht from them last night. The guy even told me about the road works and to come from the other end of town. What a squire.
Reply ID 50548
Went a couple of nights ago , food was great but as is well known , very expensive . Saag paneer is 5 quid ! and £4.25 for a bottle of Cobra . On the after dinner chocolates its printed 'serving Hertford since 1983' , now i know its been there for years but is it really that long ? Back to the Tikka Cottage for me next time .
Reply ID 50549
It’s not that long. I came to Hertford in the mid 80s & it was still Scarboroughs (?) - Maybe referring to the Guru (now Thai Rack) which was there at the time; think the family had an interest in that; prepared to be proved wrong. Seem to remember that there was an unfortunate cockroach incident in the Guru shortly after the Shah opened....
Reply ID 50552
quote:I think Scarboroughs was where Cafe Rouge now is.
Originally posted by Capitalist piglet
It’s not that long. I came to Hertford in the mid 80s & it was still Scarboroughs (?) - Maybe referring to the Guru (now Thai Rack) which was there at the time; think the family had an interest in that; prepared to be proved wrong. Seem to remember that there was an unfortunate cockroach incident in the Guru shortly after the Shah opened....
Reply ID 50554
Trying to remember what it was then. Any thoughts? Or is this one for/or been answered on Hertford memories thread??
Reply ID 50555
Unfortunately as much as I like the Tikka Cottage and Bismillah for a quick take away I have yet to find anything that compares with Cochin in Hemel. http://www.thecochincuisine.com/html/our_speciality.html Definitely worth 30 minutes drive.
Reply ID 50557
I see their main dishes are the same price as Shahenshah's side orders !
Reply ID 50559
quote:I think CP is thinking of Christine's
Originally posted by Ewoowarquote:I think Scarboroughs was where Cafe Rouge now is.
Originally posted by Capitalist piglet
It’s not that long. I came to Hertford in the mid 80s & it was still Scarboroughs (?) - Maybe referring to the Guru (now Thai Rack) which was there at the time; think the family had an interest in that; prepared to be proved wrong. Seem to remember that there was an unfortunate cockroach incident in the Guru shortly after the Shah opened....
Reply ID 50561
quote:Yep. Go there. Okay, expect to have to allow 10 minutes to park if you are not used to Hemel old town...............and expect a few minutes extra while your food is cooked as opposed to spooned out of a Pataks tubs......................then enjoy the difference.
Originally posted by Donostia
I see their main dishes are the same price as Shahenshah's side orders !
Reply ID 50564
quote:The guy who runs Shanenshah used to be the head waiter at the Guru but he left after a disagreement with the owner. So he opened Shahenshah in direct competition and the Guru slowly ran down. The same guy can now be seen wandering the pubs in town late on Friday and Saturday nights drumming up business from the drunks who can be persuaded to have a late curry. I've suggested to him that he ought to wear a sandwich board. PS He is the relatively young chap with a seriously cheesy grin!
Originally posted by Capitalist piglet
It’s not that long. I came to Hertford in the mid 80s & it was still Scarboroughs (?) - Maybe referring to the Guru (now Thai Rack) which was there at the time; think the family had an interest in that; prepared to be proved wrong. Seem to remember that there was an unfortunate cockroach incident in the Guru shortly after the Shah opened....
Reply ID 50575
quote:He's known about town......just for the wrong reasons.
Originally posted by Dreamerquote:The guy who runs Shanenshah used to be the head waiter at the Guru but he left after a disagreement with the owner. So he opened Shahenshah in direct competition and the Guru slowly ran down. The same guy can now be seen wandering the pubs in town late on Friday and Saturday nights drumming up business from the drunks who can be persuaded to have a late curry. I've suggested to him that he ought to wear a sandwich board. PS He is the relatively young chap with a seriously cheesy grin!
Originally posted by Capitalist piglet
It’s not that long. I came to Hertford in the mid 80s & it was still Scarboroughs (?) - Maybe referring to the Guru (now Thai Rack) which was there at the time; think the family had an interest in that; prepared to be proved wrong. Seem to remember that there was an unfortunate cockroach incident in the Guru shortly after the Shah opened....
Reply ID 57709
After singing their praises in the past, we went here for a takeaway on Saturday night. It was only early (7pm) and the restaurant was quiet, so at least the food didnt take long to arrive. However, I was overcharged (mistakes happen and they rectified it when I returned to collect the food) and they have just produced a new menu. Same dishes as before, but they have to be taking the mick. The cheapest curry on there now is £6.95 - even a motir paneer side dish is £5.95!!!!! Nothing like embracing the credit crunch. The food wasn't up to their usual standards either. So, we'll be reverting to either Memsaab or Tikka Cottage from now on.
Reply ID 57711
Had a takeaway from there last night and was very disappointed. Food was very expensive and arrived cold. Two mains, one rice, one naan and popadoms came to just over £32. Also the delivery driver couldn't find our house so I had to walk down the road to find him! Won't be ordering from them again in a hurry!
Reply ID 57715
yep, we had 2 mains and a Naan and it cost £21.
Reply ID 62555
We had a take away from Tikka Cottage a few days ago. Fairly good, but I didn't rate it as highly as the Raj. I'm still waiting to hear reports from the newly painted Bismillah.
Reply ID 62556
quote:Did you mean to post this in a thread about the Shahenshah?
Originally posted by GrahamF
We had a take away from Tikka Cottage a few days ago. Fairly good, but I didn't rate it as highly as the Raj. I'm still waiting to hear reports from the newly painted Bismillah.
Reply ID 62575
Sorry, senior moment!
Reply ID 63324
My wife and I went there to celebrate tonight, and I was rather underwhelmed. Whilst the service was prompt it was without a smile and had they asked how the meal was they'd have found out their chicken was dry (in the starter and main). On the good side we thought the naans were very good, they seemed very fresh and fluffy. It was very expensive compared to other places we frequent (e.g. near enough £3 per naan/rice and £3.60 for pint of coke) so I don't think we'll be back.
Reply ID 68887
The rip off prices could be going up after this fine . http://www.hertfordshiremercury.co.uk/hertfordshiremercury/DisplayArticle.asp?ID=460767
Reply ID 80086
Had a great Bombay Ghosht last Thursday night in here. Probably Hertford's most expensive curry house, but it was way nicer than last month's Tikka Cottage experience
Reply ID 80095
Had a shocker on Sunday night - reminded me to stick with the Raj
Reply ID 80104
Frenchie, interesting that you rate the Raj over Shahenshah. My experience is the complete opposite, so it'd be interesting to see why you prefer the Raj? Shahenshah is very expensive, personally too expensive for what is offered. I've always enjoyed the meals I've had there though, so I don't feel like I've been ripped off. That said, I've had a couple of take aways from Bollywoods fairly recently and I've found them to be much improved.
Reply ID 89634
Visited Shahenshah last night after a long absence. Got to say the food was spot on. Prices at the high end for sure (£63 for 2 including liquer coffee) but not outrageously so. They need to rethink the background music though - the first 20-25 mins we were there consisted of 'Relax' and 'Where the streets have no name' on continuous loop [8D]