Topic: Essence, Altrincham

[Ghoulie]

Used to go to this place 30 odd years - then called Prince of India.  Food was good.  Changed hands a couple of times - improving each time.  One chef / owner -Lal - was brilliant and would tweak stuff to suit your palate - I even had my own 'special' put on the menu.  Recession hit, custom went down and quality suffered - too much so for me - and stopped going 20 years back.  They went bust ( by design !) and Lals relatives stepped in.  Lal ended up in a petrol station as an attendant and sadly died later from kidney related problems.  Friends of mine have used it intermittently and say it's still with his relatives and food 'ok'.  I was passing yesterday at teatime - so thought I would give 'Essence' another go.  Decor good, service ok and prompt / polite.  Poppadoms & chutnies good..  my wifes chicken tikka shashlik was tasteless & had never seen a tandoor / grill.  Pale pinkish colour - but it was cooked !  My 'madras' chicken was the worst I have ever come across.  Sauce thick & gloopy and. I would say my guess of constituents being tomato ketchup with a couple spices thrown in was not far off correct.  Pillau rice was ok.  Naan must be bought in then warmed.  No chance of it being done in the tandoor or grill / gas ring.  Never again - Tripadvisor write up accordingly.  Amazingly they have accolade after accolade write ups on Tripadvisor.  Locals must have no taste buds or they are written by themselves.  It was busy !!

[Ghoulie]

Had a really arrogant response from the sanctimonious owner to my Tripadvisor appraisal.  On reading the other 'poor' reviews - seems this is his stock in trade approach to criticism.  One Asian complainer hit it bang on when he described the restaurant as only for those who have no idea how Indian food should taste.

[tempest63]

Had a really arrogant response from the sanctimonious owner to my Tripadvisor appraisal.  On reading the other 'poor' reviews - seems this is his stock in trade approach to criticism.  One Asian complainer hit it bang on when he described the restaurant as only for those who have no idea how Indian food should taste.

I read his response on trip advisor and it was as you describe. The problem is people who don't know any better continue to eat the tripe served up in places like this and then give it rave reviews. Me and Mrs T have all but given up on the BIR these days, maybe use them a couple of times a year. If we do eat out it is at places like the Cinnamon Kitchen where the quality (and cost) is usually very high but even so, good as that food is, it is still a million miles from the decent BIR's I frequented back in the 70's and 80's.

[Ghoulie]

Good to see that you view it same as me tempest63.  Like you I get infuriated by reviews that show places as good - when they are anything but - and the sad thing about Essence is the fact that 30 years ago when current owners uncle called Lal had it (then named Prince of India) it really was an excellent restaurant - Lal himself was the chef - and a brilliant one at that and he would alter any meal to suit your exact taste and get it spot on everytime.  He even had a special in those days named after me.  Lal would turn in his grave if he could see what was being done there now.