SH CHOTY prospect given a right Grille-ing
The Oakham Curry Club (OCC) is a well-respected institution with multiple international franchises. The OCC takes pride in searching out the finest Indian restaurants, and providing an impartial review of curry houses all over the world. More recently we started our 3rd franchise to find the best Indian restaurant in Shanghai. Members vote anonymously on 5 categories, and an average score is given to each restaurant we review.
Following what could safely be described as a disappointing meal at Indian Curry Company last month, this month saw the OCC head to Kebabs on the Grille at Cool Docks. Although the OCC naturally puts no value on non-members’ opinions, the club was encouraged to see that Kebabs on the Grille had won the prestigious That’s Shanghai’s 2017 award for best Indian restaurant. Members were eager to see whether it would also go on to challenge for the even more coveted OCC Curry House of the Year (CHOTY).
Customer care: 8.2 Service: 8.6 Value: 7.8 Quality: 8.4 Atmosphere: 8.0 Average: 8.2
As the scores indicate, Kebabs on the Grille was an all-round high quality experience. First and foremost, the food was of a particularly high quality. A number of kebabs were ordered as starters in addition to the usual selection of samosas and poppadums. It’s safe to assume that no restaurant names itself after a meal it doesn’t cook well, and the kebabs at Kebabs on the Grille are no exception – spiced to perfection, they prompted a number of positive comments from members. The mains, including classics such as chicken methi, mutton vindaloo and chicken tikka masala, did also not disappoint. The only drawback here was a lack of spice in the curries, even in the vindaloo. Disappointing, but not something unique to Kebabs on the Grille when it comes to curry in Shanghai.
The service and customer care were another highlight. The OCC appreciated the personal touch of being greeted at the door by the owner Sandeep, and the waiters were particularly attentive when it came to replenishing drinks. Customer care shone throughout the night, with the waiter helping the OCC navigate the highlights of the menu – even at one stage coming back after we ordered to inform us of an extra daily special that he thought would be of interest to us.
With a live jazz band playing in the Cool Docks courtyard, the ambiance in the area surrounding the restaurant was quite nice. Once inside, the atmosphere was quite lively, with groups of diners coming and going throughout the night. Given all other venues in Cool Docks seemed empty – even on a Friday night – it’s clear Kebabs on the Grille is doing something right.
The OCC are no strangers to paying for high standards, but the final bill on the night came to 370 RMB per person for our group of 12 people. Given this included a number of drinks and healthy portion sizes, this was deemed great value for the quality on offer – although one or two members were heard grumbling over the price of their mixed drinks.
With only two months to go, Kebabs on the Grille has moved firmly into first place in the CHOTY stakes. The OCC is happy to enthusiastically recommend it to the people of Shanghai.