It’s a lifelong quest all Poms are fated to take on after leaving the motherland: finding the perfect British-style Indian on these lucky shores we choose to call home.
There are many things we’re happy to leave behind when we get on the boat — primarily the weather — but there are always those few things you genuinely hate to do without.
Ask any Pom to list the things they miss the most, I can almost guarantee it’ll include Robinson’s orange squash, Yorkshire Tea, and digestive biscuits. But that proper Indian restaurant will undoubtedly be in the top five for all of us.
Over my 16 years here, we’ve tried many Perth wannabes and all have fallen flat, so when a friend suggests we try Punjab in Innaloo, of all places, my hopes were not high.
Tucked away in a scruffy-looking retail park, the location wasn’t indicative of a curry hot spot. But on parking up, the frontage gives you the first hint that this could be something quite different with columns framing the restaurant’s door, topped by charming, blue-lit elephant statues.
And when you walk into the restaurant itself, this attention to detail in the decor follows through, giving the otherwise unremarkable, box-shaped industrial area unit the feel of a curry house that would be at home in London’s famous Brick Lane.
From the proper, white, linen table clothes and napkins, to gorgeous, quality high stock paper used in the menu, and the staff’s use of gloves to place cutlery on to the table, everything has been carefully thought through here.
It’s a great first impression, but can the food and service live up to the styling hype?
With our eight-year-old daughter tagging along for our early Friday evening dinner, we opt for two classic starter dishes, vegetable samosas ($14 for four) and onion bhazi ($16 for four), plus a new one on us, chickpea chips ($14). They come with tamarind and mint chutneys.
Despite noting the extensive, and mostly local wine list, that we would normally attack with gusto, we decide to go rogue and try the unique-sounding cocktails while we are at it. The mocktail drinker among us goes for a mango ginger lemonade ($12), while her parents bravely step up for a Delhi mule ($22) and an Indian Summer ($20).
It’s no understatement to say that we are blown away by both the cocktails and the starters.
The drinks — stunningly presented and served properly cold — are a fantastic foil for the incredible food that arrives moments later.
The samosas have perfect, crisp flaky pastry, filled with beautifully seasoned potato and peas (if the veg ones are this good, we’d bet the lamb versions are likely spectacular), while the bhazi have just enough crunch without being dry. Both go brilliantly with the chutneys.
It’s a fight to the death over the last of each — Miss 8 just bests her father.
While delicious, the chickpea chips (that look closely akin to polenta fries) are our least favourite of the trio, being a touch dry and the tomato sauce that comes with them slightly jarring against the rest of the flavours.
Still raring to go, we ordered our mainstay chicken tikka masala ($31) — an absolute must when trialling any English-style curry house to standardise the testing process — and a new one on us, beef badami ($33), for our mains.
Again, to keep the testing “fair” we opt for our usual sides: aloo gobhi ($22), pulao rice ($10) and a plain naan ($6).
After the triumph of the starters, it’s fair to say we’re very excited for course two. And when the gorgeously presented food arrives, it’s good, very good.
But the curries don’t quite match up to their precursors that had set such an extraordinary standard.
The chicken tikka (which I love for the fact it can be served with either thigh or breast meat depending on preference), is fresh and light. It’s clear the meat and veg has been in the tandoor before being melded with its sauce, which sits at a perfect, relatively mild, spice level. And the aloo gohbi is yummy, if unremarkable.
But the beef has one or two tougher pieces in there and the “thick and rich sauce, with a hint of cream” is, dare I say it, slightly lacking in defined flavour.
However, the portions are generous and despite these small flaws, all three of us dig in to the dishes, agreeing that it’s just the sort of comfort food we’d been looking for after a long week of school and work.
Miss 8 can’t resist a sweet bite and so we try the gulab jamuns ($10), and mango kulfi ($10) to round out our meal.
Once again, these are top-notch and leave us feeling we’re ending our experience on a real high.
As we wait for our leftovers to be packed up in a doggy bag, we do idly wonder if we might have had a better main-course experience if we had leaned on our friendly waitstaff for some ordering suggestions — next time.
In fact, the thing that really stands out here is the exquisitely lovely service, which as we look around at other tables, is clearly just the usual standard.
Not once do our water glasses run dry, we wait for nothing and there’s attentive, but not over-the-top queries as to if we need anything further, all delivered with charm and humour, where appropriate. We’re big fans.
After 16 years in Perth, this Pom may have finally found the Indian restaurant holy grail here in WA.
The verdict: 16/20
This hidden Indian gem claims it has “taste worth travelling for” and we couldn’t agree more.
Punjab
371 Scarborough Beach Road, Innaloo
OPEN: Dinner 7 days a week, from 5pm, lunch on Fridays from 11.30am to 2.30pm.
CONTACT: 9446 1111, punjab.com.au
BOOKINGS: Yes
