Shaan Indian Restaurant

Not only is this the best Indian food available in the area, but perhaps also the best restaurant period for its excellent all-around quality. I have been frequenting this establishment regularly over the past few years and can say that it is one of my absolute favorites. The buffet is always superb and the frequent buyer card they give for both lunch and dinner is a huge plus. While the food is fabulous, it can't even compare to the fantastic service that I have received every time I visit. I am always warmly greeted by Dharmendar, whose kind personality and professionalism has never faltered, as well as by his family and coworkers as I am seated almost instantly even when busy. I cannot recommend this restaurant highly enough and can only hope that both my girlfriend and I will be able to come here for years to come.

I absolutely love the spices and flavors in every dish I have sampled at Shaan.

I would recommend the Paneer Mater and the Chicken Tika Saag.  The service is excellent and the ease of the take out orders makes this place a great choice on the weekends.

Behind a rather nondescript and ugly shopfront in Hyde Park Plaza there lurks a tiny gastronomic delight which will please all lovers of Indian food.

I'll be honest and say it that it took me quite a while to return to Shaan, my initial visit for lunch - just a couple of days after they first opened a few years back - proving to be a massive disappointment.

Then some Brit pals of mine kept raving about it, saying it was the best Indian food they had tasted since emigrating across the pond. They nudged and nudged and kept leaving reviews on networking sites remarking just how "bloody delicious" it was.

This past weekend they finally talked me and the missus into darkening Shaan's doorstep to give our taste buds a tickle.

And a damned good tickle it was!

My earlier reservation about the place was immediately dispelled with the first bite of my chosen Chicken Makhani. I didn't go too hot on the restaurant's 'spice register' - just 3 out of 10 - but the creamy sauce had a nice tang about it and the meat was succulent to the point of falling apart on my tongue. My accompanying Garlic Naan was equally delicious. The vegetarian missus was also impressed with her Nav Ratan Korma, her delight signifying that we would most certainly be back.

As if to make that even easier, Shaan offer a dining card which is stamped on each visit. 6 meals and your seventh is free. Not a bad deal at all, likewise the generous 20% discount they give on all chicken dishes on Saturday evenings.

If I have a tiny complaint it's that the service did leave a little bit to be desired. We waited a long time for our appetizers to arrive and had only just started tucking into them when the entrees were suddenly delivered, meaning not only could we not properly enjoy our poppadoms but also that our table was suddenly bereft of space! One of my wife's sides never materialised until she was well into her Korma and they additionally messed up our split checks. However, as the place was heaving with customers - both sat and waiting - I'll give them a bit of leeway and hope for better service next time around.

Long story short; If you like Indian food, give this place a try. I'd be surprised if you come away displeased.