Naando's Indian Restaurant on 3rd Road

[Evil Penevil]

I ordered delivery from Naando's Indian Restaurant on 3rd Road around the corner from Soi Lengkee.  It opened recently in the premises formerly occupied by Bite Me! I opted for delivery because the TG visiting me didn't feel like going out to eat.  She really likes Indian food, so Naando's was a logical choice. The chef at Naando had been the chef at Country Favorites.  I had never eaten there, but I know its food had gotten high marks from others.

Here's what we decided on, with the descriptions and prices taken from the online menu:

Tandoori Chicken – half (chicken marinated in yoghurt batter with Indian spices, barbequed in the tandoor oven) 160;  
Lamb Korma (a creamy, more mild curry with tender lamb pieces in a rich creamy sauce with yoghurt) 280; 
Mixed Raita (onion, tomato, cucumber added to yoghurt with a hint of salt and red chilli powder) 120; 
Prawn Biryani (prawn/shrimp cooked in a wok with yoghurt and Indian spices, then added to the hot Basmati rice) 250; 
Aloo Naan (a flat Indian bread stuffed with mashed potatoes mixed with coriander, salt,chilli powder, then baked in the tandoor) 90;
plus butter naan (50) and butter paratha (60).  

Total cost was 1,010 baht with free delivery to central Pattaya. There's a 50-baht charge for delivery outside of the central area.

I placed the ordered on line through Naando's Web site.  The instructions said if you hadn't received a confirmation call within 10 minutes, you should call them. After 15 minutes, I called Naando's order line and found out they did indeed have my order.  Delivery was estimated in 45 to 60 minutes.  The person who spoke with me (sounded like a native English speaker) was very helpful, went through the order item by item to make sure it was right and asked if I had any special requests. He called back after a few minutes to double check one particular item. 

The order arrived in about 45 minutes.

The portions weren't huge, but were enough for the two of us and we still had quite a bit left for another meal.  She took one of the naan orders home for her 4-year-old son.

With a flaming chili pepper in its logo, Naando's can be expected to offer spicy dishes.  However, what we had was at my request mouth-tingling spicy rather than mouth-blistering. I'm sure that those who like a stronger bite in their Indian food could either order dishes that are inherently more spicy or ask to have more chilis added.

But it is also important to remember that Indian food, just like any other spicy cuisine (Thai, Mexican, Chinese Szechuan),  isn't only about capsaicin heat on the Scoville scale.  It's the flavors imparted by a mixture of spices and accented by the heat that is important.  Our dishes were excellent, particularly the lamb korma. Everything was freshly made from quality ingredients. No complaints from either of us regarding the taste.

To me, the tandoori chicken order was more a quarter than half chicken, but that would be my only quibble.

I look forward to trying more dishes from Naando's and plan on visiting the restaurant for a sit-down meal in the near future, maybe to try the nalli nihari, a slow-cooked lamb stew with bone narrow.  The menu at Naando's is quite extensive, with 118 dishes listed, of which 13 are lamb dishes.

You pay a bit more at Naando's than you would at some other Indian restaurants in Pattaya, but the quality is high with the food prepared by chef who really knows what he is doing.

Evil

 

Here's a copy of the online menu:

 

 

 

[The Storm]

Nice report, thanks for posting.

[CuppaTea]

Great review as always thanks man.

In another topic that mentioned Naandos I pointed out that 100 baht for plain rice was excessive because that isnt something that varies in taste and ingredients so it easy to do a like for like comparison with other places and we all know rice is dirt cheap.

You said the portions "weren't huge" which I take to mean as on the small side, also you said you thought your half tandoori chicken was actually less than half.

Looking at your photos and using the dessert spoon to give them scale I've got to say for 1010 baht you don't get much for what is not an inconsiderable amount of money.

You also said "You pay a bit more at Naando's than you would at some other Indian restaurants in Pattaya, but the quality is high with the food prepared by chef who really knows what he is doing"

And I guess that's the bottom line but at the prices and portion sizes I cant help wondering if the quality and tastes will be outweighed by those, especially for a take way Indian meal as currently its not even a restaurant, just a home delivery service.

No waiting staff to pay and all the other costs that a physical sit down and eat in restaurant incurs but still charging as though it does and then some.

We know Lamb is expensive but we also know that rice, chicken and fish really isnt.

When it does open as a restaurant its going to suffer from the same lack of walk in trade that Bite Me did because its simply off the beaten tourist tracks, out of sight is out of mind and so on.

I'm sure the food was really good but unless it drops in pricing and increases the portion sizes I cant see it taking off as a successful home delivery service,

Maybe guys will have something once per month, not once each week because of those and, like we already know,, its location, no matter how good the food, is firmly against it for walk in trade as Bite Me found out and admitted to after they closed.

I'm probably 100% wrong and it will be a roaring success, I hope all new business ventures are because each new one gives us all more options and choices but I have my doubts with this one on what we know so far.

Only time will tell.

 

 

 

[Kreggerz]

I'm sure the 100 baht rice is basmati rice which is more expensive but 100 is rather high even for basmati rice. The plain naan is also higher than average. 

[striderman]

[CuppaTea]

This place is definitely a success for the sign makers

[striderman]

1 minute ago, CuppaTea said:

This place is definitely a success for the sign makers

seems an odd mix at the moment with still a retox sign up and the blackboard just in view is still advertising the 98 bht breakie

[Kreggerz]

So do they have table service or is it only a delivery place?

I noticed on their menu that they have a Chicken Balti which they acknowledge as a British dish but mention that it's served with boiled eggs.

Brits -- is that really the typical way that a Chicken Balti would be served, with boiled eggs?

[Edge]

1 hour ago, Kreggerz said:

So do they have table service or is it only a delivery place?

I noticed on their menu that they have a Chicken Balti which they acknowledge as a British dish but mention that it's served with boiled eggs.

Brits -- is that really the typical way that a Chicken Balti would be served, with boiled eggs?

Not IME.....Sheffield area.

BTW.......which comes first?

[Kreggerz]

1 hour ago, Edge said:

Not IME.....Sheffield area.

BTW.......which comes first?

Yeah I have limited experience with Balti but never saw the hard boiled egg. Not against the idea but was surprised. 

From their menu --

http://naandospattaya.com/menu/chicken-specialities/

Quote

68. Chicken Balti (British origin dish, a thick chicken curry topped with boiled eggs,
served in a ‘balti’ bucket) 250

 

[KittenKong]

7 hours ago, Kreggerz said:

Brits -- is that really the typical way that a Chicken Balti would be served, with boiled eggs?

 

I didn't think so but:

http://www.balti-house.co.uk/take-away-menu/signature-balti-dishes

 

Quote

Balti Bombay £7.50

Medium spiced dish chicken/meat cooked with potatoes and topped with a boiled egg.

 

[Saddic]

Thank Evil... nice review as always...  however how does it compare to all the other 2-3 indian restaurants per every block in PTY? or per your other Indian restaurant reviews?

Describing the chef as someone from a place I've never tried (or never heard of)... shrug... Makes me wonder about the other place...

For me I was kinda disappointed when I found out the Nando's to be opened wasn't the chain of peri-peri restaurants which I dearly wish was here...  I won't hold it against them though... sigh...

Will give it a try... eventually...

[devee8]

I luv there Chicken Tikka

[Edge]

10 hours ago, Kreggerz said:

Yeah I have limited experience with Balti but never saw the hard boiled egg. Not against the idea but was surprised. 

I use this and I have found any hard boiled eggs in it yet.

.........from Friendship.

[Kreggerz]

1 hour ago, Edge said:

I use this and I have found any hard boiled eggs in it yet.

.........from Friendship.

I guess you're joking. You add stuff when you buy those kinds of products. 

[Kreggerz]

2 hours ago, Saddic said:

Thank Evil... nice review as always...  however how does it compare to all the other 2-3 indian restaurants per every block in PTY? or per your other Indian restaurant reviews?

Describing the chef as someone from a place I've never tried (or never heard of)... shrug... Makes me wonder about the other place...

For me I was kinda disappointed when I found out the Nando's to be opened wasn't the chain of peri-peri restaurants which I dearly wish was here...  I won't hold it against them though... sigh...

Will give it a try... eventually...

Haven't tried it but they have positive comments here --

https://www.tripadvisor.com/Restaurant_Review-g293919-d6919501-Reviews-COUNTRY_FAVOURITES-Pattaya_Chonburi_Province.html

[Kreggerz]

5 hours ago, KittenKong said:

 

I didn't think so but:

http://www.balti-house.co.uk/take-away-menu/signature-balti-dishes

 

 

 

Thanks. 

So the chef there at least didn't totally make up the idea himself. 

[Edge]

4 minutes ago, Kreggerz said:

I guess you're joking. You add stuff when you buy those kinds of products. 

I guess you're American.   

[Uncle-V]

Nice post Evil!

Food looks good. I'm not too worried about portions as I am trying to eat healthy these days and lose a few (doezen) pounds. 555.

having so many items on the menu always give me pause for considerations.

So sad about Bite Me. I ate there a few times an ti was good. And it always got great reviews on here. When it comes to restos location is indeed everything! 

[Kreggerz]

1 minute ago, Edge said:

I guess you're American.   

It ain't a secret. 

[Kreggerz]

1 minute ago, Uncle-V said:

Nice post Evil!

Food looks good. I'm not too worried about portions as I am trying to eat healthy these days and lose a few (doezen) pounds. 555.

having so many items on the menu always give me pause for considerations.

So sad about Bite Me. I ate there a few times an ti was good. And it always got great reviews on here. When it comes to restos location is indeed everything! 

Indian food is often very rich anyway.

Often I'll have Indian for lunch and not hungry for dinner. 

[Uncle-V]

2 minutes ago, Kreggerz said:

Indian food is often very rich anyway.

Often I'll have Indian for lunch and not hungry for dinner. 

It's cooking with that ghee (sp?)  that does it.  I always feel bloated after. 

I've done Indian recipes with Olive oil and it turns out much lighter and easier on the stomach. Cocunut oil would work great too. 

[KittenKong]

6 hours ago, Kreggerz said:

So the chef there at least didn't totally make up the idea himself. 

 

Kedgeree has (chopped) hard-boiled eggs in and that's of Indian origin, so maybe it comes partly from that?

[Saddic]

11 hours ago, Kreggerz said:

Haven't tried it but they have positive comments here --

https://www.tripadvisor.com/Restaurant_Review-g293919-d6919501-Reviews-COUNTRY_FAVOURITES-Pattaya_Chonburi_Province.html

Thanks for the link...

... True, they (country favorites) have positive comments... last being Feb 2017...  No rankings for Naandos...

looking at all the Indian restaurant reviews... sorted by ranking... gives me some better ideas... 

On a personal note... hard to trust that site as Alibaba comes out so high...

[Kreggerz]

Naandos just opened.