Masala Indian Restaurant, Swanage

...several good chippies and the Masala Restaurant to satisfy my spicy cravings.

Their prices reflect that this is a) a tourist area and b) one of the most expensive towns in the country to live in, outside of central London, thus a takeaway for two will cost £25, but we have not yet left there without at least one free dish, free papadoms and a handful of bottles of Kingfisher beer.

They are situated at 9 High street, ...
...offer, the town's reliance on tourism does mean that the m any eateries, of which this is one, offer a good standard.

THere is another Masala Restaurant 25 miles away in Dorchester which has a similar menu, thus making this a chain, albeit of two!
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When we moved to Swanage we were aware that we were going to a place that is small and lacked some of the shopping options of a larger town. this isn't a great problem as Poole and Boiurnemouth are not far away and I still go to them on a daily basis with my work.

Thankfully there are still places to cater for those can't be bothered to cook days, great pub food, Chinese and a good curry house.

There is no MacDonalds, which is no problem, there are several good chippies and the Masala Restaurant to satisfy my spicy cravings.

Their prices reflect that this is a) a tourist area and b) one of the most expensive towns in the country to live in, outside of central London, thus a takeaway for two will cost £25, but we have not yet left there without at least one free dish, free papadoms and a handful of bottles of Kingfisher beer.

They are situated at 9 High street, just a stone's throw from the sea and 4 minutes (by my Mickey Mouse watch) from our new home.

The staff always greet you, not matter how busy they are and the restaurant is always neat, tidy and clear of clutter. The music is not obtrusive and is unusual in that it isn't just Bollywood soundtracks pumped out of a tinny speaker.

The food is good but sometimes a little heavy, the tandoori stuff is excellent, as are the Naan breads, which are always light, hot and tasty. There is room for about 40 covers which, at the weekend are booked well ahead by the second home owners and visiting sailors.
I am often put off by restaurants where the cutlery looks grubby, I was pleased that, even from outside the window, you can see the forks gleaming and the white table cloths are spotless.

There is a great range of special dishes, some of which were created by the resident chef.

My takeaway on Friday was a Chicken Dansak, Saag Aloo and onion fried rice. I have to report that it slid down with very little effort, helped by two botttles of Kingfisher, supplied for free!

It the past I have also had the Lamb Madras, which was just as it should be, fairly hot with big chunks of tender lamb.

Now that summer is over it is easier to get a table at the wekend, and this alone would make Swanage a good choice for a weekend away. After a day of paddling or yomping over the coast path there is nothing better than a good rich meal to expand the waistline.

AS with any Indian restaurant this is not a wise choice for anyone watching their figure, but then again, life's too short for that kind of thing.

I propose to update this review as I work my way through the menu.

The benefits of living in a small town of 10,000 inhabitants far outweigh the drawbacks, such as the lack of choice in eateries and shopping, thankfully there is a lot on offer, the town's reliance on tourism does mean that the m any eateries, of which this is one, offer a good standard.

THere is another Masala Restaurant 25 miles away in Dorchester which has a similar menu, thus making this a chain, albeit of two!
 

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