Gate of India By Ghosh.

Dinner, Saturday, 2^nd January, 2016.

Gate of India Indian Restaurant in Triq Is-Sajjieda, Bugibba, St. Paul’s Bay, has only been open since September, 2014, but has in this short period of time, already established itself as one of the top Indian restaurants in Malta. Gate of India serve and utilising only traditional Indian recipes which require the use of ingredients and produce of high quality, seasonal and fresh, to ensure fullness of flavour, enhanced by authentic, specially imported Indian curries and spices.

The restaurant is operated by a highly respected operator, and Ghosh the restaurant manager and host, is well-known for his passion and enthusiasm, having been in Malta since 1995, and who has worked in the industry for over twenty years. This plus a good team of Indian chefs, ensure that the restaurant offers a complete dining experience in authentic and highly enjoyable cuisine at very moderate prices in excellent surroundings. Ghosh is well experienced in the Indian Restaurant sector as he has worked in the industry for over 20 years. Having been in Malta since 1995, and thus fully understands what customers want and prefer in Malta, but at the same time can recommend certain special dishes off the menu which are more appealing to connoisseurs of spicy Indian regional cuisine. One has only to ask.

The restaurant’s menu is made up of a variety of dishes coming from different areas and regions of India. The spice level of each dish is indicated and if one would like to have more or less one can inform the restaurant manager for advice. The restaurant offers also a choice of gluten food dishes, which can be detailed and explained upon request.

Food Choices:

Settled down at our reserved table, the place was already full when we arrived at 20.30, showing the popularity of this young place, menus and wine list were presented to each and certain choices were made, but we also asked the restaurant manager for any off the menu recommendations, which he was very pleased to explain.

Popadoms and trio of chutney, yogurt dip and spicy, chopped onion were served as amuse bouche, which were followed by our starter choice of:

Meat samosa individually served,

And Kastoori chicken and Malai kebab, two different chicken breast preparations in a dish to share.

Main courses:

Lamb Handi- Lamb cubes stirred in with assorted masalas, yogurt and cream.

Beef Madras – a traditional Indian curry dish with spicy sauce;

Chicken Chat - diced chicken, green peppers, garlic, ginger, onions served in a fresh creamy sauce;

And Lamb Pattia – very spicy dish with lamb cubes, turmeric, ginger, various other ingredients in a rich sauce which is designed to be wiped clean with the naan bread.

These were served with side dishes of fried rice, pilau rice and garlic naan bread.

Dessert: for dessert in an Indian restaurant we always ask for the home-made, Indian offerings. As is normal the available desserts of this nature were the very traditional Gulab Jamun – which are milk-solid based balls like small doughnuts, quite sweet, and of course the kulfi ice-cream which is also a traditional frozen dairy dessert.

Wine list: a very good selection with decent mark-ups on most wines.

Service: Very attentive and supervised by the restaurant manager.

Value : The food bill between four persons came up to a very decent EUR95.8 plus three bottles of water at EUR9 total excluding wine EUR104.8 (EUR26.20 pp). A good New Zealand Sauvignon Blanc came in at a very decent EUR22.

Very good, authentic, Indian cuisine; Very good service; Very good value. All in all, offering a great dining experience in Indian cuisine.