By Syma Sayyah and Paul Sanford, Tehran
Good Restaurants Guide in Tehran

The Taj Mahal is a hotel in the north center of Tehran on the west side of Vanak Square.  One of its main features is a well known restaurant which has been around since it opened a few years ago.  We had heard about it, but for various reasons only went there for the first time when a friend invited us over a few months ago.  We went there again recently and here is our report on Taj Mahal Indian Restaurant.

On the first night we went there, a busy Thursday evening, it was so busy that despite the fact that we had booked a table we still had to wait.  The restaurant is on the lower floor of the Taj Mahal hotel and unless one gets there early - this is what we did the second time we were there - one has a problem getting to one’s table. This obviously means that this restaurant is very popular and the tables are in great demand and each table serves at least 2-3 groups of clients a night especially at the weekends.

There is a great effort on the part of the management to make everything nice and clean which it is, especially the toilets. The tables are set nicely and the Sikh manager at the restaurant oversees the place and guides the guest to their tables politely and cordially. The place has a sort of Indian decor but this is done without sufficient taste and seems a little dry.

Although the waiters are smartly dressed their attitude and service leaves a great deal to hope for, and even if they bother to address you properly it comes across as rather artificial. The funny part is that the helpers are much nicer and friendlier than the waiters!

However we must admit that the best part is the food.  The portions are large and the food is very tasty and delicious.  This goes for their different curries and tandooris but especially for their variety of bread which we are most fond of. It is made in their tandoori oven in the restaurant.  There is a good variety and diversity catering for different tastes. The dessert menu gives several choices.

Our verdict for Taj Mahal is 7 out of 10 yet no doubt we shall be going there again to enjoy the good taste and can only hope that the overall service would have improved by then and the waiters be a little nicer and happy to receive the guests.

... Payvand News - 5/30/07 ...