Mohan Tandoori Carterton

The Mohan Tandoori order was as follows — lamb pathia, garlic rice, onion bhajis, peshwari naan and also the saag paneer. I was in the mood for something with a bit of heat and flavour, and overall, it was a decent experience for a local takeaway.

The lamb pathia was quite enjoyable. The lamb itself was nicely cooked — tender and not chewy at all, which is always a good sign. The sauce had that classic pathia combination of flavours: hot, sweet, and sour, all working together in a bold way. It definitely had a kick to it, which I liked. That said, it wasn’t the best pathia I’ve had — maybe lacking a little depth compared to restaurant versions and a bit too oily — but still pretty good for a takeaway. It hit the spot and scratched the itch for something slightly spicy and rich.

I also had the saag paneer, the spinach was full of flavour and seasoned really well, and the paneer was surprisingly good — soft, creamy, and not chewy at all, which can sometimes be a problem with paneer from other places. It really stood out as a quality dish and added a nice, milder contrast to the bolder flavours from the pathia.

Next the onion bhajis, and these were probably the weakest part of the meal for me. They were very thin and crispy. Personally, I prefer bhajis that are thicker, with a soft, fluffy centre and a crunchy outer edge. These felt like they’d been flattened a bit too much, so they didn’t have that satisfying bite I was hoping for. Not terrible, just not my style.

On the other hand, the garlic rice was great. It was packed with flavour, with plenty of cloves running through it, giving it a lovely aromatic quality. It paired really well with the pathia sauce and helped balance the spice with its fragrant warmth.

The peshwari naan was another highlight. It had a crispy skin on the outside and was soft and pillowy inside — exactly how I like it. The sweetness from the coconut and almond filling was spot on. It wasn’t overly sweet but had just enough to complement the heat of the curry without being cloying.