Hero image

Taste of Malabar

+44 1603 664152
41 Magdalen St, Norwich NR3 1LQ United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland
Open Today: 02:00 AM - 11:00 PM

Quick Facts About Taste of Malabar

Taste of Malabar is a restaurant with a lot of potential, but there are some key strengths and weaknesses that can be identified based on the comments provided.
One of the main strengths of Taste of Malabar is its authenticity. Multiple customers have praised the restaurant for providing a taste of authentic Indian cuisine. This is a significant advantage for the restaurant, as customers are always looking for genuine and traditional flavors when they seek out ethnic restaurants.
Consistency in both taste and service is another area where Taste of Malabar excels. One customer commented that they have visited the restaurant twice and found both the service and taste to be consistently good. This is an important strength for any restaurant, as it ensures a positive dining experience for customers and encourages repeat visits.
The option to pre-order for take-away is also mentioned as a positive aspect of Taste of Malabar. This convenience can help reduce waiting times for customers who prefer to order ahead and pick up their food. Offering this service can help attract a wider range of customers who may be looking for a quick and convenient meal option.
Another strength of Taste of Malabar is the size of the restaurant and its seating capacity. With room for more than 50 people, the restaurant is able to accommodate larger groups and parties. This can be a significant advantage, as it allows for increased customer capacity and the ability to cater to various types of events and occasions.
In terms of weaknesses, one comment highlights the need for extra care and possible refurbishment of the restaurant. Although it is mentioned that this is in the pipeline, the current state of the restaurant may detract from the overall dining experience for some customers. Ensuring that the restaurant is well-maintained and aesthetically pleasing can contribute to a more positive dining ambiance.
Another weakness that is highlighted in the comments is a lack of menu options and inconsistency in available dishes. One customer mentions that the paper takeaway menu did not include the thali option, despite it being advertised at the front of the restaurant. This miscommunication and lack of clarity can be a source of frustration for customers who have specific menu items in mind. It is important for the restaurant to ensure that their menus are accurate and up to date to avoid disappointing customers and potentially losing business.
Additionally, there are comments about cleanliness and hygiene issues. One customer describes the restaurant as the "most unhygienic" in town, while another mentions dirty tables, stained cutlery, and dusty toilets. These types of comments can be detrimental to a restaurant's reputation and may discourage potential customers from visiting. It is crucial for Taste of Malabar to address these cleanliness concerns and maintain high standards of hygiene to provide a pleasant dining experience for their customers.
Lastly, pricing is mentioned as a strength in one comment, stating that the menu is reasonably priced. However, another comment mentions that certain items on the menu, such as drinks, can be quite expensive. Ensuring that the pricing remains competitive and aligned with the overall dining experience and quality of food is essential to attract and retain customers.
In conclusion, Taste of Malabar has several significant strengths, such as authentic taste, consistency in service and taste, the option for pre-ordering, seating capacity, and reasonably priced menu. However, there are areas that need improvement, such as refurbishment, menu consistency, cleanliness, and hygiene standards. Addressing these weaknesses can help enhance the overall dining experience and reputation of Taste of Malabar, ensuring long-term success for the restaurant.


Best TL Reviews

Authentic taste
Have been here twice, services and taste remained consistently good.
Surely recommend this place to those who would like to explore Indian food.
This place allows you to pre order for take away as well eat in which might help reduce the waiting time.
The resto does need some extra care and possibly refurbishment which is in pipeline I'm told.
Service was good, cheerful staff despite how busy they were.
Huge place with seating capacity for more than 50 people. They do have a bar.
Menu is quite reasonably priced.
Can't believe how underrated this place is.
My partner and I wanted to try a thali and arrived just after opening at 17:15 and the sign says open but the doors were still locked. After the waitress noticed this, they quickly opened the door. The interior was pleasant and we got to choose where we sat however the issues started after that. The waitress gave us paper takeaway menus, when the restaurant hands out the laminated menus with a fuller list of options.
The paper menu didn't have the thali despite it being advertised on the menu at the front of the restaurant and images plastered at the front of the restaurant of the thali as well as lots of reviews and pictures of the dish. So we asked the waitress if we could order the thali, they weren't sure because it wasn't on the paper menu so they went to ask the chef. They came back saying that they "don't do it". So we believed them and ordered some dosas from the menu.
After our meal, another member of staff who was an older man walks into the restaurant gets ready and seats another couple. The waitress comes over and they ask for a thali, she says no they dont do the thali, the couple manage to stop the waiter that seated them and asked about the thali and he said that they did do the thali and they ordered 2. That really ruined the entire experience knowing that we didn't get the dish we wanted because of someone's incompetence.
The food was just average, nothing to write home about and If you want a dish and they say they dont have it, get a second opinion and ask another staff member...
Edit:
- I forgot to mention the poppadom problem. We ordered a portion of poppadoms and for £1 we expected 3 but, they came out with 1... that was odd, I've never experienced that before.
Tasty authentic Indian food.
Try Chicken Biryani, Chicken 65 and Prawns 65. Tasty!
The food is of a high standard. It's all about the taste isn't it or why do we bother. I believe it is family run business, very friendly. The restaurant is clean, the decor could do with a slight updating.The food tastes more authentic than the regular Indian food that we are all used to, would recommend this restaurant and takeaway.
A wonderful meal. A great treat to have almost everything on the menu gluten free. The food was beautiful, such wonderful flavours. Prepared for your personal taste. As we will medium it was all prepared that way but if you like it hot, no problems, they will do that for you. Wonderful, helpful staff. Will worth a visit.
Most unhygienic restaurant in town.
The food wasn’t great either. The sides they served along with dosa was prepared few days back is what was told to us when we asked about smell n taste of the dish.
Never goin back again
We ordered chicken biriyani it was really good. Highly recommended.
I was hoping to give this place 5 stars, but I will provide a detailed review of my experience.
1. Opening time:
It is advertised the opening is 17:00 on Saturdays. I entered at 17:13 on Saturday 2nd Jul 22. I was welcomed in, only to be told the kitchen was not open. I do appreciate being told, it was a kind gesture indeed, but it shows poor planning. When you'll advertise the opening time as 17:00, the restaurant must be fully open. Or if there is an inconvenience, change the opening time or put a sign board stating the restaurant will open late due to the circumstance. I returned back at 19:23.
2. The Menu:
I ordered the Dosa, but the waitress told me it was not available as it's a breakfast item, then I asked for the Vada and was told the same. A lot of item on the menu were unavailable. Now I been to many South Indian restaurant and the Dosa is usually the star item on the menu and I have never seen it serve as an exclusive breakfast item only. Hence, don't give us that excuse. Also, the question is, if your restaurant operates from 17:00 to 22:00/22:30, during what time do you'll serve breakfast? I don't know. Do you'll serve breakfast at a time which you'll have not advertised? That's okay, but I suggest you'll split the menu. Have a separate menu for breakfast, lunch and dinner. In that way your customer does not have to decide on something, only to be told that item is unavailable. Therefore, I asked the waitress what was available, and I was told the onion bhaji was available. I also asked if the samosa was available and I was told it was available.
3. The Food:
The samosa was burnt and seems it was frozen and bought from the supermarket and refried but I was not charged for the samosa because I was provided only 1 instead of 2.
The onion bhaji didn't look like onion bhaji at all. Onion bhaji must be firm solid onion fritters. That's what the menu stated, but this was just some crumbs of onion coated in gram flour. That's not onion bhaji. It look like Chivda. However, that's fine if that's your variation.
4. The Service:
As per the menu, the Onion Bhaji was meant to be served with tomato chutney. The tomato chutney was missing. I thought the waitress would bring it and she never did. She was busy, and I tried to draw her attention but she did not respond. Later I complained and she deducted something from my payment.
5. Value for money:
Too expensive. A glass of lemonade costs £2.95, £1.95 for a glass of sparkling water.
6. Cleanliness and Décor:
The tables were dirty, with food stains on the table cloth, dust on the side plates and stains on the cutlery. The toilets were dusty with cobwebs. Décor, very gloomy atmosphere. Didn't feel the place was very inviting.
7. Overall experience:
Terrible! Most of the items on the menu were unavailable. Food was lousy and not worth visiting again. If the items I wanted were available, I would have made a purchase of at least £20, but because a lot of items were unavailable, I made a purchase of less than £10.
But I will tell you that you have a chance to improve. Normally, when I review a store and I have a bad experience, I tell my readers to avoid visiting. However, in your case, I will not tell my readers to not visit your store. If you improve, and take heed to my recommendation, and if I see improvement, I will edit my review and possibly give you a good review.
Thank you

Place Pictures

Resim
Küçük Resim 1 Küçük Resim 1 Küçük Resim 1 Küçük Resim 1 Küçük Resim 1 Küçük Resim 1 Küçük Resim 1 Küçük Resim 1

Taste of Malabar Info

Amenities

Service options
  • Delivery
  • Takeaway
  • Dine-in
Health and safety
  • Staff required to disinfect surfaces between visits
Accessibility
  • Wheelchair-accessible entrance
  • Wheelchair-accessible seating
Offerings
  • Alcohol
  • Beer
  • Coffee
  • Free water refills
  • Halal food
  • Healthy options
  • Late-night food
  • Organic dishes
  • Vegetarian options
  • Wine
Dining options
  • Dinner
  • Catering
  • Dessert
  • Seating
Amenities
  • Bar on site
  • Good for kids
  • High chairs
  • Toilets
  • Wi-Fi
Atmosphere
  • Casual
Crowd
  • Family friendly
  • Groups
  • LGBTQ+ friendly
  • Transgender safe space
Planning
  • Accepts reservations
Payments
  • NFC mobile payments

Today

Opening Hours

Monday Closed
Tuesday 02:00 AM - 11:00 PM
Wednesday 02:00 AM - 11:00 PM
Thursday 02:00 AM - 11:00 PM
Friday 02:00 AM - 11:00 PM
Saturday 02:00 AM - 11:00 PM
Sunday 02:00 AM - 11:00 PM

How to go there

Location