Restaurant Review (Eastern Balti)
Established over 40 years ago Eastern Balti was the very first Indian restaurant to open in Telford! The Mehmood family has run the business for over 20 years and also owns the nearby Taj Mahal restaurant, so they have plenty of experience when it comes to cooking authentic Indian cuisine.
On arrival we were welcomed by one of the owners Raja and were shown to a large table by the window.
The bar is well stocked with a range of alcoholic and soft drinks, although you are also welcome to bring your own alcoholic drinks with you, which helps keep the cost down if you are eating out on a budget. A takeaway and delivery service is also available.
On Raja’s recommendation I ordered the Gulshan Kebab for my starter, my husband Aaron opted for a classic onion bhaji.
In the menu my kebab was described as ‘the king of kebabs’ and it certainly didn’t disappoint. Two generous sheik kebabs wrapped in a crisp layer of pastry, the kebabs are double cooked in a traditional clay oven once before the pastry is added and again after, the kebab itself was certainly very tender and full of flavor and the crisp layer of pastry added an enjoyable texture to the dish.
Aaron’s duo of Bhajis came served with a fresh and vibrant side salad, Aaron commented that it was delicious and his clean plate certainly attested to that!
For the main course I ordered Lamb Garlic with a side of Pilau Rice, Aaron had the Chicken Sagwala Balti with a side order of Pea and Cashew Nut Rice we also order a Special Naan Bread to share.
After a short wait our main courses arrived, presented in traditional Balti woks sat on top of small wooden trivets.
My Lamb Garlic consisted of tender chunks of lamb in a rich spiced curry sauce, garnished with slivers of fried garlic. My pilau rice was perfectly cooked, fluffy and colourful, the whole thing was lovely.
Aaron said his Chicken Sagwala was very tasty; the moist pieces of chicken and chopped spinach were served in a rich medium hot curry sauce. I couldn’t resist trying some of his pea and cashew nut rice, which can only be described as mouth-watering, the cashew nuts added lots of texture and flavor, I will definitely be ordering this rice dish again.
The Eastern Balti is famous for its enormous naan breads, all I can say is you simply have to try one to believe it! We opted for the special naan, which is stuffed with a spiced mince and chicken filling with a layer of melted cheese on top. This naan was so huge you couldn’t even see the plate beneath; it was perfectly cooked and tasted incredible and unsurprisingly there was plenty to take home with us!
We were both very satisfied after our mains as the portion sizes were very generous, so to finish the meal Aaron ordered a coffee, I couldn’t resist a desert but wanted something light so opted for the Pistachio Kulfi. The kulfi was cool and creamy, in my opinion the perfect way to cleanse and cool the palate after a spicy Indian meal.
Eastern Balti was the very first Indian restaurant to open in the area and over the past 40 years has started the careers of many of the Indian chefs in Telford, with a history and heritage like that they must be doing something right and after our meal tonight I would agree, the food was fresh and tasty and the atmosphere was relaxed and friendly. If you enjoy authentic freshly prepared Indian food, you really must pay a visit to Eastern Balti.
Reviewed by Charlie & Aaron Scott
