Tandoor India Cuisine

Located at 4612 W. Market St. in Greensboro, Tandoor offers a wide assortment of traditional Indian dishes: appetizers, breads, soups, rice, vegetarian and meat dishes, and thali combination platters. There is a buffet during lunch hours, and catering is available.

Saffron remains the go-to name among Greensboro’s Indian restaurants, but it isn’t the only game in town. Tandoor offers a viable alternative at a (comparatively) attractive price.

First, the negatives. Tandoor is located at the far end of a rather sketchy shopping plaza. The décor – light blue walls with pink trim – isn’t the worst you’ll see, but it is dated and stale. The restaurant’s ample seating is also something of a double-edged sword: while you don’t have to worry about being elbow-to-elbow with garrulous diners, the empty tables create a sense of loneliness.

These quibbles aside, there is a lot to like here. You can request food anywhere from mild to Indian hot; medium seemed to strike the right balance. The dishes sampled were well-seasoned, heavily sauced, and generously portioned. Chunks of chicken korma were juicy, and the lamb vindaloo was thankfully none too chewy. Freshly baked naan came in handy for mopping up sauces, and the papadum was downright addictive. Only a bland chicken pakora came in as a disappointment, and not a huge one at that.

Tandoor’s exhaustive 100-plus item menu offers both unexpected surprises (Mango lamb? Crab masala? Biryani with nearly everything?) and compelling values. A $30 non-vegetarian dinner for two included everything listed in the previous paragraph, plus rice, chicken saag, raita, tea or coffee and dessert. That’s a hell of a lot of food for the money. Prices on individual entrees vary, but they top out at $14, and you can find many in the $10-$12 range.

Contrary to some of the negative reviews floating around, service at Tandoor was not a problem at all. Our server was polite and efficient, and the gentleman at the register seemed affable. Lunch might be a different story, but dinner here was a pleasant experience.

Tandoor can’t quite match Saffron’s polish and sophistication, but variety, value, and competent execution make it worthy of your consideration if you are seeking a quality Indian meal.

8/10