3 /5 Paresh Patel: My Christmas Day dining at Salaam Namaste didn’t quite live up to expectations, particularly in light of other positive reviews. Here are some areas where it fell short:
• The starters included some gristle, which was a bit off-putting. We chose not to try a replacement.
• The portions were a bit smaller than anticipated for two people, and there was a slight mix-up with the rice, but it wasn’t a major issue.
• The Christmas pudding and coconut ice cream (which tasted similar to vanilla) were not as impressive as hoped.
• There were minor service delays, like waiting for plates and spoons for our pudding, but these were resolved fairly quickly.
The staff were quite friendly, though the standard 12% service charge seemed a tad high given the overall experience. The non-acceptance of American Express was a minor inconvenience, considering the location.
The experience didn’t quite match the enthusiastic reviews I’d read, leaving a bit of a gap between expectation and reality. While not awful, the meal and overall experience, especially considering the £155 cost, didn’t quite capture the festive spirit I had anticipated. It was an alright experience, but not as memorable as I had hoped for a Christmas celebration.