Royal Tandoor Shirley Menu

Royal Tandoor Shirley is the northern branch of a Christchurch restaurant business that has been serving the city since 2008. Proprietor Sudesh Kumar brings more than three decades of hospitality experience to an operation that now spans Shirley and Sydenham, yet the Warrington Street restaurant retains the feel of a neighbourhood dining room. Guests can settle in for dinner, collect a takeaway or use the team's catering service for a larger gathering.

The tandoor gives the menu one of its clearest signatures. Chicken tikka is marinated in spiced yoghurt before baking, while whole or half tandoori chicken offers a more substantial version of the same charcoal-edged style. Prawns and garlic-marinated mushrooms extend that cooking method beyond poultry. Onion bhajees, lamb or vegetable samosas and the Royal mixed platter make it easy to begin with several contrasting bites and chutneys around the table.

Curries move between rich, mellow sauces and more aromatic preparations. Butter chicken uses tandoor-baked meat in a buttery masala, chicken tikka masala brings char-grilled pieces together with garlic, ginger and spices, and rogan josh simmers lamb with tomato and aniseed. Lamb pasanda adds yoghurt, mint and crushed almonds. Palak paneer, with cumin, tomato and spinach, and malai kofta in cashew sauce ensure that the vegetable section is far more than an afterthought.

That breadth continues through separate seafood and vegetable curry sections, Indian breads and combination meals, allowing a table to build dinner in layers rather than commit to a single plate. The balance is especially useful for mixed groups: tandoori starters bring smoke, curries supply sauces of different weight and warmth, and bread ties the meal together. Royal Tandoor's party and catering service carries the same shareable format beyond the restaurant when the occasion calls for it.

Address: Shop 3, 137 Warrington Street, Shirley, Christchurch 8013, New Zealand

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