New Indian Restaurant, Torrox Costa

[Free at Last]

I know we have a few members living around La Axarquia who like a good curry - did you know a new place opened in Torrox Costa on 12 February? It's called Koh-i-Noor, on Avenida Las Antillas (if coming from Torre del Mar, it's the first road on the right after the Repsol petrol station).

We had lunch there today and were very impressed - as I told the waiter, my chicken jalfrezi was one of the best curries I've had anywhere, not just Spain where Indian restaurants can often be indifferent at best. He says they grind all their own spices, don't use any packet mixes, and the chef even makes his own paneer. Portions are generous and the prices unbelievably cheap - onion bhajis or vegetable pakoras only €2.00, both very nice, and most chicken or lamb curries €6.00, vegetable dishes €4.00.
We ordered two starters each (had to have one boxed up to take home), one chicken and one vegetable main course, one pilau and one plain rice, one garlic naan, one Cobra beer and one water, the total bill came to €29. Popadums and a digestif of your choice were on the house, and my OH was impressed to find his brandy served in a warmed glass, brought to the table covered. Service was very attentive and friendly too.

[El Cid]

Interesting you say that but it has received so many bad reviews on Digame that they have stopped publishing them.

Maybe the restaurant has read them and improved.

Nice to see a decent review for a change.

Sid

[Free at Last]

I don't read Digame, but having looked at it following your post, I see what you mean! But we can only speak as we find, can't we, and we'll certainly be going back. Previously we've normally settled on the Torrox Costa Taj Mahal as our preferred option for Indian food, but the meal today was much better. About the only things that I could say scored less highly than the Taj Mahal were the relishes served with the popadoms and the fact that the menu is much shorter (but that's not normally a bad thing IMO). I asked for my jalfrezi medium hot and it was plenty spicy enough for me, and I like spicy food. My OH who likes REALLY spicy food also enjoyed his chana masala.

[TJones]

I've been to the Torrox Costa Taj Mahal when visiting the area before and very much enjoyed my food and would go back if I were to visit again. Have you been back to the Koh-i-Noor? I might try it when I visit in July if it's better than the Taj Mahal

[Free at Last]

Have you been back to the Koh-i-Noor? I might try it when I visit in July if it's better than the Taj Mahal

No, we were only there for the first time yesterday, so it's a bit soon for a return visit, although my OH would happily eat curry for 3 meals a day, every day, if he could!

There were two German couples eating there yesterday, though, who both said they preferred the Koh-i-Noor to the Taj Mahal, and I was just speaking to a friend this morning whose daughters run a hotel in Torrox Pueblo, he said they had been and enjoyed it very much.

Hopefully there will be enough people who prefer one or the other to keep them both in business. Masood who runs the Taj Mahal is a very nice person and has always treated us very well. Taste in food and restaurants is a very subjective and personal thing, and what one person likes won't necessarily suit another. I did notice one unfavourable comment in the Digame reviews, for example, that the waiter at the Koh-i-Noor was wearing T-shirt and jeans. Unless I'm going to a high end place and paying high prices I couldn't care less what the waiter wears as long as they're clean, but yesterday he was in a smart black waiter's shirt and trousers, if anyone cares!

[katy]

Perhaps it's friends and supporters of the TAJ putting on the bad reviews of the KOH

[katy]

oops

[gerryh]

Had lunch today at the Koh-i-Noor.
Very impressed, food and service both very good.
Friendly and attentive waiters.
€34.50 for both of us for plenty of food and wine.
Will defiantly be going there again.
Cheers
Gerry

[TorreDelAguila]

There are three Taj Mahals . . . Torre del Mar (Pasaje Timon), Torrox Costa, and Puente don Manuel. All three are owned and operated by three brothers Choudhury, and have almost identical menus and pricing.

We've eaten often at all of them, and the general consensus (between us and our friends) is that Torre del Mar is the best, with Puente Don Manuel a smidgeon away. Torrox, oddly, just isn't in the same class. Chef-owner par excellence, Raschid, operates from Torre del Mar.

After decades of loving Indian food (the Taj food is actually Kashmiri), we think that Raschid's is just some of the best we've had - ever - and is amazingly consistent. Quite hooked.

[gerryh]

Interesting in what you said about he Taj Mahals. Only been to the Taj Mahal in Torrox Costa and found the food just OK.
Much better food and service, in my opinion, in the Koh-i-Nor.
The Koh-i-Nor only has a limited menu but still enough choices.
Cheers
Gerry

[Lyric]

And while in Torrox Costa there is the Village Tandoori near Safari Bar, just off the Paseo. To our taste the best of the three.
Just thought I would throw it in the pot.

[Free at Last]

There are three Taj Mahals . . . Torre del Mar (Pasaje Timon), Torrox Costa, and Puente don Manuel. All three are owned and operated by three brothers Choudhury, and have almost identical menus and pricing.

We've eaten often at all of them, and the general consensus (between us and our friends) is that Torre del Mar is the best, with Puente Don Manuel a smidgeon away. Torrox, oddly, just isn't in the same class. Chef-owner par excellence, Raschid, operates from Torre del Mar.

After decades of loving Indian food (the Taj food is actually Kashmiri), we think that Raschid's is just some of the best we've had - ever - and is amazingly consistent. Quite hooked.

Well, that just goes to show how different people's tastes in restaurants are! We've tried the Torre del Mar Taj Mahal twice (but never the Puente don Manuel one). On the first occasion, my OH was served a vegetable curry made with frozen diced vegetables - I wouldn't have believed it if I hadn't seen it with my own eyes. After a very long interval, we gave it one more go. This time he ordered chana masala and the chickpeas were very soft and mushy, he found it most unpleasant. There is unlikely to be a third visit.

We ate at the Koh-i-Noor for the second time on Tuesday evening, with our American part-time neighbours who are over on holiday. We all enjoyed our meals and they couldn't believe the prices.

[El Cid]

(the Taj food is actually Kashmiri)

Really?

Like the Madras or the Dhansak or the Vindaloo or the Balti or the Jalfrezi - I could go on.

The only Kashmiri dish I have seen on their menu is Rogan Josh and all the sauces are made from a pre-prepared base like all the other Indian restaurants. It may taste good, but Kashmiri it isn't.

Sid

[TorreDelAguila]

Sorry I said anything on this. Won't make the mistake again. What would we know?

[El Cid]

Interesting in what you said about he Taj Mahals. Only been to the Taj Mahal in Torrox Costa and found the food just OK.
Much better food and service, in my opinion, in the Koh-i-Nor.
The Koh-i-Nor only has a limited menu but still enough choices.
Cheers
Gerry

We tried the Koh-I-Nor today.

Service was excellent. Free papadoms to start. Starters good, the most authentic onion bhajis of any of the locals. Mains OK but a bit under spiced but served on hot plates for a change. Everything is based on the same base sauce (most restaurants do this) and like the Torrox Taj, very much based on tomato but even more so. It means that the only difference between all the options is different veg and spicing.

Overall pretty much on a par with the Torrox Taj but for the same amount of food slightly more expensive - but hardly surprising as the Taj has the €12 eat all you can menu.

Excellent coffee - the Taj is so bad we never order it now. Free liqueurs, the brandy was warmed with a serviette and saucer on top to keep it warm - nice touch.

Overall impression - perfectly OK but very much like all the others and not a patch on similar restaurants in the UK. Far better than some of the early Internet reports would suggest.

Now, what's the best, in your opinion, Chinese/Asian in the area?

Sid

[Lyric]

Difficult, many rate Asian Ben, might have hit a bad night as we were alone and there was footy on their TV.
Much prefer Jing.

All these things are to taste though are they not.

[Free at Last]

Now, what's the best, in your opinion, Chinese/Asian in the area?

Sid

I don't like Chinese food so can't comment on those, but we really like the Siam Thai restaurant in Torre del Mar (on the main road through town, near the Comisaria de Policia Nacional on the same side of the road).

Interesting what you said about the same base sauce being used for all the dishes at the Koh-i-Noor -on our last visit, I would have said the same about 3 of the ones our party ordered, going by appearance only (1 vegetable curry with paneer, 1 lamb rogan josh and 1 chicken vindaloo). However, the sauce with my chicken jalfrezi was quite different in appearance and consistency - very strange!

[El Cid]

Difficult, many rate Asian Ben, might have hit a bad night as we were alone and there was footy on their TV.
Much prefer Jing.

All these things are to taste though are they not.

You need to be with a few people to appreciate any Chinese restaurant to get enough variety to make a decent judgement.

The problem with Chinese food is that it can vary so much from region to region. Some is fairly bland and some is seriously fiery. I prefer the latter so that will affect my choice of restaurant. For example I find Jing's very bland and Bens more to my taste, but again, it depends what you order.

It seems to me, having tried most of the locals, that they are pretty much like the standard you would have found in the UK quite a long time ago. I think they all have a long way to go but it doesn't stop me enjoying them!

If you venture further east, Sheng in Almuñécar is pretty good and their €5.50 set menu is amazing value. Incidentally, Jing's, Sheng and Feng in Algarrobo Costa are all owned by the same family.

Sid

[El Cid]

I don't like Chinese food so can't comment on those, but we really like the Siam Thai restaurant in Torre del Mar (on the main road through town, near the Comisaria de Policia Nacional on the same side of the road).

I don't know that one - I will give it a try as I love Thai food - suits my taste for spicy food better than most Chinese.

Lan Sang (Thai) in Nerja is good but pretty expensive. However they have recently offered a set menu for around €15 which is pretty good.

Sid

[Lyric]

We also do Thai and I recall there was a debate about the two on the main drag in TdM they are on either side of the road near the Police but I didn't know which was judged the better. Same side as the Police then we will give it a try on one of our monthly outings.