The Dhabba

44 Candleriggs, Glasgow, G1 1LE

Telephone 0141 553 1249
Food served Mon–Fri noon–2pm, 5–11pm; Sat/Sun 1–11pm.
Pre-theatre times Mon–Fri 5–7pm; Sat/Sun 1–6pm
Average price £9.95 (set lunch); £25 (evening meal)
Pre-theatre price Half-price mains
Email
Website www.thedhabba.com

The 2013 edition of The List's Eating & Drinking Guide is out now – only £5.95 (+p&p).

This review is taken from the current (2013) edition.

What’s on offer in this upmarket eatery is far removed from the rustic style of cooking you’ll find in any roadside café after which it is named. The chefs have previously cooked for India’s rich and famous bringing with them a majestic, refined knowledge of North Indian cuisine and an ability to harmonise ingredients with an acute balance of flavour and thoughtful, nuanced spicing – dispelling the idea that highly spiced, hot curries are definitive of a vast nation’s palate. Many of the sensibly portioned dishes on the menu defy the norm, so the shuruaati thal is a good way of trying a range of distinctive starters, while the tandoori sangam offers appetising, sizzling, clay oven cooked chicken, lamb and monkfish for two. With regal origins, dum pukht dishes are a highlight and the closest link you’ll find with roadside cafés nowadays, where thin layers of roti bread are used to create a sealing lid to pots in which curries are slowly oven cooked – the gosht dum nazakat deliciously offers succulent lamb within the warmth and creaminess of a saffron and cardamom sauce.

High point: Sophisticated North Indian cuisine, contemporary Indo surroundings
Low point: Indian desserts need more attention

Number of wines sold by the glass: 3
Provides: Vegetarian options (at least ¼ main courses), Gluten-free options, Children's high chairs, Wheelchair access, Pre-theatre menu, Free wi-fi
Music on stereo: Classical indian, fusion
Capacity: 115
Largest group: 115
Open since: 2002
House wine: £15.95 per bottle

Comments & ratings

3. The Connoissseur – 15 Mar 2013, 11:01am The Dhabba Report: Probably one the best experiences for North Indian food in the UK I have had. The last restaurant I frequented which was called The Dhabba was in a 5 star Hotel in New Delhi, India called Claridges. The food was excellent there to. The Dhabba in Glasgow is authentic, extremely tasty and as good as the one I visited in India. Being a well traveled person, and having visited numerous Indian restaurants in the UK and all over India, I can honestly say the Dhabba is as good as it gets in the UK if you are looking for tasty North Indian food. Staff were superb as well. Maybe I just visited on a good day.

2. gail gow – 24 Feb 2013, 1:19pm Report: was in Saturday 23/2/13 worst Indian food i have ever eaten and service was awful .

1. Captain Commando – 18 Sep 2010, 11:16am The Dhabba Report

Take it from an Indian. A Dhabba is an informal roadside shack found on Indian highways, serving good value, freshly prepared local food to motorists and truck drivers. This version in Candleriggs is certainly located on a road but that's about all the resemblance it has to its namesake.

The food ranges from poor to average: a breaded prawn starter, served on a bed of slackly sliced veg, was soggy and uninspiring, monkfish indeterminate and lamb chewy. Curries are the usual middle-of-the-road coloured gloop with cream substituting richness for flavour, demonstrating lack of ability or effort. Dessert is average. Service is offhand - yes, they'll ask you if everything's alright but in that routine manner that suggests they don't really care all that much. And they're so confident they deserve a tip they won't bring you the change unless you make a point of asking for it.

Perhaps just our bad luck. Perhaps an off day? All excusable, I suppose, if it wasn't all so pricey and the portions miserly.

Glasgow is well served in good quality Indian restaurants. This is not one of them.

Average rating 3/5 from 2 reviews of The Dhabba.

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The Dhabba

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