An Indian Curry Infused with Culture, Love & Flavour…

Iam British, from Italian descent, and I have been brought up on Fish and Chips, Roast beef, anything and everything Italian and of course, curry. I love curry. I have lived here on the Costa del Sol for nearly 14 years and we’re never far away from restaurants serving the diverse food of the Indian subcontinent, which makes my traditional weekly Curry fix as contrasting as the restaurants amongst us here.

The story of Indian food in Britain is complex; one involving bitterness, beer and gooey quantities of ghee. It remains a mystery why so many are just so terrible. Often you get dubious meat cooked up in sauces with a sugary oil slick. Plus there’s those deep-fried doughy onion bhajis, pungent dishes overflowing with raw garlic, and grated cheddar half melted on your spinach trying to pass itself off as a sag paneer.

Not so at Maa Indian Restaurant in Marbella. Nestled in the interesting setting of Aloha Gardens, just 1km from Puerto Banus, with a magnificent backdrop of its giant waterfall, an ornate and illuminated pond, complete with a bridge that leads you to white linen dressed tables with intimate table lamps on the outside garden terraces. Early summer evenings in this setting just adds an extra element as you take in the aroma’s in the air that create an increased anticipation for the food you are about to receive.

A tiny restaurant, with only six tables, seating around 18 people, MAA’s unique gardens create a bustling environment without intrusion of up to 80 diners during the summer months. The atmosphere is welcoming, the staff are extremely friendly and warm. They remember their customers and do all they can to please.

The food is just exquisite! Fresh, tasty, super flavour. The chef will accommodate for your taste more chilli, more ginger, but for me, I prefer to eat as I find it, as that’s how the chef intends it. The menu includes popular ever-presents, such as Tandoori, Madras, Jalfrezi, Korma and the rest of the usual suspects, however, there is a lot of focus on the chef’s actual specialities…

On this visit, which regrettably was for a table of one, I ordered a starter of a Chicken Lollipop, which are legs, rolled back, marinated and juicy with a crisp outer, together with Samosa. These are simply melt in the mouth parcels of intensely delicious flavours, meat or veggie. Maybe a little on the large size when having two starters! I trusted the Chef, and ordered one of his specialities, Murgh Masala. A tandoori chicken dish, with minced meat, encapsulated in a smooth yogurt based sauce which was at a perfect spice level. Having had two starters, I opted for a cheese Naan, no rice. This dish offered an array of flavours, reflective of the diversity and variance found in the cultures and languages of India.

At The Maa Indian Restaurant, they regard their cuisine as a performing art. I’d simply say they are consistently great, the recipes are delicious, good sizes and the service and setting is superb and I think at a reasonable price. My bill for the aforementioned setting and two (three) course meal, with a Cobra beer served in a frosty cold glass whilst perusing the menu, a glass of red house wine with the main course and a bottle of still water came to just under €44.00. Oh, and they do takeaway and delivery also….

Highly Recommended.

MAA Indian Restaurant Avenida del Prado S/N Aloha Garden. Bloque 11, Local 9, 29660 Marbella, Málaga - 952 92 91 66 www.maaindianrestaurant.com