Dilli Indian Restaurant

After reading all the great reviews of Dilli on there website I booked a table for two on Saturday night.

On arrival the restaurant had modern deco with a vibrant atmosphere. We were told that our table was upstairs and we were led to an empty room that was dimly lit. We asked to move downstairs but our waitress told that they were fully booked and that they were expecting more diners in the room. They put us on a table at the top of the stairs next to a drafty window. We moved table and was then given some stale popodums and a small selection of chutney's. I complained about the popodums and they changed them, I also had to ask for a napkin and cutlery! For starter we ordered the Tali Machi Masala (fish) and Adraki lamb Chops. The fish was okay (rather wet with a rubber batter for my liking) and I was expecting a rack of chops as described in the menu, which arrived on a cold plate rather luke warm then fresh from an oven. Both starters came with a mint sauce that was rather on the hot side. Our mains of Rara Murgh the "popular chicken bhuna" was very good and the Baigan Ka Burtha "smokey egg plant mousse" was too hot - not delicately spiced as described in the web blurb.

Our waitress put on a brave face as we sat in the empty room accompanied only by customers making their way to the toilets.

In summary I would say Dilli has good intention with the menu but didn't deliver on quality and service at a rather expensive and forgettable experience. We were obviously not given the 5 star treatment the judges that give out the awards are treated to.
Comment on this reader review

Rishi Issar
Overall rating
Food 6 | Service 7 | Atmosphere 1 | Value for money 2
Monday, September 21, 2009

Personally, i have eaten at Dilli on a number of occasions and would highly reccomend not only the food and service, but the knowledge of the staff and, beautifully authentic Indian cuisine. I have travelled extensiveley in India and found Dilli as 'close as you can get'. i would also not plan to give such an esteemed establishment half an hour of my time, before closing, for a special celebration!
Comment on this reader review

Julie McAlinden
Overall rating
Food 10 | Service 10 | Atmosphere 10 | Value for money 10
Saturday, May 02, 2009

Dilli's website said they were open till 10.30 pm on Sunday night. We then planned our whole day around the fact that we would arrive around 10 pm. We arrived very hungry at 9.55 only to be told in a very offhand manner that they were closed. No sympathy, no apology, no suggestion of where we might go or concern for how far we had travelled (45 minutes).

We felt hugely disappointed as we were celebrating a special occasion and my parents who live two hours away were having our children for the night. We went home and had toast instead. We complained to the restaurant on their website and got no response.

Not recommended!
Comment on this reader review

Overall rating
Food 0 | Service 0 | Atmosphere 0 | Value for money 0
Thursday, April 23, 2009

I had been to this restaurant a yr ago with friends and that time it was the best indian food I ever had in Manchester,absolutely perfect. I recently visited this restaurant and was HUGELY DISAPPOINTED! The coke served was absolutely flat, the bhindi was uncooked and lacked any taste, it still had water floating in the oil. Matter Paneer had old sour cream in it and the peas were not cooked and some of them were even frozen.

The service was horrible, no one ever asked us if we needed anything and we had to get up ourselves to get some salt.

It is very sad that a restaurant so good has deteriorated to the other extreme. I asked the manager if the chef had changed or if the management had changed but he just said no. Even on complaining about the food, and seeing that we had left almost all of it, no replacement was offered and the bill was presented to us. The good reviews seem to be written by the staff themselves and I would really like a proper food quality evaluator to visit this restaurant so that people don't get mislead and waste so much money on garbage.

If only someone had written this review before, I would have spent an extra 10 to atleast get some decent eatable food. WORST INDIAN FOOD EXPERIENCE OF MY LIFE!
Comment on this reader review

Indian_foodie - View all reviews by this user
Overall rating
Food 0 | Service 2 | Atmosphere 5 | Value for money 0
Saturday, April 04, 2009

best Indian In altrincham/Manchester we tried there new menu well presented,we been regular now 2 more have tried to copy dilli but it still hold the best reputation in the area.
View/Add comments (1)

Kath
Overall rating
Food 9 | Service 9 | Atmosphere 8 | Value for money 9
Wednesday, December 10, 2008

On 30/08/08 myself and a friend were booked for a meal at 18:00 at the Dilli restaurant, we chose them having read the reviews on their web site and seen that they had several awards. Not unreasonably our expectations are quite high.

On entering the restaurant we were impressed by the smart layout and general apperance. However on stating that we had booked a table we were seated next to the only other customers and already felt distinctly rushed.

The member of staff who served us was eastern european and spoke and understood little English. He was obviously good natured but it made ordering so awkward that he had to get one of the indian staff to take over.

The menu was the major let down of the evening, myself and my friend have been to many indian restaurants and seen many menu's but none so unfathomable as this. All the usual favourite dishes were missing, no onion baji's, madras's, vindaloo's, jalfrezi's, korma's or balti's. The list continues. We ended up having to get them to try and match up what we wanted with what they provided on they're limited menu.

We ended up with a bastardised form of a normal indian meal which I must add was found very lacking in quality and quantity. The curry was bland and the rice undercooked. I find it amazing that such a restraunt with such awards could be so dissapointing.

We ended up leaving feeling that what should have been a treat was a dire dissapointment. Needless to say we shall not be returning.
Comment on this reader review

Christopher Adamson
Monday, September 01, 2008

we being to this restaurant quite a number of times and tried other Indian restaurant in Altrincham,we still find this one as one of the best,good staff ,good food,good wine menu.
Comment on this reader review

Nick
Tuesday, May 13, 2008

dilli is one of the best indian in manchester,the staff is very friendly.The food is very tasty.will be going back soon
Comment on this reader review

lucy
Tuesday, May 06, 2008

one of the best indian we had,it's truly the real taste of india we been to delhi(India)recently and we really enjoyed the food while our stay.now we have found our indian restaurant we will be visting regularly
Comment on this reader review

simon
Tuesday, April 29, 2008

This was one of the best REAL INDIAN MEAL myslef and my family enjoyed. My uncle is a vegetarian and he was very pleased with the authentic vegetarian rice and starters he had in the restaurant. Chicken tikka was excellent and the best mussels i have tasted.
Comment on this reader review

SASIKUMAR
Friday, April 25, 2008