Restaurant of the Week: Riksha, Union Square, Aberdeen

Rik Sha restaurant, Union Square, Aberdeen

When our reviewer visited Riksha, customers were greeted by a member of staff wearing colourful national dress and presenting the ladies with a single red rose.

Location

On the upper level of the popular Granite City shopping mall.

First impressions

A traditional, brightly coloured Indian rickshaw graces the entrance. Inside has a street-market vibe, enhanced by a mural.

Service

Our waitress had been expertly trained in the dishes on offer and their contents. We were impressed to hear a similarly schooled waiter patiently sitting with baffled visitors from the continent and guiding them through the menu.

There’s Tara Tari Taalis – a curry of the day complemented with naan bread, rice, a vegetable side and pickle served on a Taali platter; and the Railway Tiffin – medium spiced chicken, lamb or vegetable curry with rice and bread served in a traditional railworker’s metal tiffin, or a Biryani dish of the day. There are plenty of vegetarian and vegan options too.

Taste

We started with poppadoms and dips, followed by chicken biryani and a lamb tiffin. The meat was moist and tender, spiced to exactly the degree described, and with the lightest, fluffiest and tastiest rice imaginable. From stove to table, it was served piping hot by our waiter who seemed delighted we had decided to sample one another’s choices. Both were off-the-scale scrumptious. We followed a recommendation to sample Gulab Jamun – a dumpling-like dessert in syrup. We’d tasted nothing like it before and were glad we gave it a try.

Ambience

Joyful and fun, but the food is seriously good. This is a great place to eat with friends.

Price

With drinks and coffee, our bill for two came to a little over £50 which we considered good, given the quality of the cuisine and the great atmosphere and service.