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Local Talkback
Talkback is for the residents and businesses in Liphook to voice their views and opinions about local issues and events.

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Village Tandoori experiences?
- Victoria (19th May 2019 - 21:23:49)

Just canvassing for others’ experiences really - wanting to check whether my experience was an unfortunate one off.

Food was v poor, items missing, items leaked, all was tepid and arrived over half an hour late. Phoned up to ask for a partial refund (all I was going to ask for was delivery fee, the missing item and the leaked item to be refunded, which I think is fair)

The manager phoned me (first person I spoke to wasn’t able to help as the phones were ringing off the hook)

He told me

1) that the food couldn’t be cold because they have hot boxes (he was insistent to the point that I had to ask him if he was, therefore, telling me I was lying)

2) that the food couldn’t leak because they have hot boxes (the lid wasn’t on the mango chutney - which was like water and had spilled)

After a bit of polite (from me) and somewhat surly (him) back and forth he said “well I’m sorry you didn’t like it” and then tried to end the call. When I asked if that was it he asked me what I wanted. I got as far as the phrase “partial refund” and he literally laughed down the phone at me. He went on to say “this is how we make the food; if you don’t like it, don’t order it again.” He told me they don’t give refunds and that I’d paid already so there was nothing I could do.

At this point I asked if we could start again and said I’d like to make note of his name - and he hung up on me.

When I phoned back (after a couple of deep breaths) and said that I’d rather sort of out over the phone than have to drive down and put us both through the awkwardness of dealing with it on site, he replied - do what you like; I’m calling the police.

The whole exchange was really highly unpleasant and quite intimidating. Whilst rationally I knew I’d been calm, polite and not been abusivr or threatening, it’s not very pleasant to be met with such an aggressive reaction.

Ultimately I phoned Just Eat and they took note of the incident and refunded the whole order (which was more than I’d asked the restaurant for in the first instance) but the whole experience has left me feeling very rattled.

I guess my question is this; was this a one-off and he was just having a really bad evening and I caught the brunt of it or has anyone else had similar experiences? I cannot believe that he’s allowed to take payment in advance for food that is substandard and then be so awful when a partial refund is requested.

Re: Village Tandoori experiences?
- Rachael (19th May 2019 - 22:43:48)

How horrible, you got a result and a refund but now you want to dig the knife in and cause the business more pain. I guess you hope the business fails and they all end up destitute and homeless!I

This sort of internet intimidation is sickening. No proof needed, for all we know you could be an employee of a competing business looking to cause michief. How vile!

Re: Village Tandoori experiences?
- Paul Robinson (20th May 2019 - 07:50:44)

How often on this site have we seen complaints from individuals about businesses or services when a complaint has not been made direct to the company concerned.

In this case the customer first took her complaint to the curry house concerned and did not get a satisfactory outcome. Only when she resorted to a third party (Just Eat) was her complaint fully investigated and reparation made.

Paul Robinson

Re: Village Tandoori experiences?
- Sally (20th May 2019 - 09:05:58)

Unfortunately we had a very similar experience a few months back with a missing order and lukewarm food after waiting a long time for the delivery. We called and spoke to the manager who I think was called Shah and he was so rude to us. We have stopped using them now.

Re: Village Tandoori experiences?
- Dawn Hoskins (20th May 2019 - 13:10:46)

@ Rachael
this is clearly not a horrible person - it is one who has received verbal abuse when giving polite feedback about substandard service.

This is exactly the place to have a local conversation about a local issue with local people.

All businesses know that if they give their customers abuse that they are likely to end up on social media these days - in this instance the OP has been very gracious in giving them the benefit of the doubt - and also didn't just come here first to 'moan' but actually went to the horses mouth in the first instance.

I'm sure this thread will be brought to their attention, so hopefully, it will have a positive effect in a raising-up of standards.
Perhaps the 'shouty' manager can even post his promise to do so on this site, and we are such a generous bunch that this will no doubt lead to us all flocking there to try them out.


Re: Village Tandoori experiences?
- Dave (20th May 2019 - 14:37:47)

Proof please??

Or shall we assume guilty as charged? Not exactly fair eh?

A world full of internet libel and fake news, how nice.

Re: Village Tandoori experiences?
- Bob (21st May 2019 - 00:25:21)

Sorry to hear this. I've never used this shop. Just go to madhuban 2 go next time. Its not quite what it used to be but its still good and gets much better reviews on trip advisor google and just eat than the village tandoori.

Re: Village Tandoori experiences?
- Victoria (21st May 2019 - 09:55:08)

The irony of being libellously accused of libel is beautiful. I was aware that posting this would open me up to potential abuse so I guess I’ll have to accept that.

I asked a legitimate question in what I believe to be an appropriate setting after, and only after, giving the restaurant itself the chance to sort the problem out directly over the course of three phone conversations, two of which ended with them hanging up on me. I do not know any of the people associated with this business beyond my contact with them as a restaurant so I would have no reason to have a problem with them outside of that context.

Clearly I have no “proof” since I don’t record my phone calls.

If they don’t give refunds, as I was so clearly informed, then I think it’s important people are aware of this before they pay.

I have been as fair as I can be and, actually, I’m not sure what the alternative would be? Keep quiet and accept that this behaviour continues?

If no one else has had this experience then I’m sure that message will come across loud and clear (as I said; maybe he was just having a bad day?) I would be more than happy to accept that it was a one-off unfortunate moment - we have all done things in ways we then regret haven’t we?

However - if this establishment is routinely behaving like this when people phone up to ask for a fair, partial refund for items missing etc then, actually, I do feel a responsibility to warn others.

I am not accustomed to having threats of police involvement when the phrase “I’d like a partial refund please” has been used - I wasn’t rude, aggressive, abusive. I was more than understanding and said that, actually, if it had only been one or two issues I’d not even have bothered phoning them.

Ultimately, if this person/people are behaving like this regularly then why should it be kept quiet? I’m a relatively confident person but I was left shaken by it. Someone more vulnerable could have been really very upset.

Re: Village Tandoori experiences?
- Victoria (21st May 2019 - 09:57:59)

- and for the record, I work in education and have no association with any competing restaurants. The last time I worked in a restaurant was 20 years ago.

I could give my full name and credentials but, in all honesty, I’m not keen to after a couple of the aggressive responses I’ve had here - I’m sure you understand that.

Re: Village Tandoori experiences?
- Sean (21st May 2019 - 10:49:24)

Victoria, I believe you have conducted yourself in a very good manner, considering the response you have received. If people are only part reading than that is their issue.

Re: Village Tandoori experiences?
- liz (21st May 2019 - 11:45:49)

I wonder why people should take offence at your comments which appear perfectly valid and didn't strike me as someone just having a rant. We can find reviews of restaurants everywhere - good and bad. This business has received very mixed reviews on Trip Advisor.

Re: Village Tandoori experiences?
- Julie (21st May 2019 - 17:30:18)

Never had a bad meal from there and Shah is a nice man and has never come across rude but only helpful

Re: Village Tandoori experiences?
- Bryan (21st May 2019 - 20:02:43)

Always had good meals from village Tandoori always very pleasant and friendly, don’t use “just eat” too book as the prices are slightly more, ring direct or use the website, very rarely use delivery as let’s face if you can’t be bothered to get off your arse and collect then you got to expect food not to be as hot as it has travelled for my 15-30 mins what do you expect ?

Re: Village Tandoori experiences?
- Grant (21st May 2019 - 21:44:38)

Try cooking your own, buy the hairy bikers curry book.
Real curry and fresh.
Better than any pre prepared rubbish you get from any local.
If you think a curry ordered and deliveried in 20 mins is good, then try cooking your own from scratch.
Your never bother again.
By the way the first response to this thread was crazy, rude or what.
Get cooking people, easier than you think.

Re: Village Tandoori experiences?
- jim (21st May 2019 - 21:45:17)

I've always had excellent food from the Village and the chap who runs the place is a super bloke, always chatty and happy to help. I feel this is a scam or some sort of fake news.

Support our local businesses, give them a chance and don't bad mouth them in public.

You should be ashamed of yourself.

Re: Village Tandoori experiences?
- S (21st May 2019 - 22:07:02)

Had one from there recently, was good, on time, and hot.

Re: Village Tandoori experiences?
- Matt (22nd May 2019 - 07:37:02)

I use Shar at the village tandoori often and have never had a bad experience! Always polite and always good food and in my opinion by far the best Indian takeaway in the area! And as other posters have said in this thread food is cooked then goes on a delivery round so could be 30 min from the saucepan to your front door so with every will in the world it’s never going to be piping hot, any takeaway I get wether from the village tandoori or others I always re heat to get it to the temperature I like but then again everybody’s interpretation of ‘hot’ is different.

I think maybe you’ve had a one off bad experience as I have never known Shar to be abusive

Re: Village Tandoori experiences?
- Adrian (22nd May 2019 - 09:00:03)

If I had ordered or bought something substandard or faulty I would take it back. Most decent businesses will offer a replacement or refund especially if you speak in a polite but loud voice.

There are too many people who can’t cook or won’t cook relying on convenience food these days. It’s about time we went back to home cooking as part of a healthier lifestyle.

Re: Village Tandoori experiences?
- liz (22nd May 2019 - 10:13:27)

Grant and Adrian

A takeaway is for convenience. We cook mostly from scratch but occasionally fancy a 'curry on a hurry'. If you cook a proper curry at home in less than an hour it must be pretty awful!

Re: Village Tandoori experiences?
- grant (22nd May 2019 - 12:39:10)

Yes Liz, your correct, it does take time, but worth it.
Make double and freeze it, there's your ruby in a hurry?

I had a 'local' Indian takeaway for the first time in about 5 years a couple of months ago and it was garbage, Ordered and delivered in 15 mins?!!
Never tried the Village Tandoori.

Re: Village Tandoori experiences?
- Rachel (22nd May 2019 - 13:49:00)

I too have had trouble with this curry house.
My family and I are all vegetarian. four times we have had meat in our curry!
We will not be ordering from them again.
I really feel for you OP, some people can be very hurtful and judgmental :-(
Rachel, without the a!

Re: Village Tandoori experiences?
- Andy (22nd May 2019 - 14:30:59)

Liz - Some authentic currys can be made very quickly indeed - 30 minutes or less and you don't need any special skills to do so. Rick Stein was on TV in India only last night doing exactly this.

Re: Village Tandoori experiences?
- liz (22nd May 2019 - 16:04:34)

You can if you have prepared all your spices, chopped and prepared everything else in advance and are limited in which spices you use (some taste awful if not cooked thoroughly!). Even then you will not get the full depth of flavour.

Re: Village Tandoori experiences?
- Andy (22nd May 2019 - 18:39:05)

Ha ha Liz. Sorry, that's utter rubbish. But you know better than Rick Stein and others, clearly.

Sounds like you should open your own curry house...

Re: Village Tandoori experiences?
- liz (23rd May 2019 - 09:05:23)

Sorry Andy but for once I do know what I'm talking about. My father was Indian and an excellent cook. Strangely enough, he was often told he should open his own curry house!

Re: Village Tandoori experiences?
- Andy (23rd May 2019 - 09:29:54)

Liz. You should then be aware that India is a massive country with a wide variety of cuisine. Some dishes are cooked for a long time, others can be quick, sometimes similar to a stir fry, and have different flavour and texture combinations. Yes, you could not cook a mutton curry in 30 minutes but many fish and chicken dishes can very easily be cooked in less than 30 minutes. I'm sure your father was an excellent cook but you really can cook a very tasty curry dish in half an hour. It's very simple.

Re: Village Tandoori experiences?
- liz (23rd May 2019 - 10:28:25)

Thanks for the geography lesson Alan but I think most people know India is a big country! As you can imagine with my background I've been lucky enough to taste the dishes of a number of regions. You can fry a few things in a pan and call it 'balti' but remember that just means 'bucket'!

I think though it's like Jamie Oliver's 15 minute meals. It doesn't really allow for the length of time it would take most people to prepare them chopping onions etc, preparing the spices. Perhaps I'm just slow!

Re: Village Tandoori experiences?
- Ann (23rd May 2019 - 13:25:50)

Why do a lot of these threads end up in debates and arguments! People should get a life.

Re: Village Tandoori experiences?
- liz (23rd May 2019 - 14:41:29)

Ann

Debates and differences of opinion are part of life!

Re: Village Tandoori experiences?
- Andy (23rd May 2019 - 16:54:50)

Thanks for you advice Anne. Much appreciated.

Liz - similarly, a Korai or Karahi is a type of cooking dish very similar to a wok. These can be used for quite quick cooking - onion, curry leaves, garlic, ginger, peppers, tomato, spices and chicken. Sometimes I'll cook like that, other times you can take hours creating a slow cooked sauce and marinating meat etc. beforehand. Both of these are equally valid, and authentic, ways of cooking a curry. I fully appreciate you may prefer the latter type of curry but the former method is equally valid and can easily be done in 30 minutes.

Re: Village Tandoori experiences?
- Rölli (23rd May 2019 - 17:09:48)

What a completely ridiculous thread!

Firstly an initial post that makes unsubstantiated claims that can never be verified followed by a completely bizarre discussion on Indian Takeaway vs home cooked and as with so many topics on Talkback (most prominently Brexit), neither side willing compromise, give ground or acknowledge in any way they are talking nonsense.

Actually its this banal hilarity that I guess that draws so many of us to the site

Re: Village Tandoori experiences?
- Stirrer (23rd May 2019 - 17:35:19)

Rolli - don't forget "Rolli chipping in to sneer at others whilst adding no value.". No thread is complete without that.

Re: Village Tandoori experiences?
- PR Man (23rd May 2019 - 18:21:58)

In the words of my late uncle - served in India during their independence in 1947 with the RN - Never Hurry a Curry !!

Get on - try The Spice Tailor - you sad bunch

Re: Village Tandoori experiences?
- King of Greatham (24th May 2019 - 14:01:38)

Too much argie bhaji going on here.

Re: Village Tandoori experiences?
- lee (24th May 2019 - 20:24:50)

just to say that we have had a curry tonight from shah at the village tandoori all good hot and just the best.and we was 8 eating keep up the good work thanks.
lee-family

Re: Village Tandoori experiences?
- liz (29th May 2019 - 12:03:33)

Why sad? Some of us care about our Indian food even if we have different ideas! Had a look at The Spice Tailor - sure enough you can get a quick meal by adding their pre-prepared dishes/sauces. Oh well each to their own.

Re: Village Tandoori experiences?
- PR Man (29th May 2019 - 12:58:04)

Liz

Give Spice Tailor a go - available in Sainsbury - If you follow the instructions, and look at how you can augment the dish, by adding extra ingredients such as green peppers and fresh baby spinach and fresh chilli - and start by the usual cooking down of some onion ginger and garlic before adding the Spice Tailor element - truly, as an amateur, this is the closest I have made to the restaurant / take away offer without doing it long hand - try it and if you honestly don't like it I'll refund you the Spice Tailor cost !! You are obviously an expert - any chance of a lesson ??

Re: Village Tandoori experiences?
- liz (29th May 2019 - 15:55:08)

OK - I'll try the Spice Tailor and let you know!

Re: Village Tandoori experiences?
- liz (11th Jun 2019 - 10:45:08)

I tried the Spice Tailor Punjabi Channa Dhal. Added a knob of butter some fresh coriander and red onion as suggested. it was very quick as it was pre-cooked and tasted OK. A reasonable alternative to a takeaway meal so useful from that point of view.

Re: Village Tandoori experiences?
- Dawn Hoskins (11th Jun 2019 - 15:19:01)

I've come back to this thread a few times hoping to see a response from the Village Tandoori?
Still nothing

Re: Village Tandoori experiences?
- liz (11th Jun 2019 - 17:27:01)

Sorry Dawn but I promised the other poster I would review the Spice Tailor.

Re: Village Tandoori experiences?
- Adrian (11th Jun 2019 - 23:18:21)

Get yourself a Sainsbury’s delicious taste no difference curry and wang it in the microwaver. It all tastes the same with all that foreign spice muck anyway. Especially after a few beers.

Re: Village Tandoori experiences?
- Rölli (12th Jun 2019 - 08:49:33)

Oh Adrian, now I understand your Brexit POV

Re: Village Tandoori experiences?
- Ian (12th Jun 2019 - 18:57:32)

I agree with Adrian. Sainsbury’s curry is very tasty and it does not give me the sh*ts like some takeaways have. Rolio you need to stop being so sensitive. Life is not all about Brexit mate.

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