Recently, we ran a poll asking readers their favourite curry houses in North Wales. We had an overwhelming response with some old favourites which I have visited previously such as Spice Island in Menai Bridge and Indian Lounge in Nannerch featuring prominently.
The winner however, by a huge margin as well, was Junction Tandoori in Llandudno Junction. Despite its unusual location, above the popular Maelgwyn pub in the middle of the town, Junction Tandoori has an outstanding reputaion with online reviews overwhelmingly positive.
Armed with this information, as well as being a huge lover of sub continental cusine, I decided to pay them a visit. I arrived at around 6pm on a Thursday evening with two others and was greeted very warmly by staff.
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Now, as much as I love Indian food I can sometimes be a little boring in my selections - often going for chicken tikka masala with a bit of naan bread and chips. Feeling a little more adventurous on this occasion, I decided to ask Apu, the friendly waiter, for advice.
He suggested that we should go for their most popular dishes - Welsh lamb curry, Peli Peli chicken and butter chicken. We added a couple of naan bread to the mix and a bit of pilau rice and after a wait of around 10-15 minutes food was served.
The first thing to note were the very generous portion sizes, excellent value. Next we took a try of the various dishes - now this is where we really got to see why this place has gained its reputation.
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The Welsh lamb curry, while a little bit on the spicy side, was out of this world. Described on the menu as "slow cooked with medium spices and herbs" this was probably the best Indian dish I have ever had and was complemented perfectly by the delicious keema naan.
We decided as a trio to sample a little bit of each dish and the peli peli chicken was just as good I have to say. The butter chicken was tasty enough also but a little bit more bland than the other two.
For me, whilst the herbs, spices and sauces were superb, it was the tender chicken pieces which were the most enjoyable and you can tell that Junction Tandoori has employed an excellent chef who takes pride in these dishes.
To add to the superb cuisine on offer, the restaurant itself has a wonderfully relaxed aura and the paintings of various local landmarks, including Conwy Castle, adds to the fantastic dining experience. Price wise - Junction Tandoori is neither cheap nor expensive but just about spot on for me considering the standard of food they serve - I was even able to take some home with me.
It was a genuine pleasure to visit and I have to agree with North Wales Live readers and crown Junction Tandoori as the jewel in the region's Indian cuisine crown. I will definitely be visiting again soon but there was only one downside - I got a parking ticket for parking in the adjacent car park, after 5pm!
That was the only downside of an otherwise fantastic evening in what is a brilliant restaurant.
Prices
Staff Welsh lamb curry: £14.95
Peli peli chicken: £12.95
Butter chicken: £11.95
1 x garlic naan & 1 x keema naan: £7.90
Pilau rice: £4.50
Total: £52.25
Opening times
Sunday to Thursday: 4.30pm - 10pm
Friday: 4.30pm to 10.30pm
Saturday: 4.30pm - 11pm
