Gurkha Lounge served up relaxed and comfortable lunch

The word 'lounge' in the name conjours up images of being relaxed and comfortable, which pretty much sums up this recent addition to the eating out scene in Peterborough.
Gurkha Lounge at Hampton.Gurkha Lounge at Hampton.
Gurkha Lounge at Hampton.

Set in a parade of shops, the frontage is plain but still stylish, inside is warm and inviting, there is a nice bright bar, the decor is neutral, and the furniture modern.

It was a quiet Sunday lunchtime but the background music and a little chatter made for a welcoming atmosphere.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

We were greeted, shown to our table and set about the menus.

Brad Barnes dines at The Gurkha Lounge in Stewartby Avenue, Hampton Vale.Brad Barnes dines at The Gurkha Lounge in Stewartby Avenue, Hampton Vale.
Brad Barnes dines at The Gurkha Lounge in Stewartby Avenue, Hampton Vale.

The cuisine is Indian and Nepalese, so the dishes are mostly recognisable (jalfrezi, korma, karahi, madras etc) with a few exceptions - mainly the Nepalese specialities.

We started with popadoms and pickles tray, with a fiery little red chilli concoction a sign of hot and tasty things to come.

Donna went for the Mo:Mo (£4.95), something I had tried previously elsewhere and enjoyed.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

These traditional Nepalese dumplings are filled with chicken mince and a variety of spices and served with special sweet tasting sauce, the taste matching the presentation.

Brad Barnes dines at The Gurkha Lounge in Stewartby Avenue, Hampton Vale.Brad Barnes dines at The Gurkha Lounge in Stewartby Avenue, Hampton Vale.
Brad Barnes dines at The Gurkha Lounge in Stewartby Avenue, Hampton Vale.

I am not sure how traditional my spicy lamb kidney (£4.95) was, but it is a house speciality, and that was good enough for me... even though I don’t particularly like kidney.

Quite a big portion, it was nicely cooked - pan fried - and wasn’t at all chewy. “Lightly spiced” was the description, but it carried a bit of heat too.

A good choice.

My main - chicken bhutuwa - is as traditional Nepalese as you could hope for. A lovely tasting curry with dried red chilli and crushed garlic, meaning it packed quite a punch, but not at the expense of the great flavour which made the soft, moist chicken breast meat even more enjoyable.

Brad Barnes dines at The Gurkha Lounge in Stewartby Avenue, Hampton Vale.Brad Barnes dines at The Gurkha Lounge in Stewartby Avenue, Hampton Vale.
Brad Barnes dines at The Gurkha Lounge in Stewartby Avenue, Hampton Vale.
Hide Ad
Hide Ad

I had it with a very aromatic pilau rice (£2.50) which I could have eaten on its own. Needless to say, the plate was cleared!

Donna was looking for something with a little heat and opted for, admittedly, a not very Asian sounding Chicken Piri-Piri (£7.95).

Half-a-dozen tandoori cooked thighs, served sizzle on a bed of onions.

The marinated, dark flesh on the bone tasted great and the hot sauce was fully deserving of its three chilli rating on the menu!

Brad Barnes dines at The Gurkha Lounge in Stewartby Avenue, Hampton Vale.Brad Barnes dines at The Gurkha Lounge in Stewartby Avenue, Hampton Vale.
Brad Barnes dines at The Gurkha Lounge in Stewartby Avenue, Hampton Vale.
Hide Ad
Hide Ad

A decent roti (£1) and plain naan (£1.95) rounded things off nicely.

A very enjoyable lunch washed down with a cool pint of Cobra in very pleasant surroundings. The service was good, as you might expect, and the 20 per cent off at lunchtimes (and Thursday evening) was an added bonus.

Certainly worth seeking out if you are a curry lover.

Brad Barnes dines at The Gurkha Lounge, Stewartby Avenue, Hampton Vale, Peterborough, tel 01733 688911 | 01733 243612 www.thegurkhalounge.com

Brad’s rating: 8

Related topics: