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Spice it up!
Dining Out at the Thaal Restaurant, Darfield
with Sam McQueen
 ‘Experience Quality' is the call of the Thaal Restaurant in Darfield. Positioned strategically on the Doncaster Road the Thaal is easy to find. It stands out as a place of note with its imposing frontage and brilliant illumination at night.
My colleague, Grant, and I were impressed with the well-appointed bar area, its relaxing ambience enhanced by the muted primary colours of the walls. We perused the menu which was bursting with tantalising foods. Our waiter was very helpful and knowledgeable with explanations of how dishes were prepared and why certain spices and ingredients were put together.
From the non-vegetarian starters Grant picked out the Amritsari Murgh which was chicken with potatoes fried with onions, mixed peppers and topped with cheese. Grant was dubious about the mixture of chicken and cheese, but, in the event, he had to admit that the combination worked well and the result was a tasty treat. I went for the Kundan Machli, cod deep fried in an ajwain gram flour batter and delicately spiced. It was both succulent and delicious.
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 The restaurant has a modern setting, plain wooden but smart tables and eclectic but stylish lighting. It has a large principal eating area with a slightly raised mezzanine at the far end. The whole impression of the Thaal is one which is quite unique and stimulating.
My companion switched from meat to fish when he chose Machli Tarana for his main course. This was fresh salmon marinated in chilli, garlic and ginger. It was pan fried and then simmered in a light orange sauce. Once again Grant wondered at the juxtaposition of salmon and orange, but enlightened by his experience with the the chicken and cheese, gave an even more favourable reaction to this.
 I made a choice the other way, going from sea to land with Murgh Makhoni. The base of this was boneless spring chicken cooked with a real tasty assortment of ingredients, including mango, coconut, almonds, sultanas and cashew nuts. The whole was balanced with Thaal special rice, of which there was sufficient for us both to share.
The Thaal is a welcoming and relaxing place to come and enjoy really good food and the staff are amiable and knowledgeable. Raheem has a broad vision for his restaurant and its cuisine, and, in our experience, its style and quality are decidedly distinctive and different.
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