Alibaba Indian Restaurant

Easy enough to find, the restaurant is located on Pattaya Klang Road between Beach Road and 2nd Road. As you start to climb the stairway into the restaurant, you will immediately feel as if you have entered the entrance to Alibaba's cave or den as the walls are covered with photos, plates, murals, decorations and a cieling of gold which all seem to transport you back to the 15th century fable of Alibaba and the 40 thieves. The restaurant offers 4 banquet rooms that accommodate a total of 220 persons.

We were welcomed at the restaurant by the manager who explained why the restaurants food was different than the cuisine found im most other Indian restaurants. He stated their ingredients and preparation is top-notch, with constant effort made to showcase individual flavors and explained, "This is worth noting because in some restaurants many dishes are overwhelmed by the sheer number of spices, modifying the flavor by adding a hefty dose of chilies, where here a creation might smack distinctively of cardoman and saffron or amchur (dried mango powder) and garlic, or simply cloves or another single spice. Such dishes feel bolder and more distinct than those that are simply spicy".

The menu hosts about 18 Starters, 19 Kebabs & Tikkas, 9 selections of Tandoori, 6 each of Chicken, Lamb, Seafood, and Vegetarian Curries. There are 8 rice dishes, 16 types of bread & naan, and of course, dessert. The selection of beverages and bar drinks is also greater than you'll find at most Indian style restaurants.

My two dining partners and I chose to try a mix of items and started with the "Vegetable Samosa", a popular favorite, with a mix of potato and spices that was definitely one of the best we've ever tasted. We also selected the "Onion Bhaji" which is melt in your mouth blend of minced onions & spices in a round fried pastry shell. Also we had the "Lamb Chop Masala", a great tasting dish and an order of "Tandoori Chicken". We also had the "Vegetarian Tawa Masala", and the "Tandoori Pomfret" plus a bowl of "Briyani Rice". This was a huge display of fine Indian Cuisine and who would have thought that after all that food we could opt to finish with an order of "Gulab Jamun" which is a delicious sweet dish. This memorable feast was enough food for all of Alibaba's 40 thieves and each of us was truly impressed with this authentic Indian food restaurants ambiance and cuisine.

• Vegetable Samosa
• Onion Bhaji
• Tandoori Chicken
• Lamb Chop Masala

Dress: Casual
Set Meals: No
Buffets: No
Vegetarian Dishes: Yes
Use MSG: No
Smoking Section: No
Mobile Phones: Yes