Namaste

It is unsurprising, but also fair to say, that Indian cuisine has not made a mark on Luxembourg the way it has on other countries and it, like Japanese and Thai, is lagging behind Chinese in terms of selection and availability in the Grand Duchy. But just because there are fewer Indian restaurants does not mean they are necessarily poor quality: in fact, the opposite angle can be taken. Chinese food is a homogenised product, the same in every restaurant (with honourable exceptions). By virtue of the low number of Indian restaurants in Luxembourg, Indian food is more experimental and adventurous and it seems like more of an effort is being made. Namaste Restaurant, situated at 19, rue de Strasbourg by the station in Luxembourg City is one such establishment. It is regarded very highly among people who enjoy Indian food, and with good reason: the quality is there.

Staples of regular Indian menus can be found at Namaste, be they Jalfrezis, Vndaloos or the actually British Tikka Masala. Portions are generous and prices are reasonable, coming in at around the same as a main course in a Chinese restaurant. The food is also available for delivery and take-away. The restaurant itself is fairly neutral in decoration, avoiding over-elaborate and gaudy adornments in favour of simpler mountain-themed pictures, in homage to the Nepalese twist in the menu. The staff are friendly and efficient, and able to speak both English and French, although the feeling is that they are more comfortable with the former. At lunch time, a full menu is offered (which can be found on their website – see below) and a buffet is also available, priced at €11. The buffet selection is small, which is no bad thing. An oversized buffet can bamboozle the customer and can sometimes feel like a desperate attempt to get rid of food that is almost off. Namaste does not have this feeling at all, offering a glimpse of the full menu while not straying too far from standard Indian dishes. For fans of Indian food it is not revolutionary, just very good. For the uninitiated, they could do worse than to try it out.

Namaste Restaurant, 19, rue de Strasbourg, Luxembourg.

Tel : +352 26 123 121

www.namaste-restaurant.com