Since opening for business in February 2015, Gulshan Indian restaurant has really spiced up the Tynemouth culinary circuit. Set in a prime location above the Priory Pub, Gulshan occupies the former site of Sonny's Italian and offers a stunning urban vista over Tynemouth at night. Which is even more dazzling at this time of the year. Sailing the ship are brothers Mamzy and Suff, an industrious duo with a wealth of experience who work tirelessly to ensure the best possible customer experiences.
Both clearly possess an eye for interior design as well with the dining area at Gulshan being gorgeously appointed. Shades of rich purple and gold combine with glittering, crystal chandeliers and plush velvet upholstery to create an atmosphere which is deliberately opulent. Trendy exposed brickwork lends an edge whilst some floral Indian wall designs bring authenticity. Gulshan unquestionably emits a certain “WOW factor” upon arrival which I’m sure partly explained the buoyant mid-week footfall.
There’s sophistication in spades then, and alas, we soon learnt that they have the menu to go along with it. Featuring old favourites alongside chefs specialities, Gulshan’s food offering is extensive and is in keeping with the series of fusions that appear to define the restaurant as a whole; opulent/affordable, contemporary/classic, signature/staple. There’s value for money to be found too as all dishes are priced reasonably, whilst there’s even a Thursday night 5-course banquet menu – an absolute steal at £13.95.
To begin with there’s all your typical Bhaji, Chatt and Pakora starters yet there’s also a selection of eye-catching “Tandoori Grilled Starters”. These are marinated, skewered then cooked in traditional clay ovens before being nicely seared off on the grill. Well and truly salivating, I went down this route and opted for the Gulshan Kofta, a trademark dish which consisted of Indian meatballs, cooked in a delicately spiced tomato sauce and served with a fresh green salad. My son Jack meanwhile tackled the Bhuna Prawn on Puree; 5 plump King Prawns doused in an onion marinade and served on a pancake. It soon grew apparent that this was well beyond standard Indian fayre. The consistency of the sauces was outstanding and being so elegantly presented, would have been a dream for any Instagram user!
These plates were cleared efficiently and with our palettes now awoken, we moved onto our mains. Jack went for a Chicken Jalfrezi, a sizzling Karai teeming with Chunks of chicken, shards of onion and some evil little green chillies. Feeling adventurous, I plucked another out of Gulshan’s exclusive collection.
Dubbed a “Taste sensation”, my Gulshan Chicken Handi was an intensely flavoursome dish containing onions, garlic and ginger and slow cooked on a stove for two hours prior. The dish itself is in the mould of a “staff curry” and was a real revelation for me. It was an unusual item to be found on an Indian restaurant menu and demonstrates just the sort of invention that Gulshan is capable of. A string of other Main Courses including; South Indian Chilli & Garlic Chicken Tikka, Modhu Honey Chicken and Shomudro Seabass were all earmarked for next time. And over coffees we affirmed that there definitely will be a next time!
All in all, Gulshan is a seriously classy venue with sublime food and impeccable service, and all at a very cost-effective price. In this restaurant’s case, all that glitters just might be gold!
