Monsoon - Kirklees

I visited this restaurant for a late evening meal and was highly impressed with both the food and service. The staff was very friendly and the restaurant was impeccably clean.

Myself and a group of friends visited Monsoon recently for a meal on a Saturday evening. Upon arrival we were shown quickly to our table and a drinks order was taken nearly straight away. We had to catch a waiter's attention to place our order, but to be fair I quite liked that they weren't rushing us and they were letting us take the night at our own pace. The first time I visited Monsoon was around 15 years ago, and if you'd seen the restaurant then you'd forgive me for having to check my watch to see which year I was in- the restaurant is clean and pleasant but it is a total time warp! We started off with poppadoms and pickle trays all round- a real bug bear of mine is restaurants that provide tiny pickle trays, but those at Monsoon are well-sized and well stocked. Great start! I opted for the tandoori mixed kebab as a starter. The chicken was slightly dry, but overall the flavour was pleasant, the mix of meats was well-judged, and the portion size was just right. For the main, I played quite safe and went for the Lamb Tikka Masala. It is a bit of a habit of mine to order the Chicken Tikka Masala when visiting Monsoon, as I think the sauce is fantastic. However, on this occasion I switched the Chicken for the lamb. The sauce was still fantastic, but the quality of lamb used in the dish seemed to be quite poor. The lamb was quite dry and chewy, and it felt a bit like you had to power through it in the end. We were all far too full to think about desserts, but washed it down with another Cobra for good measure. For 5 of us to have Poppadoms and Pickle Tray, a starter, main and two Cobras worked out at just under £30 each, which despite minor niggles I thought was good value. It wasn't my first time at Monsoon, and I doubt it'll be the last.

Went for my grandsons 18th lovely food and the service was good because we were a large party in all it was a brilliant night

Firstly, I must say that the service is always pleasant. Out starters were great, but the meats on the main course need attention. The chicken is always too dry and the lamb is always chewy compared to other nearby competitors. It becomes a chore to get to the bottom of the dish. Such a shame, but easily sortable. Fish or vegetable for me if and when I visit again.

We have been dining at Monsoon Tandoori for many years, we have tried most of the menu and enjoyed each dish. The staff here are truly lovely, we really enjoy the service, the chat and are always made to feel most welcome.