Restaurant Review- Tamrind Indian Cuisine

 

Hey everyone,

 

I know I promised to do reviews every Wednesday in May but due to unforseen circumstances (RIP lappy) I wasn't able to keep up my end of the bargain. Fortunately, I have been able to get my hands on a temporary replacement laptop and so I can continue on with my little review session. This time I delve into the world of food to talk about my experience at Tamrind restaurant. It was another lovely night out with the girls and ever the foodies and hungry bellie you know we had to get dinner. We were tired of the same old mix and so decided to try out Indian cuisine and let me just tell you it was GREAT!!!!!

 

 

Location

Located upstairs Orchid Village Plaza, off Barbican Road, Tamrind is one of those places that is hard to miss when you are passing that side. This is relatively central in the Liguanea area (across the street from Burger King and in the same plaza as Pita Grill) and so finding the place isn't hard. There is a parking issue however. The plaza houses many other businesses including a few other restaurants and as a result trying to find is rather difficult, especially on a Friday night. But don't worry too much, the security guards try their best to park you somewhere.

 

Rating: 3.5/5

 

Ambiance

The restaurant is rather small which to some may be a bother but I think it adds to the intimate aesthetic of the place. The general ambiance is on of authenticity and sophistication with a beautifully decorated dining area and complementary furnishings and art appeal that illustrates a modern twist to traditionality. Outside the restaurant there are a few lights that reminded me of Divali, the festival of lights as it glistened into the night. I do however recommend that you make a reservation. As I mentioned before the place is small and so the wait may be a little long if you simply walk in. But overall the ambiance is superb!!!

 

Rating: 4/5

 

 

Service

 

I honestly found the staff to be rather friendly and attentive. They genuinely wore smiles and expressed interest in your experience at the restaurant. Being our first time at the restaurant, we asked the waitress to give us her meal recommendations and can I tell you she did not disappoint. Her selections were tantalizing and on point to what we wanted. But that's for a little later in the food section. But that's for a little later dolls. In totality the service was great. The chef even came and looked out to make sure that everyone was enjoying their meals

 

Rating: 4/5

 

Food

The Indians are known to play around with a myriad of spices and seasonings. I found the food to be exquisite. Every dish is served with a bowl of white rice which complements the meal just right. But my personal favourite was the naan. I tried both the garlic and butter naan which were absolutely delicious; the best and delightful supplements I found to the dishes. My taste buds were captivated and went wild to the rich burst of flavour and seasoning exploding in my mouth. All I can say is Ah-MA-ZING!!!! Just tastefully divine. Not to mention the portion sizes were great and quite filling. My friends and I thought we ordered too much at a dish a piece and could've opted to have 3 dishes instead of 5 but we don't regret all the different flavours we were exposed to. Sadly, due to my englishness I am unable to recall the names of the dishes we tried but you can always do what we did and ask your server for a suggestion. Plus the prices aren't bad either. You truly get value for money!!

 

Rating: 4.5/5

 

 

Overall Experience

 

My overall experience with the restaurant was a great one. The food and service was wonerful and I would definitely recommend it to everyone. Try it out and tell me what you think.

 

Overall Rating: 4/5

 

Tamarind Indian Cuisine
Orchid Village
18-22 Barbican Road, Kingston 6
Phone: 977-0695 or 702-3486
http://tamarindindiancuisine.com/
 
Hours of Operation:

Monday to Saturday: 11:30 am – 9:30 pm
Sunday: 5:30 pm – 9:30 pm

 

*The pictures are not the property of As Told By Nella. All rights reserved to their respective owners.

Take me back to yesteryear

 

Hello lovelies,

I hope today finds you in high spirits. So I dug up an old favourite of mine that I just felt I had to share. In this modern dating world things can get a little twisted really. So here goes.

 

 

When did life get so complicated? When did things seem so difficult? Does anyone remember a time when our only care in the world was waking up on Saturday mornings to watch cartoons or even just what new lunchkit we wanted to bring to school at the beginning of the school year? Oh yes those were the good old days and then age happens. We get older. Our bones start creaking, schoolwork becomes a hassle and to add to our family life, our religious quest, our academic journey, we have to add the brawta of relationships. Oh relationships what a doozey!!! Now no one can be blamed. We can’t help ourselves. I mean we are only human and as humans we are beings of yearning and desire. We yearn fulfillment. We yearn completeness. We yearn that companionship that makes life worth living. We yearn for a better day and a better life. So what is all this ranting leading up to? (Dun dun dun!!!!!)….Top Dating Mistakes. I have decided to make this a two-part thing in my series of romantic tips and advice. (Again I do not claim to be an expert but hey this beats studying!!!) In any case let’s hop to it people!

 

 

1. Game Playing. Now I’ve had this discussion with my friends many times. The basic theory in this is the person who likes the other more loses and the one who is not as invested wins in the battle of power. So we play games to protect our ego’s or just to get what you want. Here’s what I say play it STRAIGHT people. Relationships shouldn’t be a competition, it should be a compromise. It shouldn’t be a survival of the fittest competition, that’s what we went through before the relationship. When it comes to dating, everyone, and I mean EVERYONE, fears rejection of some sort, so it only makes you human if you do. Conclusion: It’s FINE to put your best foot forward, and also be a bit cautious, but have the courage to show who you are. You want someone who wants you for who YOU are!

 

 

 

 

2. Talking about your exes. Based on the nature of you relationship, things like this would come up eventually. So don’t bring it up, especially not in the initial stages of the relationship. The point is your exes are in the past for a reason so leave them there(unless it is your ex you’re trying to restart something with, which is a very tricky thing because if you haven’t sorted out the issues you had the first time around, they will still be there the second time therein. Word to the wise: BE CAUTIOUS!!!). Carrying old baggage into a new relationship amounts to clutter. So just try to get to know the person and have a chance for a fresh start sans the baggage.

 

 

 

 

3. Ignoring red flags. We all have them. Those little annoying things that make us say ‘No! Something is wrong here!’ If someone doesn’t show up when you’re supposed to meet, that’s a red flag. If you call them and they are always too busy to take your call, bingo, red flag. Some signals may be a bit more subtle and we may be tempted to overlook them, but whatever it is the red flag is telling you to slow down and take it easy. ‘Go easy!’ Now I’m not saying that people won’t have their character flaws, no one is perfect right? Nor am I saying you should condemned anyone to the pits based on their first mistake or when the first problem arises (unless it’s a big one then roast ‘em, boil ‘em and scorch ‘em (eh Anna?). I mean pray for their souls may they see the error of their ways! (yes Sheree you are so right!)). What I am saying is to trust your instincts. An emerging pattern is not something to make excuses for or brush under the rug. Address these problems early, and don’t waste your time.

 

 

 

 

4. Interrogating your date. Imagine this, it’s your first date and the trending conversation topic is: “How many children do you want? What’s your credit rating? So I did a background check on you and I found out a few things that I would like to clear up before we get married”. These are NEVER (I repeat NEVER!) good opening sentences, especially not on the first date. You want to show interest by asking about their likes or dislikes, but not press someone for information. Let things evolve a bit, as you get to know someone. Patience and restraint are required here, even though you may feel pressed for time. Do your best to relax and have fun.

 

 

 

 

5. Fantasizing about the future. This is especially a problem for females. From a young age, we have been fantasing. Dreams of a fairytale ending and happily ever after. Mrs (so and so). This is cute when we are young and carefree, but it’s not cute after the third date. You need to remind yourself to slow down and enjoy the moment. Dating is to be a fun and enjoyable thing. Yes we have hopes that at the end of it we will start a relationship and end in full commitment, but until then we gots to live a little. As I always say (sing rather) ‘Someday soon my prince will come but until then I’m gonna have some fun. Gonna dance all night and frolic all day. Got to kiss some frogs before I find the one’. Well I don’t plan to kiss frogs, but you get the point. So until you have time to really get to know someone, and see him or her in a wide range of situations, it is helpful to not get ahead of yourself; don’t strongly attach to some illusion that you have created about the person. This can lead to pitfalls of setting up unrealistic expectations and subsequent disillusionment, or depression if the relationship doesn’t work out.

 

 

 

Well as usual I like to end my notes with a little inspirational quote so here goes…. 1 Corinthians 6 v 12 states, “Everything is permissible for me, but not everything is beneficial. Everything is permissible for me, but I will not be mastered by anything. If we are not sure that our actions are permissible by God then maybe we shouldn’t even bother with it!” So in layman’s terms we all have gut instincts that tell us when the person we are considering is not right for us. Listen to yourself and make the right and best decisions for you. Have a great day. If you’re alive you already are.

 

 

Toodles!!!

 

 

Comments, feedback and suggestions are welcomed.

 

 

Lonely Hearts Club!!!

 

LHC- Prisoner of Relationships Past

Blessings my fair people,

When it comes to relationships, I've realized that there are 2 ways that we can be prisoners of our past relationships which can affect our present ones. The first is to have such an amazing relationship that no one can measure up to the invisible stick we keep dangled in front of our other suitors and the other is the opposite dynamic and having a shrew of bad relationships that makes you question your taste in men. I've had the fortune or misfortune of having both. I have remained a constant prisoner of my relationships past for many years.

 

A prisoner of my own mind and heart. Having experienced the best of both worlds, I know what it is I want but in my pursuit of happiness I tend to get hurt and overwhelmed by the lack of forthcoming gentlemen to fit the mold I've shaped out. What is it that I truly want in a man? Emotionally? Spiritually? Physically? Intellectually? Beyond? I could write an essay on each topic but the simple truth I want someone to love me everlastingly, grow with me spiritually, be my intellectual equal or smarter and impart knowledge on me (and being my equal doesnt me he has to be versed in the same things I do but rather just be able to hold a great conversation), being there supporting and caring for me. I want to feel that earth-shattering, life-changing love I've felt before and I don't think I will settle for less. And that's where I remain a prisoner of a great relationship because it's hard for me to picture other than what I've already experienced. This has also led me to my being a prisoner of other relationship experiences because since then I've been disappointed continuously by the others that have come.

 

My search for love complemented by my myriad of experiences seems to put me in these shackles and I can't seem to break free. I want to live beyond the barriers I've placed and experience what life has to offer but my fear erodes me and I remain enslaved. This was my thought process until about last night (and admittingly I still think like that sometimes) but I watched a short film of a couple getting married and it dawned on me that maybe I'm not where I'm supposed to be indefinitely at the moment but that's just fine because it's where I need to be. If I don't have bad experiences I can't appreciate the wonderful ones and if I didn't have the great experience I would never truly understand my capacity to love above myself and to be selfless in my efforts. So until my prince comes, I'll be enjoying what God has planned for me presently.

 

Much Love,

 

Nella

Happy Mothers Day

 

 To all the wonderful women in our lives (especially my mommy, grandmothers and aunts) who have been our rocks, our shoulders to cry on, our smiles, our laughter, our lifelong cheerleaders, and who never stop believing in how wonderful we are.

 

 

 

I just want to take the time out to wish you all a HAPPY AND WONDERFUL MOTHERS DAY to the most amazing women God has placed on this planet to impact our lives. You truly are appreciated!!!

 

Much Love,

 

Nella

 

Recipe of the Week

 

Hey everyone,

 

 

If you follow me on Tumblr and/or on Twitter then you would know about my recent fitness craze that I've been promoting. It is Spring and Summer afterall so beach trips are a MUST and the hot body is coming.

 

Always on the look out for simple and delicious recipes, I came across a delicious Strawberry Green Tea Smoothie recipe while perusing the fitblr world that I just have to share with you.

 

Ingredients:
3/4 cup frozen strawberries
1/2 cup of green tea
6 oz of light/ non-fat/ fat free Greek yogurt

 

 

Place all the ingredients in a blender and you're good to go with a delicious smoothie tantalizing your tastebuds.

 

 

I modified the ingredients a bit. I used around 4 large frozen strawberries, I eyeballed the green tea and added yoplait light black forest cake yogurt. It was absolutely delicious. The flavour was tangy and tart with just the right amount of sweetness to feed your sweet tooth. Yummy Yummy!!!!!!!

Try it and tell me what you think. P.S. Sorry for the orientation and the quality of the picture I'm still trying to operate this thing and will fix the picture ASAP.

 

 

Much Love,

Nella

 

 

RIP Lappy or maybe you're just sleeping

Sadness has recently swept over my life. My faithful and loving laptop has stopped working and kicked the bucket. Once a wonderful companion is now lifeless. So right now I stuck without a laptop and trying to keep in contact as best as possible via my cell phone and school computers. That's just a little update on what's going on right now. Look out for my weekly reviews on Wednesday. I missed this week but will definitely make it up to everyone.

Much Love,

Nella

Giveaway Winner

My first ever blog giveaway ended yesterday and as promised, I have chosen a winner today! So without further ado.........

Afayah Prendergast 

Please contact me to claim your prize. 

Thanks again to all who entered and don't worry there will be more giveaways to come.