32. GRAND TAJ CURRY & GRILL

PHONE: 671.488.2432 or 671.777.7668

LOCATION: Grand Plaza Hotel, 2^nd Floor, San Vitores Road, Tumon (Across Police Station)

HOURS: 11:30am-2pm, 5:30pm-10pm Daily

ONLINE: www.grandtajguam.com

I love Indian food, and I love that we now have a choice. The owner/chef made a mid-meal table visit to get our feedback, always a good reason to spread the word for a new eatery.  The crowd was very diverse with locals, tourists and military throughout, which was nice to see. The wait between the appetizers and entrees wasn't much of a wait, and the waitress was great about making recommendations. We tried the Vegetable Samosas, a triangle pastry of potatoes, green peas and spices with mint chutney for $6.95. It wasn’t bad, but I preferred the freshness of the Cheese Naan as a starter for $4.95. I decided on the Lamb Saagwala for my main dish, a tasty blend of boneless lamb cooked in spinach puree and spices. The entrees were reasonable running between $14 to $17 with enough to share. The location makes it somewhat of gem. It’s located on the second floor of a low-key hotel with windows wrapped around giving a nice view of the Tumon vibrancy. Would I come back? The Indian music and spices had me, and I’m excited to try all the choices offered at the weekday lunch buffet. I give Grand Taj Curry & Grill a [B+] rating.     ~ LAUDI_DAUDI 

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CHICKEN TIKKA MASALA

FOOD: When we found out there was another Indian restaurant on island, we had to check it out ASAP. For appetizers, we had the Vegetable Samosas and Naan Bread. The Vegetable Samosas were okay, but a little plain. The Naan Bread tasted like it was a bit burnt. For my main course, I ordered my all-time favorite, Chicken Tikka Masala. I was not disappointed. It was as good as always, and I will definitely order it again.

PRICE: Prices were fair. The Chicken Tikka Masala was about $15.00.

PLACE: The restaurant is a big open space, but table are spread out enough for sufficient privacy. Service was good, but I did end up canceling a hot tea because it took a while. I am looking forward to trying their lunch buffet during the week.

My overall personal rating: *B+*     ~ CAPEESH