If you're one for the mouth-watering tastes of cinnamon, coriander, fennel seeds and the lot of spices put together – this is the place to be. Nestled quietly in the nook of Beckenham, not too far from Westfield Carousel Shopping Centre on Albany Highway, your first impression of Red Turban Cannington would be nothing short than welcoming.
The fine-dine layout of the restaurant, spicy aromas filling the air and the warmth as you walk into the restaurant from the freezing cold weather outside is definitely a change to look forward to. You are immediately reminded of India (or what you may picture India to be if you've not visited the country), with paintings of village people and trinkets decorating every corner and hanging from the walls, and you'll find yourself moving to the beats of Bollywood as you step into this magnificent restaurant.
For a true five-star experience, join the friendly team at Red Turban for their amazing spread of "Five Star Grande Buffet" that is on every weekend. With a reasonably cheap price tag, enjoy their all-you-can-eat buffet that includes the salad bar, four entrées, eight main curries, four desserts and endless coffee & tea! I'd love to go through each and every dish, but that would just cut the chase of you trying it for yourself, so I've done the honour of highlighting a couple of dishes I enjoyed personally!
Butter Chicken
The origins of butter chicken is said to be traced back to a restaurant called Mothi Mahal in Delhi, who first introduced the mouth watering dish that is now made popular in every western country. Marinated in yoghurt and mixed spices, the chicken is cooked in the tandoor oven leaving the meat with such a succulent and soft texture which is then mixed with the gravy consisting of mainly butter, tomato purée and dried fenugreek leaves. Red Turban Cannington's Butter Chicken may well be the best I've tasted in Perth so far, with a fair balance of both creamy and spicy – it leaves the taste of lingering on your buds for days after. Try it with their special Jeera Pullao Rice, white basmati rice cooked with spices and herbs or the non-stop flow of Butter Naan and you'll be licking off your plate in seconds.
Paneer Butter Masala
Because we all love our cheese! One of my favorite dishes, hands down. Paneer (cottage cheese) has and will most likely always be a popular dish in any Indian restaurant, be it at home or overseas. The trick to a good dish of Paneer Butter Masala as told by my late grandmother is the texture of the rich creamy masala gravy that comes along with it. It has a light buttery taste to it, topped off with chunks of smooth paneer all tossed together with rich herbs and spices. Again, goes perfectly well with their Jeera Pullao Rice and butter Naan bread.
Top off your stuffed tummies from dinner with the variety of desserts ranging from Crème Caramel, Gajar Halwa (Indian Carrot Cake), Jelly and yummy Gulab Jamuns (Indian dumplings soaked in thick sugar syrup). Needless to say, a perfectly sweet ending to your amazing Indian experience.
What I loved best about the place was the ambience and warmth of the people; as well as the simple mouth-watering dishes that brought back great memories of home. There's nothing like eating authentic Indian food – where else would you be able to have it if not at an Indian home? Well, I found my answer, here at Red Turban Cannington – a place I call my home away from home.
If you're craving for some good Indian curry, I'd highly recommend Red Turban Cannington – and trust me, you'll definitely be back for more.
