Spice of Bengal in South Lakeland

El personal era servicial y atento. Gran ambiente, pero sobre todo comida maravillosa. Mi marido ha comido biriyani alrededor del mundo y este fue uno de los mejores. Mi Chef recomendado Plato de gambas con berenjena deliciosa. Los vinos y cervezas a un precio razonable. Cuando en Ambleside una visita a este restaurante.

Nunca fuimos antes este lugar hizo pero aparentemente no es mucho mejor y más grande por dentro ahora mismo:) que es buena causa era tan popular, así que necesitaba todo el espacio extra. El servicio era un poco lento con la comida que lleva unos 45 minutos, pero no nos importó, ya que era un sábado por la noche y muy concurrido. No íbamos a quejarse, pero nos dieron una bebida gratis a todos decir lo siento. Lo que fue un detalle muy bonito. Y todo el personal era demasiado amable y estaban dispuestos a ir la milla extra.

Es cierto que la comida era estupenda para una ciudad típica casa de curry, aunque las opciones de música era pobre y quien de teléfono estaban jugando fuera deberían intentar mantener llamadas y textos en silencio. Ahora Déjeme explicar la elección de música, este sonaba como a New age música hippie que me hizo brainwashing trance y mi pareja comprensiblemente quiere dejar rápidamente. Por último, la comida era muy caro. Probabilidad de regresar. . Baja.

¡Qué diferencia la nueva administración hace. Este lugar ha tenido una. Saludo era acogedor, la variedad de comida es genial, poppadoms light & crocante. Para los platos principales pollo jalfrezi tenía que era uno de los mejores que he probado con ajo y chili arroz, buenas porciones de tamaño no podía comer todos míos.

Este restaurante se llama Itihaas ahora. Bajo nueva dirección. Así ignorar las críticas antiguas bajo las especias de Bengala. La comida aquí es excelente. Me alojé en Ambleside durante 5 días y recoge la comida para cuatro noches en una fila. La comida aquí es tan buena como en Londres o Birmimham. Siempre de buen gusto. El personal está siempre dispuesto a ayudar con una sonrisa. Excelente comida y servicio. Recomiendo encarecidamente a probar este lugar, usted no será decepcionado.

Ahora se llama Itihaas y totalmente renovado. Teníamos un biryani entre nosotros dos con lados de brinjal Bhaji y sag Alloo ha. Todos sabrosos, muy bien cocinado y sensato porciones. El servicio era perfecto. Actuó de inmediato cuando me dijo que era demasiado caliente. Abrió hace unos días y debería.

Tuvimos una comida fantástica aquí después de un largo día en las colinas.

Después de 6 horas a pie en las montañas y algunas pintas lo encantador de este gran india. Itihaas fue una elección perfecta. Tres de nosotros tuvimos una comida fantástica regados con Kingfisher. La comida era perfecta. Soy un tiquismiquis cuando se trata de curry y este lugar no me decepcionó. Un agradecimiento especial a description miah y Hussain, que cuidó de nosotros con un gran servicio. No puedo esperar a volver por más. Sigan con el buen trabajo.

Sólo quería felicitar a los hermanos. El restaurante tiene ahora un estilo moderno, están decoradas con gusto y desde el momento en que llegamos nos quedamos muy bien atendidos.

Hemos visitado la especia de Bengala casi cada vez que hemos ido a Ambleside (que es mucho, ya que mi novio está obsesionado). Siempre hemos disfrutado realmente, pero estábamos emocionados cuando nos enteramos de que habían tenido una renovación. La nueva decoración del restaurante es perfecto, muy atractivo y moderno. La comida era deliciosa y el servicio fue estupendo. Hay un poco de lío con un pan naan, pero este fue rápidamente clasificados por un joven camarero que era absolutamente fantástico. Nos encantó! Sin duda volveremos en nuestra próxima visita, y me encantaría a reubicar el restaurante a Barnsley, así que podíamos ir más a menudo :).

WOW, what a lovely meal we had at Itihaas last night. This band of six brothers have come up trumps with their renovation and reinvention of the old Spice of Bengal - which to be honest, also dished up some lovely food. The decor, the ambience, the friendly staff and excellent food and service all came together seamlessly. Thanks lads for a brilliant dining experience - we cant wait to return next week, and the week after, and the week after..........Cannot recommend this place enough and will definitely be telling all our guests to try it too!

What a great meal and great service to match. This restaurant has recently been bought out so don't be put off by any of the bad reviews. It's now called Itihaas. From walking through the door to the point we left we couldn't have asked for anything more. The food was beautifully presented and very very tasty. We were in a couple but the place had plenty families in as well and the waiters were making a fuss of the children and making them feel welcome. We would highly recommend this to anyone who enjoys a curry and we can't wait to come again.

Now called Itihaas. Everything was excellent. Couldn't complain about anything . Well done to the team.

We always used to go for a curry here on our occasional Lake Distinct visits but this time there was newspaper up on all the windows and it's definitely closed down which is a big shame as we loved it here.There is no indication if or when it will open again :(

This has to be the worst Indian restaurant I have ever had the misfortune of visiting!!! Eight of us went there last night we were seated at a table just inside the door where people were collecting takeaway (despite the fact that the main restaurant was empty) we should have left then but having visited a few years ago when the food and service were excellent we decided to stay. Big mistake! Staff were surly and unsmiling and unfriendly. With the exception of one young lad. When we ordered they had no pakora (a staple in most Indian restaurants) no Diet Coke and no Pernod!!! The basic curry was extremely hot and inedible. Overnight my sister who had the prawn bhuna was extremely ill. ( no alcohol) DO NOT WASTE YOUR MONEY HERE!!!

Im unsure as to why there is so many bad reviews? if your looking for a superb indian meal that isnt rushed and reasonably priced then this is your place. Me and my boyfriend visit many indian resturants on our travels and this is by far one of the best! a lovely calm atmosphere, waiters didnt rush you through your courses and the food we had was served hot and tasty. On our next stay in Ambleside we will deffinately be returning to the Spice of Bengal. Thankyou for a lovely meal!!

En livraison: tous les contenants des aliments avaient débordés,ce qui ne laissait rien présager de bon. Le nan au fromage (à la vache qui rit) n'était pas bon. Les plats au curry avait juste la couleur jaune, pas de goût et super pateu, le poulet sec, l'agneau bien trop cuit. Seul le samoussa était bon. Le dessert : un simple yaourt orange avec un bon goût de mangue chimique. À éviter, passer votre chemin et chercher un vrai indien.

Spice of Bengal is the only curry house in Ambleside, so there is not a lot to choose from if you want some Indian food !!! We had a pretty good time here on our first visit a while back, so called in again our recent visit to the town.The service was pretty average tonight. We were shown to a rubbish table by the waiter (a man of very few words) in a side-room off of the main eating area where it was so dark I could barely read the menu. Looking up, there were about 3 little spot lights in the whole room. It was probably the darkest room I have ever eaten in....I wouldn't have minded, but the restaurant was nearly empty and there were only 3 of us !We ordered puppadoms, I had a good onion bhaji for starter. For main course I had a chicken tikka massala, and we shared some rice and a naan. The food was OK, but nothing special. There was not a lot of flavour to any of the food really. The prices here are also on the high side for the quality of the food and the standard of the restaurant.Spice of Bengal is worth a visit if you really want a curry, but on this showing, we would not rush back in future.

Arrived to find take-away customers arguing over delays. Served flat cokes, ignored like the table next to us who walked out after waiting an hour in an almost empty restaurant. Food was ok but service abysmal - poor management spoild it. Shame

We had the misfortune of going to the spice of Bengal on the 19/11/2016. I should have realised it was going to be bad by the abrupt way I was spoken to when I booked a table. It was a friends birthday so I rang and asked if they did cakes or if I could fetch a cake the reply of "no,no cakes" should have made the alarm bells ring. We went in at 7pm and were shown to our table. Drinks were ordered and delivered. All good at this point. Then along came Mr Grumpy who took our order and it rapidly went downhill. We ordered our starters and then the mains. I asked for two chapatis with my main. My friend then ordered his starters then the mains then also asked for two chapatis . Mr Grumpy said no. They could only give us two chapatis between the 4 of us as there were only two chefs but we could have rice. ? !?!? 1 hour 45 minutes later the starters arrived. The plate was thrown down onto the table the waiter said he would be back with some sauces and duly turned around and we never saw him again. He must have fallen into a abyss. My wife's samosa starters were evidentially part of a pack that were on offer from the local Iceland supermarket. My mixed starter was made of rubber and my friends onion Bhaji were barely warm. The hunger pangs made us eat the rubbish we had been served then we had the long wait for our main. .....Which never arrived. We looked around the restaurant and nobody was eating ! Everybody sat with there arms crossed. We got our bill which for 2 rounds of drinks and 4 starters was £48. It Wasn't worth 48 pence. My advice avoid this place like the plague. In fact if you've been marooned on a island for a year and haven't eaten in weeks and you get rescued and the rescuers fetch you toThe spice of bengal ask your saviours to drop you back of on the island for a few more years.

I wish I had looked at the reviews before going into this restaurant. After going in we were quickly shown to our table (because the place was half empty) and drinks order was taken, that's where the quickness ended, eventually the drinks arrived and our food order was taken ( we were only having mains) Over an hour and a complaint later our food arrived, but only after the couple sat next to us got their meal despite the fact that they had come in thirty minutes after us and had starters. When the food did arrive it was small portioned and tepid with bought in naan breads but I was so hungry by this point I wasn't going to complain again . As other reviewers have said this is the only Indian in Ambleside so only venture in if you are really desperate for a curry and have time on your hands, otherwise stay away!!!

The food was ok. The service was slow and the place was dead, I don't think the heating was on to be fair :-( we have been there a few times in the past and it has certainly gone down hill. Only Indian I know of in Ambleside which is a shame

It's a large place with lots of tables - maybe too many for a small place like Ambleside, plus it was a cold Sunday night with only one or two tables occupied so no atmosphere (but not their fault). If they screened off half of it they could make it a bit more inviting - even on a cold Sunday night.Food was good but although the waiting staff were polite enough, they weren't at all engaging so not an all round welcoming experience. Engaging staff would have gone a long way to brightening up the cold, Sunday night ,empty restaurant, feeling.

Cheap decor, cold and damp, policy that doesn't allow you to order popadums or starter until you have ordered main meal, unbelievably poor and rude service by people who clearly don't want to be there - if the front of house is this bad I shudder to think what's going on in the kitchen - stay away.

Nice visit with friendly staff, quick service... lovely popadoms and pickle tray, staff were very helpful :)

One of the sad problems in Ambleside is that some restaurants fail to realise that many holidaymakers return year on year, generation after generation and they therefore think that clients are here for a fleeting visit and will not return, so perhaps they think that overpriced and underwhelming food and poor service is acceptable. It is not! It's a pity, as the restaurant is in a great location, adjacent to the Market Square carpark with views of the surrounding hills. Initial welcome was fine but having sat down the service was slow and inattentive and hospitality non-existent, even though it was early evening and the restaurant was not busy. On two occasions we had to ask for something and then ask again ten minutes later, as the waiter had said "yes" but then ignored us and aimlessly paced about the restaurant doing nothing about it. Popadums seemed old, stale and not cooked to order. Ordered two mains from the Chef's specials and at £14 per dish we would have expected something a bit special. Disappointed at small portion sizes and one of those dishes seemed to have been cooked using pickled onions! Bizarre! Tarka Dhal was thin, watery and bland. All the food very overpriced and service was barely acceptable, at most. I stay at Ambleside every year and would never every set foot in this place again. Left and paid the overpriced bill, but declined to leave a tip. Have warned fellow holidaymaker friends who stay in the area to avoid this place at all costs.

Arrived without booking on Sunday evening ......lucky to get a table for two. Great atmosphere and a wonderful welcome with very attentive staff. The food was lovely and there was plenty of it. The wine was excellent and very competitively priced. A definite visit is necessary for our next trip to Ambleside!

After staying in ambleside for a few days . Me and my partner came to this establishment for a curry . The waiter showed us to our table then went off for a few moments . He came back after 5 mins and took our order . He asked did we want drinks which we did and off he went . He then came back after a few moments with drinks and popadums etc . We tucked in enjoying them . After 10 mins another waiter came to our table and said are you paying cash ? My partner replied no im paying by card . He said we cant take card payments tonight . So my partner said we have enough cash to pay for what weve had and we will leave. He then said . Theres a cash machine round the corner . We objected kindly and said its fine we will settle up and go . He walked away . We then finished our popadums etc and was ready to leave when he came back and said we can leave our card numbers and they will take it tomorrow if we like . We objected to this obviously as who this day and age leaves card numbers to complete strangers . Very dissapointed to say the least

If you're looking for an Indian in Ambleside, this is your only option. Unfortunately, it's not a good option. Not really sure where to start. The premises are old, but not in a classic way, just a past its best way. It seemed clean, apart from the toilets which are a special treat. Tip, keep your walking boots on. I visited on a fairly quiet Sunday evening and it's safe to say, service was not high speed. It was slow, and in the main disinterested. One waiter seemed quite pleasant, but the others must have had a bad day. After waiting, and waiting, the food arrived. Small portions of tepid food. It actually tasted quite good, but the presentation was poor and portions small. I noted other tables complaining about the wait. Over 45 minutes for a starter. In this day and age, frankly not good enough. I should have headed the other reviews. Takeaway orders seemed fast and furious, maybe this explains the slow restaurant.Unless your heart is sat on Indian food, gi elsewhere. Mine was, and it was ok, but really, you'd think they could smile....

If you want to wait 2 hours to be served or get your takeaway then this is the place for you. A Saturday night and 1 chef - ridiculous!!!

Service was very efficient and friendly, asked often if everything okay. Portions well sized and food of food quality. The decor is dated, but still ok. We were there early on a Friday evening and it was well visited. A bit of an update of the interior and this place could be mich busier, but still a safe choice for a good Indian.

We had a fabulous curry here. Waiters were attentive and eager to recommend different dishes. We thoroughly enjoyed what we had and would recommend the food. Perhaps, the decor could be up dated. On the whole a great time.

Bit quiet,not very popular on a Friday nightChicken Balti hit the spotDecent nan One to go to with the lads rather than a romantic meal for two

Definitely needs improvement, love Asian food and was expecting good standard but not up to the mark, the staff was helpful. Since not too many options near lake for Indian/Halal Cuisine would recommend it.

We visited on a Sunday night, had a short wait for a table but not long, service was good, food was really nice too! After reading the bad reviews on here we were really pleasantly surprised and would recommend giving them a try!

Appallingly slow service, poppadoms and pickles came up promptly but nothing for an hour and a quarter. (Except getting drinks order wrong with a surly expression.). Had to deliver a 15 minute ultimatum. We were not alone other also complaining and noted that at one time there were not any tables actually eating - all waiting. The only movement seemed to be takeaways. Eventually when our meals arrived it was not to a high standard.The only saving grace was finishing the evening at the Priest Hole - different story entirely.

If you want good service, bugger off to McDonalds, if you want good food, this place is great!To cook something well takes time, so have a little patience ey??

We went on a Saturday, which was fairly busy but not rammed. It took us just over 2 hours to get the main courses, 1 hour 30 to get starters, which were OK a best, some were sub par. The service was really poor however, pretty rude (with the exception of one really nice chap), seemed not to care and, as above, really slow. It needs renovation and seemed to prioritise the food for the takeaways over those in the restaurant.

This place has potential but the staff really let it down. It takes a very long time to be acknowledged or order. It took us 25 minutes to order drinks or food whilst actively trying to elicit attention. The food was nice but average and the place could do with a clean. Overall I would give it a miss as they seem to capitalise on the fact that they are the only indian place around. It seems particularly bad for groups as one near us waited 2 hours to be served food.

Service is terrible, you will wait forever. Save yourself the trouble and eat somewhere else. This is the worst Indian I have ever been in

En fait, je ne peux même pas trop dire ce que je pense de la cuisine parce que je n'ai pas eu l'occasion d'y goûter... Livraison prévue à 21h10, à 22h48, toujours rien. Et personne ne prévient d'un éventuel retard - que j'aurais alors excusé.Adieu, spice of bengal, je ne goûterai donc jamais tes plats.

This restaurant does not seem to have very good reviews, but we have visited twice now and have not been disappointed with the food in any way. True, the décor could do with updating as it does not have the usual cosy, Indian restaurant feel, and, bearing in mind that the only other Indian restaurant in Ambleside closed down, I thought they would have taken this opportunity to refresh and update the surroundings. The staff seem a little low in moral, but the food served is top class. I would urge the owner to spend a bit of money on the place, checking out some top class restaurant interiors, urge his staff to look a little happier (although they were good at what they did and the service was good), and I am sure it would pay off for them. Good Luck for the future.

Ordered, waited, and along came some very rubbery inedible prawns. The worse Indian ever, shame it's the only one in Ambleside. Left after sending back our starters and paying for only our drinks.

Visited on a Saturday evening with my husband and enjoyed our meal although the restaurant itself needs a bit of TLC. It is quite bare and does not immediately look like an Indian restaurant. It could do with a lick of paint and something to make it a bit more cosy. The staff were very nice and the food was good although the portion size was quite small. My vegetarian main course was better value but my husband was still peckish after his meal.

My husband and I visited this restaurant from a recommendation by the local b n b owners we were staying with.This is the only Indian in Ambleside but the food is fantastic.The restaurant and bar area need a little bit of attention as the decor and atmosphere weren't brilliant but it was clean.We wanted to eat quickly so weren't planning to spend the whole evening there.We ordered poppadoms and the chutney tray which came quickly.We ordered a chicken madras and the chicken tikka korai with pilau rice and bombay aloo between us.The portions aren't huge but it's enough.Everything tasted fresh and the korai was particularly tasty.Value for money is OK. Staff were fine, no problems, delivered and collected our dishes, friendly enough.Some people prefer a more personal touch but this was all fine. We would return if visiting the area again.

Visited on holiday and was thinking the restaurant looked a little bit empty and unloved. The menu had a good variety and ordered a few of their specials. Was blown away by the taste and quality of the food, fresh cooked and tender meat. Recommend anyone in this area to try it out

We fancied a curry and as this is the only Indian restaurant in Ambleside, there wasn't much choice. Had read the mixed reviews but decided to give it a try in any case. First off, the decor really does need updating - it's very dull and needs a fresk lick of paint (and better lighting). There aren't even any pictures on the walls, so the atmosphere is a bit bland. The food and service is average. Not bad but not high quality. Can't really say more than that really. Probably perfect if you've had a few pints before eating! Less than 10 minutes drive down the road to Windermere, we noticed that there are quite a few Indian restaurants - all of which looked more inviting, so we'll be trying there for our Indian fix next time.

A good quality curry take away - not amazing by any stretch but nice enough. Prices average, flavours average - korma was very buttery rather than creamy or coco nutty.

We know Indian food as it is our daily diet. This one has Bengali influences, yet within the Indian family with full service. The food was a mix bag. I thought the lamb chops , though slightly overdone were very good and a bargain at 4.5 pounds offered as an appetizer. Palek Ghosht also passed the grades. Overall a nice restaurant if you are looking for a Indian food. This is a full service restaurant, with white linen at very reasonable price. Service can be improved. We only saw our waiter twice. Once for order and once for the bill. Then he disappeared. Gingerale served was in the smallest bottle I have every seen - barely 4 ounces at full 12 ounce can price.

Average describes this place perfectly. Food isn't terrible, service isn't terrible. There are certainly nicer places to eat in Ambleside but they also fill up pretty quick. Would help if they spruced up the interior and did something about the lighting. Nothing looks tasty under a blue lamp!

Went here on a Monday night with a group of 4 so not too busy. Service was good and we all had really tasty curries. This is the third time I have been to this place and I have always had good food. I must've been lucky with the Chef's on my visits. Good choice on the menu. 2 of the party had prawn curries, both really enjoyed theirs and the prawns were not over cooked so that's always a good sign.

After reading a mix of reviews, nine of us attended with an open mind.Sadly, the majority of the review were correct. The waiting time is far too long and the service is generally rude and un-welcoming. After ordering i asked for it to be repeated to ensure that no ones was left out, i was then told , "no, i know what i am doing". This was just rude.The food was of an OK standard. But the price was more of what you would expect for about £1 rather than £9.95.To conclude, if you are craving a curry in ambleside..... got to tesco express.

The food was not that good but it was ok. We had to wait for sometime for the food to arrive and we requested them to make the food a little bit spicy but it still wasn't spicy enough.

Unsure what this restaurant would be like having read previous reviews. Pleasantly surprised! The food was good quality and authentic, service was good. Garlic & chilli rice was the best I have tasted. Recommended!

Placed a telephone order just after it opened, collected 30 minutes later and took the food a couple of miles back to the caravan.We noted that the waiting area was a bit dated and a bit dirty.Starters and popadoms were OK.The mains were just warm and not particularly tasty... it was all it a bit bland!Paid just over £40 for the food which was far too much considering the quality.I agree with other reviewers, that this place could be an absolute gold mine if run correctly. It's the only Indian restaurant in Ambleside, but I suspect it won't get much repeat custom.

Lovely food when it arrived just unfortunate about the 40 minute wait from when we finished our poppadoms which we were not warned about It seemed the restaurant was busy with telephone orders and that seemed to be causing the delay for those sitting in The restaurant could do with a little makeover inside looks quite dated But again the food I could not fault

Visited as a group of 5. It appeared to be the only Indian restaurant in Ambleside which is why we chose it, so we wouldn't need to drive.The decor was very dull, no Indian theme, more like a couple of large rooms with random tables dotted around.We did the usual thing of ordering popperdoms which clearly were overcooked. The main meal took over an hour to arrive. In the meantime the children's soft drinks barely had any fizz in them, with one ice cube in each glass.When the main meal finally arrived my curry was barely warm. I complained and it was taken away ( I guess to the microwave !) but by the time it was returned, my rice had gone cold, although at this point I had lost the will to live and was relying on the beer to dull the pain, so I made no further comments. All in all, this was the worst Indian restaurant we have ever visited. The service was poor and if I could give it no stars, then I would !Best avoided.

Mixed feelings about portion sizes. Unfortunately missing one of the main meals. Nice tasting though. Average experience.

Went there tonight.The interieur isn't really nice but who cares, the food is good!!The service is quick, they were friendlyI didn't get any papadew... Maybe because I was alone?I ordered onion bhaji, a vegetarian dish (forgot the name but it was spinach with mushrooms in gravy) and a cardemon with onion naan and a cobra beer.I wanted paneer palak but the paneer was sold out.The onion bhaji (you get two) was fine! The naan wasn't really good. To thick... The vegetarian dish was sweet!!! Loved it. Cobra beer is oke.Would come heer again.

Its not often I eat somewhere with such mixed reviews as this place, but I had to go just to make up my own mind!!I have say that the more fussy among us will be unhappy with this place, the menus are sticky, the carpets are dirty and there is food up the walls!But as I planned to eat my food from a plate I continued onwards.......I guy took our drinks orders, large Cobra £5.20 quite expensive 300 miles out of London, so I told the wife she could only have tap water!!!Apparently the guy serving drinks could not take food orders, but eventually we found someone that could.No starters, no poppadum's, straight in for mains, When the food came I was surprised by the taste as it was actually ok and I have been more disappointed with Indian food in the past.Garlic and Coriander Nan was good, I was tempted to use the food on the wall as a dip, but the wife was dead against itWe made the £30.00 bill, which again was a touch rough for the volume of food and continued our evening.In summary this place is ok , for blokes after the pub, but if you are planning to take a female who frightens easily, I would think again!!!I am unsure why, with all the quality restaurants in Ambleside, why the Indian restaurants have to be so far behind, in 15 years I have never eaten good Indian food here???

Had a meat Samosa starter which I can only describe as 2 small triangles. Chicken madras next, the quality of which I would have expected from a microwave meal. Poor, really poor.

I was hungry for a big meal here after a day's cycling up hill and down dale, and was pleased with the size of the portions. I left full but the food was lacking taste and the service, although friendly, was slow and a bit disorganised (in fairness, they were very busy). I did not consider it good value.

First impressions were not good. Dirty carpets. Bland decor. Miserable looking staff. No Indian music. No atmosphere. But we stayed as all other resteraunts were fully booked despite it been only 7pm. Our party of 8 was easily seated as there was hardly anyone in. It took what seemed to be a age to get the attention of the staff to order drinks and food despite been next to the staff station. The staff were constantly bickering in front of us. The food came and to be fare was quite nice if a fraction under par. At the end of the meal we were not offered any freshen up towels or mints. Which kinda sums up the experience. They are missing a trick with this place. It could be a Gold mine. All the other resteraunts were packed and this one really fails to deliver. That's why it was empty.

The staff were a bit unfriendly but the food was very good so all in all it was a nice evening and a pleasant place to eat.

Seated quickly, service ok but not overly friendly.Food very nice although chicken tikka was served but covered over as chicken madras!The toilets was absolutely atrocious, flood soaking wet and dirty and smelly. Food overall nice not the best Indian by far but we were hungry and it was 10pm at night.

On arrival disappointed by dirty carpet and steps.Crumbs on table. Service prompt and friendly enough.Food was good. Decor was poor, a mishmash, yellow paint, stairs down to toilets in need of a refurb.Did the job, but nothing special.

The food was very nice however, whilst the service was prompt it was not friendly or welcoming which made us feel like we needed to leave as soon as we had finished eating.

This restaurant is rather deceiving from outside. Its very large inside. We ordered poppadoms and pickles for starter and had to ask for the lime pickle as this was not served with the pickles which is unusual. They had very reasonably priced wine that we ordered. The food was tasty and nicely spiced without being too spicy. No complains from the kids either with their choice of meals. The service was maybe a little slow at times but we don't like being rushed. Ideal for large parties or families but it wouldn't be the place I would choose for a romantic meal due to the ambience. It was perfect for us though.

We visited this restaurant during half term in May 2016.In short, the food was very average and very bland. This is not a place to visit if you have a real taste for good Indian food. If you have to eat Indian on holiday this may fit the bill, but don't expect to be wowed.The other issue was the complete lack of waiting staff. We were quickly seated when we arrived, but then spent the rest of the night literally chasing staff for drinks, food, and eventually the bill, which we had to settle on our way out having waited 30 mins for someone to come to the table.Overall, this is an average at best restaurant, with poor service and would be seriously in trouble if they had more and higher quality competition nearby.We won't be revisiting and will hope that they employ more staff.

Spice of Bengal, one of the most frequently dined Indian restaurant. Situated in the prime location of the Calne town center, it brings taste, ambience, friendly service and value for money all under one roof.

The food was nice, except for the hair. The bill was presented without it having been requested. Maybe the staff had already figured out that we weren't going to give them any further business beyond the main course.

staff so unfriendly and had no manners service was really bad people got served before us drinks where warm had to ask for a fork it was not cheap so you would think you would have better services would not go there again

Décor only ok, waited far too long for the food, The meal was just ok. The bill reflected the meal really, quite cheap. Would I go back, NO

Struggled to find other options for eating out in Ambleside and we wanted a curry. Went early and were treated to a table in this cavernous place. Service was average. Generally disinterested waiters seemed bored with any request. Drinks; decent enough draft Kingfisher. Starter arrived; Onion Bhajis were actually quite good. Main course took quite a long time to arrive. I've been eating curry for more than 30 years in UK restaurants (Brick Lane, Birmingham Balti Triangle etc) and feel I can judge a place generally on the quality of their naans. I read a review on TripAdvisor that said the naan here was pretty good. So was happy to try the place. That reviewer clearly never tasted a really decent naan as these were more like pancakes; doughy and flavourless. Chicken Korma was quite good apparently. Chana masala was tasteless and Bhindi Bhaji was, sorry, but "gloopy". I picked a vegetable Birianyi for a main course. It was essentially inedible I'm sorry to say. It tasted, well, industrial. That can't be good. Price; not overly expensive but not cheap either. Apologies everyone. If you're in Ambleside for a walking holiday or whatever and fancy a curry after a long days hiking, I'd skip this place. Unless you stick to onion Bhaji, chicken korma and Kingfisher that is.

Very friendly staff. Made us an off the menu curry and it was fantastic. Opens later than most restaurants in village and well worth a visit.

I've eaten her a couple of times now. The food is good rather than great. The breads and bagees are very good. The yogurt dipping sauce is very nice. A good place to go for an inexpensive meal. The decor is very plain but the people are nice

Huge place. Service was really good and went for a Balti curry. Came with a naan. It was ok. If you like Kingfisher lager then this place is for you. Was tempted with starter dips but it would have been better if it was all in a starter package rather than individually priced.

Spotted this place when on our way into town, food really good and filling. Took a while to arrive but it was worth the wait. The price was about average for what we pay at home.

First visit.. Waiter stank of smoke, tikka massala bland and watery. Stale poppadoms and rice was like it had been cooked and just heated up. Had something floating in my drink.... I dread to think! Avoid!!

Visited here during a stay in the lakes, a good welcome as we arrived and good service from our waiter, food was good as indian restaurants go, rice was a bit dry, butI had no complaints with my main meal, cooked as I asked, however my other half was not impressed with her chicken massala and stated it was poor.

We visited on a Saturday evening without having reserved. The place was half full so we were seated easily. Our order was taken quickly but each course took a long time to arrive. None of the staff that served us could manage a smile. After poppadoms and pickles we had starters. Both were piping hot and really tasty, they were the highlight of our meal. The main course chicken curries were rather disappointing: although tasty the meat wasn't tender and portions are mean, the curries were also only lukewarm and lacking in sauce. Overall the food was okay but there are so many other restaurants in the village that we won't be returning here.

We were happy with the food and the service was good. The stag got 7 green peppers which made our night but not his!

I've had worse but also had better. It cost £36 for a take out order that would usually cost £14.50 in Manchester. It's absolutely average

Pleasant surroundings. Food was ok but lacking that wee bit extra zing that you normally get with Indian cuisine. The staff were pleasant enough but quiet. We were not even asked how our meal was which is unusual. If you are not too fussy about your meal then this restaurant will meet your needs. Very reasonable prices.

We ordered a takeaway from here and it was on time and the food was very tasty. We would certainly try it again. Good food and good value.

Food was ok but service very poor waiter went to walk away before our party had all ordered their drinks, we were charged for food we didn't order and no one checked that our food was ok. Really needs to try harder when surrounded by restaurants with fantastic service and welcome. Won't be coming back

My wife's medium. Curry was hot for some one who eats raw chillies .. Having lived near Bradford and Wolverhampton .. Sadly will not return . Even the towels where not hot .. Value mm 2rice 2 mains 3 pomperdoms 1 and half pints £35..

First tried this place in 2014 for a takeaway and was disappointed with the accuracy of the order and the time it took to come out...Ate in this time having decided that curry was the only thing we fancied and the place deserved a second chance...it's also the only curry house in town.It took well over an hour for our food to arrive and a number of other tables had refused to wait any longer and walked out. When it did finally arrive it came out in a disjointed manner and we had to remind them about the naan, which were barely cooked.The staff seemed to rush about doing very little and it wasn't full by any means. When it came to paying they had lost the card machine....Poor quality service and food in bland surroundings. Will not be giving them any more chances.

Away for a few days with our children and grandkids.Last night everyone fancy a Indian take away.Apart from they do not offer a delivery service the menu look good but the quality of food was poor. The prices compared to Manchester were very expensive and the portion small.We will not use again when we go back.

.....based on some of the reviews on here, wasn't disappointed. Ordered a Take Away, bland tasting food, shards of bone in the curry, tough meat, generally pretty appalling all round.

Visited on the spur of the moment without checking Trip Adviser reviews. On this occasion I am glad I didn't for we had a very good curry, cooked well, fresh and very tasty. Some of the reviews are not good but in my experience this is not justified. We asked for aloo gobi but the waiter had to check there was cauliflower in stock as they apparently didn't have it the day before. He came back and said that the aloo gobi was on today and would be prepared for us. When it arrived it was clear that it had been cooked fresh. Very happy to recommend and if and when we are in Ambleside again we would be happy to dine there again.

Took my own advice from a previous review and ordered a lamb dish, actually Lamb tikka garlic, lamb was really succulent and tasty, garlic sauce was quite spicy and went down a treat, wife had her usual Chicken Tikka. shared a rice and a Bombay aloo and a really good Peshwari naan. Service was very good, really can't fault this place.

I would love to write something constructive and meaningful which is a little difficult all things considered but here goes. The glass my beer was served in was almost clean. Now for the not so very positive, this is without doubt the most displeasing restaurant I have had the misfortune to stumble across, food was just awful in every way as were the not very attentive waiters. Very over priced for the equivalent of a 1978 vista ready meal (if you are old enough to remember vista then you are wise enough to avoid).

Okay, lets start by saying that before coming to the restaurant, we knew it wasn't the best. Myself and friends have been a few times, but when we fancy an Indian we will come back here, as it's the only one in town. That's where they are lucky..because I can assure you if they had any competitors in Ambleside, they'd be out of business! Anyway, to the point..We had our starters which were okay, basic but decent enough. Then came our main. It was quite dry to start with, but the real issue was when I found a long dark hair right in the middle of my Biriyani, almost as if they placed it on purpose! It completely put me off eating the rest of my meal, and also put off my mate from his. They took it away, I made them aware of the hair, and the reaction was "oh.." no apology, just "oh"! A couple of minutes later, the table near us complained of the same thing..they found a hair in theirs too, though they had almost finished their meals by this point. When it came to paying, they offered to take £10 off the bill. I didn't think this was satisfactory enough. We offered to pay for the drinks and the starters, and the manager started having a go at us saying there wasn't anything wrong with the rest of the food. He had no customer service skills whatsoever, quite astonishing for a manager. They continuously argued that it got to the point where we gave them £25 to cover the drinks and walked out. I highly advise you NEVER go here, to save yourself a horrific experience.

Visited the spice of bungalow after a recommendation from a local. We visited on a Friday evening, there were only three other tables occupied in the restaurant. The service from the older gentlemen was very good. He was attentive and noticed when my partners pint was not up to scratch, the lager was changed free of charge. However, the accompaniments served with the poppadoms were less than fresh, it took them three attempts to get my boyfriend pint of kingfisher right,we were given the wrong bill (£85 for two people) and there was suspect hair.in my meal which to be fair could have been mine. Having said all that the food was actually quite good and the older waiter was very attentive and noticed the issue with the kingfisher without needing prompting.

We popped in on a Thursday evening, the restaurant was dead apart from us. The service was fine and the food of average quality - but on the expensive side for the amount we had. Suppose there isn't much choice

Absolutely terrible experience. 12 friends visited over new year. We waited 1 hour and a half for our meals. The chicken in my curry was like chewing rubber. The chips were cheap, all round terrible food and service from the staff. We were never approached to be asked whether our meals were okay or if we needed more drinks. Could do with a make over as well. Avoid.

Food is excellent. Portion sizes could definitely have been s little bigger, but on the whole we really enjoyed ourselves. Would certainly go again.

Even though I'm not fussed on the modern decor (I much prefer the more traditional) this place has always been fine to me.I was concerned after seeing some of the recent negative reviews but visited again for the umpteenth time and had a lovely meal served by attentive and efficient staff. The place was clean and everyone else appeared to be enjoying themselves too. Yes it is the only Indian restaurant in the village but it still manages to satisfy me.

I have dined at the Spice of Bengal many times over several years, I have never been disappointed with the service or the food; the only downside to this establishment is the toilet facilities; they do need updating for sure. That being said the choice and quality of the food is super and reasonably priced, the service has always been polite helpful and gracious.