When we heard that Empire Indian Restaurant in Cardiff had just been crowned ‘Asian Restaurant of the Year’ at the prestigious Asian & Restaurant Awards, we knew we had to try it for ourselves.
Nestled on Albany Road in Roath, Empire has been serving locals since 1992, making it the longest running Indian restaurant in the city. But does it really live up to its latest award? We went along to find out.
Empire is something of a local legend. Originally founded by Mohammed Mujib after he moved to the UK in 1985, it’s now run by his son Sammy Rahman, who still works the floor today. That family-run warmth is obvious from the moment you walk in, they couldn’t have been friendlier, especially with our young son, who was happily entertained with plenty of smiles and chatter while we browsed the menu.
The place was buzzing with both diners and takeaway orders, but service never slipped. Attentive, welcoming and quick, everything you’d hope for from a restaurant that has bagged so many awards over the years.
Now to the food. We played it safe to see how Empire’s take on the classics holds up.
To start, I went for the tikka (£6.50) – tender, flavourful and perfectly spiced. It’s often my go-to test of an Indian restaurant’s quality, and Empire absolutely nailed it.
My wife tried the Tiger Prawn Kurkuri (£6.90), crispy and packed with flavour, and declared she’d happily order it again.
For mains, the Haryali Murgh Masala (£13.90) brought vibrant, marinated chicken in a green spinach, mint and coriander blend – full of flavour but gentle enough that even our son could try it. I couldn’t resist my usual Chicken Madras (£11.90), which hit the spot. Rich, spicy, and with plenty of tender chicken, it was exactly what I wanted.
On the side, we shared pilau rice (£4.50) and naan (£3.95). One portion of each was just about enough between two, but next time we’d definitely add another rice or bread, mainly to mop up every last bit of that sauce. Drinks were a pleasant surprise too, with soft drinks priced at £3.50 a pint – a rarity these days.
All in all, it was a brilliant evening out. The food was top-notch, the service warm and personal, and the value fair for the quality. Empire proves exactly why it walked away with its award. Would we go again? Without a doubt , and next time it might just be for a Friday night takeaway.
If you fancy trying this award-winning curry house, booking ahead is a wise move. We went mid-week and found space easily, but weekends will be a different story.
