Ginger Garlic Restaurant - Eltham

We have been going here every other week for 10 years. The fake bad reviews are by “the other” Indian place and it’s annoying zomato doesn’t pick up on this. GG is a thousand times better and we even went to India with them. Can’t go wrong with butter chicken and garlic naan for the kids.

This was suggested for Father's Day dinner with some pushback from others among the group given there were ten of us and it was a small space. This was my first visit and as such I didn't quite grasp just how small the restaurant actually is. Decor wise it had a fabulous ambiance. It looks kind of unassuming from the outside but there's plenty of atmosphere aided by beautiful lighting, authentic looking pretty tablecloths, brightly painted walls and traditional hanging prints. They have definitely maximised the potential of the tiny space and it actually helps to create a really intimate vibe.The restaurant was quite full and seem to also be doing a roaring trade in takeaway (in fact I recognised two different groups of people I know which is ironic given it was my first experience there). We started off with a chicken tikka masala and lamb kebabs as well fenugreek chicken kebabs and some fish. My mum proclaimed the tikka to be the best she's had since she first came here 20 years ago (all these years she's never taken me, hmmm). I was delighted when the garlic naan hit the table because I could smell it coming a mile away. I just love fresh naan. Nothing better than dipping it into a creamy butter chicken sauce. This rendition was quite unique to me as I could detect a strong honey flavour which was an interesting way of sweetening it that I have never come across in all my fortnightly consumption of this dish. It was almost a bit too sweet for me but we also had a vindaloo at the table so if you were eating the two alongside each other it would have made a welcome respite from the heat. The spinach paneer was also beautifully presented and a hit with the group. Plenty of people in the restaurant appeared to be regulars and interacted really warmly with the staff which was lovely to see. A really family friendly spot

Ginger Garlic can get a little crazy and the food can take awhile but I think its worth it. Its a lovely family run restaurant owned by people who really know their Indian food. As said below the host can be a little pushy but I think it all adds to the atmosphere and vibe of the restaurant, they are passionate about what they serve. The food is fantastic and worth the wait and a bit of craziness. I definitely think eating in tops takeaway... the fresh cooked naan, sizzling platters and curries are top notch. Ask for the lemon rice- it isn't on the menu but we absolutely love it- lemony saffron rice topped with coconut. Sooooo good!

Have not been for a while, couple of years. Nothing really changed. Host a little pushy but nothing to worry about, your free to choose what you want, be strong. Food is still at the top end although a little saltier than we remember which contributes to a food hangover the next day. Somosas are great. All the meats were tender and full of flavour. Kashmiri Naan still top notch. This is a pricier restruant and should have rating. Service was not an issue with good timing between starters and mains. Atmosphere is great but if you do not like smaller darker venues then avoid as it always seems to be full of people and a little cramped. There are now more options for Induan cusine in the area that are larger and have warmer hosts. Still a 4 star but gap between visits will now be larger.

I 've been getting takeaway from here for some time and have also eaten in. <br/ Let me start off by saying the two experiences were completely different.<br/ When ordering takeaway, the lady answers the phone and she is very obliging. I particularly like lamb biriyani, which is not on their menu, however I order it anyway and they always make it for me. Once the man answered the phone, and informed me 'we don 't have lamb biriyani ', and I heard a lady yell something in the background. Then a minute later he said 'oh sorry, no we can do that '. The reason I returned every time is because the custom biriyani is tasty and consistent, and I think the fact they go out of their way to make it is fantastic. <br/ <br/ We had never actually eaten in until recently, and unfortunately I had an experience similar to the other diners. We were served by the male waiter, who was somewhat aggressive in his manner and attempted to upsell at every opportunity. When ordering naan he said 'how many slices? ' which made me think they were selling it per slice (usually naan is cut in half) instead of a whole piece. I think its part of his upsell tactic. I realised quickly that eating in wasn 't as good value, because portions appeared smaller then what you get from takeaway. Basically, I would not recommend dining in, even though I would recommend the food.<br/ It is a shame, because I think the lady who works here is lovely but her husband or colleague is letting the place down.