Riverwalk Tandoori, Highgate Hill

Last Friday, I felt like trying something new for my regular, end of the week dinner.  So I wandered into Highgate Hill and came upon Riverwalk Tandoori.  The food at Riverwalk Tandoori is a combination of Indian and Malaysian cuisine.  I had never heard of this before.  Is there a significant Indian population in Malaysia?  Are there numerous Malaysians in India?  I don't know.  I looked at the menu, and there were a number of items that looked appetising.  However, at the time I found myself to be in the mood for beef rendang, which is what I ordered.  I have experienced numerous takes on beef rendang; all positive.  So I was curious to sample Riverwalk Tandoori's interpretation.  I was not let down.  First of all, this being a Indian/Malaysian restaurant meant that I could order naan over roti to accompany my meal.  This worked in Riverwalk Tandoori's favour as I find Indian naan to be a better absorber of flavour's than south-east Asian roti.  The naan itself could have been cooked a little longer, but was overall fine.  The beef rendang itself was interesting.  Some restaurants' beef rendang resembles a dry curry, whereas some are more saucy.  This particular beef rendang was somewhere in the middle.  I would have preferred it to saucier, but happily there was enough sauce for me to mop up with the bread, which was certainly a pleasant experience.  The sauce had a nice melange of flavours, some of which reminded me of the other beef rendangs I have sampled.  Others, however were new to me, most notably the presence of sweetness.  With few exceptions, I am generally hesitant when it comes to sweetness in a main meal.  However, this sweetness was noticeable, yet subtle, and very welcome.  Another positive concerning the sauce was its spiciness.  I am of the opinion that dishes, such as beef rendang, should be spicy.  However, many restaurants do not cater to this preference.  On this occasion, I believe Riverwalk Tandoori got the level of spice just right for my tastes.  Finally, the beef itself came in large chunks.  This can sometimes mean that it is not tender enough.  However, this was not the case, and I really enjoyed the beef's texture.  In conclusion, in many ways, this was a quality beef rendang, reminiscent of others I have encountered in the past.  In other ways, there was a welcome uniqueness to the dish.  If I ever go back to Riverwalk Tandoori, I'm hoping that the same can be said about their other dishes.