Jaya (Weekday Dinner)

Jaya Indian Cuisine
36 Church Walks
Llandudno
Conwy, LL30 2HN

01492 818 198

http://www.jayarestaurant.co.uk/

After seeing a flyer hailing Jaya (pronounced JAY-ah) as the most authentic Indian food that a particular restaurant reviewer had sampled outside of India, we decided it would make the perfect first stop on our quest to find good Indian food in North Wales. We drove to the charming and just a little special seaside town of Llandudno on a rainy Wednesday evening, and after passing through the brightly-lit throng of restaurants and bars on the promenade end of Church Walk, Jaya (and its sister operation, Space Boutique B&B) beckoned on the left side of the road as a large, nicely lit Victorian villa. Upon stepping inside, we were warmly greeted by Bobby, who, along with his wife Sunita, own and operate Jaya restaurant and Space B&B. Exuding professionalism and friendliness, Bobby asked us our names (and referred to us by our first names the rest of the evening - which was actually rather a nice touch), and led us through to the front lounge where we had a look at menus, ordered drinks, and indulged in several handfuls of rather tasty Indian nibbles. The interior of Jaya is tasteful and modern, combining original features of the Victorian villa such as wood floors, high ceilings, and intricate moldings, with inviting low lighting and plush furniture with a far-east feel. The only things detracting somewhat from the hip interior were the rather large plasma screen TVs mounted on the wall in the lounge (showing sport with the volume off) and the main dining room (showing what looked to be bollywood videos, again with the sound off).

But we didn't come for the interior design (though we were impressed by most aspects of it!) - it was our hunger for good Indian food that brought us here, and we certainly were not disappointed. We were halfway through devouring poppadoms with fresh, tangy chutneys when Bobby brought through steaming plates of fish pakora (AMAZING) and veggie mixed bhajia. Both were delicious, but the pakora was truly exceptional.  For mains, RR had the lamb karai- a dry, succulent curry bursting with flavor. I decided to be boring and go for the channa masala because I love channa masala, and I wanted to taste Sunita (the cook)'s take on this simple dish. It was expertly done - again, a much drier interpretation of this dish than what I've had in the past, but really exceptionally well spiced and cooked (and not too spicy, which, as a non-Brit, I'm always pleased when I can still taste after eating British Indian food!). The naan and roti were also delectable - soft, hot, perfect. As our bellies were rather full, we opted for no dessert. As I had quite a bit of channa masala and rice left over, Bobby very kindly agreed to package up my leftovers for me to take home (letting us take away uneaten food always counts for bonus points in my book).

Jaya by the Numbers
Starters: 8/10
Mains: 7.5/10
Desserts: n/a
Ambiance: 7.5/10
Staff: 9/10
Value for £: 7/10
portion size: typical British (i.e., medium)
total for dinner for 2 (w/ 2 beers & sparkling water): £46.00

Bottom Line: An Indian restaurant well worth the trip to Llandudno - we are delighted (and relieved) that excellent Indian food can indeed be found in North Wales.