I am a connoisseur of Indian food. I love it! No matter where I travel, I am always in search for the best local Indian Restaurant in town.

Having said that…

My husband and I purchased a Groupon for Green Chili Indian Bistro in downtown Saint Petersburg. The deal was $57 dollar’s worth of food for $27. It was the only Indian restaurant in Tampa Bay that we had not frequented. We were excited to use our Groupon on our wedding anniversary, which happened to be yesterday.

My husband made reservations, as requested. Needless to say, when we arrived there was no need for it. Granted, it was a Tuesday night.

The menu was limited so I asked the waitress, a non- Indian, if they could make my favorite- Malai Kofta. She hadn’t heard of it. She went to the chef and came back with a no. There are standard dishes I always order when I try a new Indian restaurant for the first time. They are- something curry (usually shrimp), Biryani and Malai Kofta, with Naan bread of course…these meals are always a testament on how good the chef is.

The Groupon deal was for two drinks, an appetizer, Naan bread and two entrée’s, which we were going to share.

First, we each ordered a glass of Chardonnay. What arrived was a 4oz pour divided in two glasses. Okay, so we were going to start lite on the wine…then we ordered our appetizer, Vegetable Pakoras. We were quickly presented with a bowl containing two small Pakoras. They were hot and flaky, yet had no flavor.

Our entrée’s soon arrived, Vegetable Biryani and Shrimp Curry with Basmati rice. I asked for our Biryani mild and our Shrimp Curry to be spiced medium. Depending on location, medium can be a mouth burning experience…so, this being our first meal here I thought we would play it safe. More spices are usually offered, which unfortunately here they were not. The Biryani portion was most likely a half cup of rice with spices and a sparing mix of vegetables. Other than the fresh Cilantro, there was not much flavor. No potatoes, raisins or nuts. These ingredients are not always included, but more than likely are.

The Shrimp Curry with Basmati was even more disappointing. The curry sauce was thin and soupy. In the bowl contained six properly cooked shrimp, which was the best part of the meal. There was about a half cup of plain Basmati rice included on the side. The one, very thin piece of Naan bread sliced in half could not soak up anything. It was that thin. The curry sauce dribbled off the rice. The only way for the sauce to be eaten was with the serving spoon. Which brings me to the other issue…we were only given one fork a piece and one napkin. No spoons, no knife. The place setting was very minimal to say the least.

We were never asked if we would like another glass of wine, nor were we offered dessert- which we would have gladly paid extra for. It was one of the fastest meals to be served on record. Our ‘check’ was presented with the tip for $12 and change…like we were not going to tip our waitress and waiter- and delivered with not so much as a smile. So much for our romantic anniversary dinner.

The décor was lovely, but minimal. They did play Indian music, which is always a plus.

We left hungry and moved on to Beak’s for another drink and dessert, where we were greeted by a friendly staff.

All in all, if this is someone’s first Indian food experience I feel sorry for you. Please look further! The India Grill across the street on Central Avenue is much better. If you are able to drive to the two other better Indian restaurants in Tampa Bay… try Deeya in Tri City or Bombay Masala on Waters Avenue in Tampa. At those locations, you will be greeted with a smile, have large dished out delicious portions and revel the culinary masterpiece which, in my opinion, is Indian food.

Do not waste time or your hard earned money at Green Chili Indian Bistro. C-

Did you ever have the “good fortune” to eat at Satay House on Seminole Blvd.? Across from the old Orange Blossom Groves? It’s been closed since 2006 but was superb Indian / Malaysian / Chinese food. Very authentic.

Ajanta’s decline reminds us of when Satay closed….something that was great while it lasted but once it’s gone it’s gone.

“Hope Springs Eternal”