Curry Town

indian restaurant — Otaki · Otaki

About Curry Town

Curry Town is a family-run restaurant on Main Street in Ōtaki, serving authentic Indian and Malaysian cuisine since 2008. It is owned and managed by Kishan and Leela Singh — Kishan heads the kitchen, while Leela looks after customer service — and the chefs bring years of experience in both vegetarian and non-vegetarian Indian cooking.

The menu is broad and freshly prepared: entrées, meat dishes, seafood specials, tandoori selections, vegetable dishes, Malaysian cuisine, Indian basmati rice and tandoori breads, with a wine list for dine-in and a full takeaway menu. Whether you like something moderately mild or sensationally spicy, there's something to suit, and the kitchen can cook dairy-free meals and cater for allergies when you let staff know. A banquets menu gathers some of the kitchen's most tempting dishes, including Butter Chicken, Lamb Tikka, Beef Mushroom and Vegetable Korma.

Self-described as a no fuss, no frill, stylish, laid-back dinner speaking of truth and honest Indian food, Curry Town seats around 70 guests, organises private functions for up to 60 people, and provides catering for anniversaries, birthdays, graduations and corporate events. Service is a point of pride from arrival to departure, with reasonable prices and customer satisfaction as the house motto. It opens from 4PM till late — currently listed on the homepage as six days a week, Tuesday to Sunday.

Curry Town Ōtaki: Family-Run Indian & Malaysian Dining on Main Street

Curry Town sits on Main Street in the heart of Ōtaki, and since 2008 this family-run restaurant has been the town's home for authentic Indian and Malaysian cooking, establishing itself — in its own telling — as the finest restaurant in Ōtaki. It is owned and managed by Kishan and Leela Singh, and the welcome is personal: Kishan heads the kitchen as head chef, while Leela fronts customer service and, alongside the team, treats every diner as a guest rather than a transaction.

Meet the Singhs

The Singhs' hallmark is experience. The chefs behind the pass have years of work in both vegetarian and non-vegetarian Indian cuisine, and their stated goal has always been excellent food together with great service — a strong emphasis on hospitality that runs from the moment you arrive to the moment you leave. Customer satisfaction, the restaurant says, is its motto, paired with reasonable prices and a genuine dedication to the quality of the food.

A No-Fuss, Honest Kitchen

Curry Town describes itself as a no fuss, no frill, stylish, laid-back dinner that speaks of truth and honest Indian food in Ōtaki. Behind the modesty is a menu that reaches well beyond the curry-house basics, stretching into Malaysian dishes and covering entrées, meat dishes, seafood specials, tandoori selections, vegetable dishes, Indian basmati rice and tandoori breads, with a wine list for dine-in.

Everything is freshly prepared, and the kitchen adapts to its guests: mention any special food requirements or allergies and the team can cook dairy-free meals. Spice is a dial rather than a setting — whether you like something moderately mild or sensationally spicy, you're sure to find something to tantalise your taste buds, and if you can't decide, the professional staff will happily point you in the right direction.

What to Order

The banquets menu gathers some of the kitchen's most tempting dishes — Butter Chicken, Lamb Tikka, Beef Mushroom and Vegetable Korma among them — while the specials board offers a quick, light, value-for-money meal for dine-in or takeaway. The range is deliberate, built to suit anyone and everyone, with Malaysian curries and seafood specials sitting alongside the tandoori classics. For those who can't choose, the staff's guidance is part of the draw.

Regulars keep their own shortlist: the Onion Bhaji arrives light and crispy, the raita is fresh, the Peshwari Naan and Chicken Tikka Lababdah inspire return visits, and more than one reviewer notes that Curry Town actually serves enough rice for the whole table.

The Experience

The dining room seats about 70 guests in an elegant, laid-back setting. One couple who booked by email for a pre-show dinner received a reply within hours, and on the night staff suggested serving entrées and mains together so they'd make the curtain — they called it the best food they had tasted, at a reasonable price, and recommended the restaurant without hesitation. Others single out the wonderfully helpful, friendly staff and the generous helpings.

Groups, Functions and Takeaways

Beyond the dining room, Curry Town organises private functions for up to 60 people and provides catering for every occasion — anniversaries, birthdays, graduations, corporate functions or any other special event. A full takeaway menu brings the same kitchen home, and the team is willing to help with reservations online or by phone.

The restaurant opens from 4PM till late; the site currently lists six days a week, Tuesday to Sunday, though some pages still say seven days, so it is worth ringing 06 364 8898 to confirm before you travel. Reservations can also be made by emailing [email protected]. If you haven't yet visited Curry Town, the invitation stands: come and enjoy a quality dining experience in Ōtaki.

Signature items

  • Butter Chicken
  • Lamb Tikka
  • Beef Mushroom
  • Vegetable Korma
  • Peshwari Naan
  • Onion Bhaji

Menu

EntréEs

  • Onion Bhaji — Light, crispy onion fritters that regulars single out for praise.
  • Raita — Fresh yoghurt side, noted by guests for its freshness.

Meat Dishes

  • Butter Chicken — A banquet headline — the house's best-known, most tempting curry.
  • Beef Mushroom — Beef and mushrooms, featured among the banquets menu highlights.

Rice Dishes

  • Steamed Basmati Rice — Indian basmati rice served generously enough for the whole table.

Tandoori Breads

  • Peshwari Naan — Sweet-filled tandoori naan highly recommended by regulars.

Tandoori Dishes

  • Lamb Tikka — Tandoori-grilled lamb, one of the banquets menu temptations.
  • Chicken Tikka Lababdah — Chicken tikka specialty repeatedly recommended by returning guests.

Vegetable Dishes

  • Vegetable Korma — Gently spiced vegetable curry from the banquet selection.

Frequently asked questions

What kind of food does Curry Town serve?
Authentic Indian and Malaysian cuisine, from chefs with years of experience in both vegetarian and non-vegetarian Indian cooking — plus tandoori dishes, basmati rice and tandoori breads.
When is Curry Town open?
From 4PM till late. The homepage currently lists six days a week, Tuesday to Sunday, though other pages say seven days and the restaurant closes on special days — call 06 364 8898 to confirm.
Can the kitchen cater for allergies or dairy-free diets?
Yes. All meals are freshly prepared and diners are asked to mention any special food requirements or allergies — the kitchen can cook dairy-free meals.
Is there a takeaway menu?
Yes. Curry Town offers a full takeaway menu — entrées, meat, seafood, tandoori, vegetable and Malaysian dishes, rice and breads — alongside dine-in specials.
Can Curry Town host private functions or provide catering?
Yes. The restaurant seats about 70, can organise private functions for up to 60 people, and caters for anniversaries, birthdays, graduations and corporate events.
How do I make a reservation?
Call 06 364 8898, book online, or email [email protected] — one guest reports an email reply arriving within hours.
What is on the banquets menu?
It features some of the kitchen's most tempting dishes, including Butter Chicken, Lamb Tikka, Beef Mushroom and Vegetable Korma.

Tips

  • {"body":"Pre-show diners can ask for entrées and mains to be served together so there's time to make the curtain — the team is happy to pace your meal.","title":"Book ahead for show nights"}
  • {"body":"The banquets menu pulls together Butter Chicken, Lamb Tikka, Beef Mushroom and Vegetable Korma — a simple way to taste the kitchen's range.","title":"Go banquets for a spread"}
  • {"body":"From moderately mild to sensationally spicy — tell the staff how hot you like it and they'll steer you to the right dish.","title":"Set your spice level"}
  • {"body":"The site lists 4PM till late, Tuesday to Sunday on the homepage but seven days elsewhere — a quick call to 06 364 8898 avoids a wasted trip.","title":"Ring to confirm hours"}
  • {"body":"The restaurant seats about 70 and can host private functions for up to 60, plus catering for birthdays, graduations and corporate events.","title":"Planning a function?"}

Good to know

  • {"dietary":"Dairy-free meals cooked on request; mention any allergies or special food requirements to staff."}