Fishtail Restaurant

About Fishtail Restaurant

Fishtail Restaurant brings a rich blend of authentic Indian and Nepalese culinary traditions to the heart of Waimate. Located conveniently on Queen Street, the eatery offers a warm and welcoming destination for both local residents and travellers seeking bold, flavourful comfort food.

The extensive menu highlights classic tandoori starters, aromatic regional curries, Indo-Chinese favourites, and traditional Nepalese steamed momo dumplings. Guests can choose from a wide range of tender meats, seafood, and robust vegetarian preparations, along with freshly baked naans and classic kebabs served over rice, chips, or wrapped to order. Available for easy online ordering, pickup, and weekday lunch specials, Fishtail Restaurant delivers a satisfying, spice-infused dining experience tailored to all tastes.

Fishtail Restaurant Waimate: Authentic Indian & Indo-Nepalese Dining on Queen Street

Located at 73 Queen Street in Waimate, Fishtail Restaurant brings vibrant culinary traditions together through an expansive menu of classic Indian curries, Indo-Nepalese house specialties, tandoori starters, and street-style kebabs. Providing convenient takeaway pickup and online ordering, the restaurant has established itself as a go-to dining destination for local residents and visitors looking for authentic, spice-rich comfort food in Canterbury.

From time-honored mild preparations to fiery regional curries, the kitchen focuses on traditional techniques, grinding fresh spices and slow-cooking gravies to achieve deep flavour profiles. Whether stopping by for a quick midday lunch special or gathering a feast for dinner at home, guests are treated to an extensive selection of meat, seafood, and vegetarian options.

Signature Curries and Indo-Nepalese Specialities

Fishtail Restaurant stands out for its dedicated Indo-Nepalese specialty dishes alongside beloved subcontinental classics. A crowd favorite among the top sellers is the Butter Chicken, prepared by partially cooking tender chicken pieces the tandoori way before finishing them in a luscious gravy of cream, crushed cashews, and aromatic spices. Lamb and prawn variations of the dish are also on offer, alongside savory staples such as Chicken Tikka Masala, Rogan Josh from the Himalayan foothills, fiery Goan Vindaloo made with vinegar and whole spices, and rich lentil Dhansak.

Beyond traditional Indian curries, the house signatures highlight regional Nepalese flavors. The Fishtail Lamb Curry and House Chicken Curry feature diced meat simmered the traditional Nepalese way and garnished with fresh coriander leaves. Adventurous diners can explore unique house dishes such as the Signature Hilly Goat, prepared with village herbs and spices, Venison Curry loaded with a homemade spice blend, or the House Seafood Curry pairing mixed prawns, squid, mussels, and fish with grated coconut in a creamy cashew sauce.

Steamed Momo, Tandoori Starters, and Fresh Naan

No Nepalese-inspired dining experience is complete without Momo. Fishtail serves traditional steamed meat dumplings seasoned with ginger, garlic, coriander, and spring onion, paired with either tangy tomato or roasted sesame chutney. For an extra kick, chilli-sautéed versions—including Chilli Chicken Momo and Chilli Prawns Momo—are tossed with capsicum, onion, soy sauce, and chillies.

The appetizer menu features classic tandoori fare such as overnight-marinated Chicken Tikka, skewered Seekh Kebabs, and marinated Tandoori Prawns, along with golden fried vegetable samosas and onion bhajis. To accompany mains, the tandoor oven turns out a wide variety of fresh breads, ranging from classic garlic naan and cheese and garlic naan to sweet Kashmiri naan, spiced keema naan, and unique creations like chocolate-stuffed naan.

Signature items

• Butter Chicken
• Steam Momo
• Signature House Dish – Hilly Goat
• Fishtail Lamb Curry
• Chicken Tikka Masala
• Cheese & Garlic Naan

Menu

Momo

• Steam Momo — Meat dumplings mixed with ginger, garlic, coriander, and spring onion with chutney
• Chilli Chicken Momo — Battered fried chicken sautéed with capsicum, onions, soy sauce and chillies
• Chilli Momo — Battered fried chilli sautéed with capsicum, onions, soy sauce and chillies
• Chilli Prawns Momo — Battered fried prawns sautéed with capsicum, onions, soy sauce and chillies

Mains

• Butter Chicken — Half cooked the tandoori way and finished the curry way, with crushed cashews, cream, and spices
• Butter Lamb — Half cooked the tandoori way and finished the curry way, with crushed cashews, cream, and spices
• Butter Prawns — Half cooked the tandoori way and finished the curry way, with crushed cashews, cream, and spices
• Chicken Tikka Masala — Pieces of chicken cooked in a tangy onion sauce with tomatoes, garlic, cumin, and oriental spices
• Lamb Masala — Pieces of lamb cooked in a tangy onion sauce with tomatoes, garlic, cumin, and oriental spices
• Fish Masala — Pieces of fish cooked in a tangy onion sauce with tomatoes, garlic, cumin, and oriental spices
• Prawn Masala — Pieces of prawn cooked in a tangy onion sauce with tomatoes, garlic, cumin, and oriental spices
• Mango Chicken — Succulent pieces of boneless chicken cooked in a mild, fruity mango-flavored sauce
• Chicken Korma — Mild dish cooked in a creamy cashew nut sauce
• Lamb Korma — Mild dish cooked in a creamy cashew nut sauce
• Chicken Madras — South Indian dish with onions, ginger, garlic, spices, and finished with coconut cream
• Lamb Madras — South Indian dish with onions, ginger, garlic, spices, and finished with coconut cream
• Fish Madras — South Indian dish with onions, ginger, garlic, spices, and finished with coconut cream
• Prawn Madras — South Indian dish with onions, ginger, garlic, spices, and finished with coconut cream
• Chicken Pasanda — Mild curry with diced meat cooked in cream with onions, cashews, garlic, ginger, coriander, and mint
• Lamb Pasanda — Mild curry with diced meat cooked in cream with onions, cashews, garlic, ginger, coriander, and mint
• Chicken Dhansak — Cooked with yellow lentils and finished with Indian spices in a thick gravy
• Lamb Dhansak — Cooked with yellow lentils and finished with Indian spices in a thick gravy
• Chicken Vindaloo — Goan style dish cooked with vinegar, capsicum, and whole spices
• Lamb Vindaloo — Goan style dish cooked with vinegar, capsicum, and whole spices
• Prawn Vindaloo — Goan style dish cooked with vinegar, capsicum, and whole spices
• Kadai Chicken — Cooked in an Indian wok with crushed tomatoes, chopped onions, garlic, capsicum, in thick gravy
• Kadai Lamb — Cooked in an Indian wok with crushed tomatoes, chopped onions, garlic, capsicum, in thick gravy
• Kadai Prawns — Cooked in an Indian wok with crushed tomatoes, chopped onions, garlic, capsicum, in thick gravy
• Chicken Saagwala — Cooked in spinach with onion, tomatoes, ginger, garlic, and spices
• Lamb Saagwala — Cooked in spinach with onion, tomatoes, ginger, garlic, and spices
• Prawn Saagwala — Cooked in spinach with onion, tomatoes, ginger, garlic, and spices
• Chicken Jhalfrezee — Sweet and sour flavors cooked with tomatoes, onions, capsicum, garlic, ginger, in thick gravy
• Lamb Jhalfrezee — Sweet and sour flavors cooked with tomatoes, onions, capsicum, garlic, ginger, in thick gravy
• Prawn Jhalfrezee — Sweet and sour flavors cooked with tomatoes, onions, capsicum, garlic, ginger, in thick gravy
• Rogan Josh — Diced lamb cooked in freshly ground spices with a tomato and onion gravy
• Fishtail Lamb Curry — Diced lamb cooked the traditional Nepalese way and garnished with fresh coriander leaves
• Vegetable Biryani — Basmati rice cooked with vegetables topped with nuts and fried onions
• Chicken Biryani — Basmati rice cooked with chicken topped with nuts and fried onions
• Lamb Biryani — Basmati rice cooked with lamb topped with nuts and fried onions
• Prawn Biryani — Basmati rice cooked with prawns topped with nuts and fried onions

Breads

• Plain Naan — Traditional Indian flatbread
• Garlic Naan — Naan topped with garlic
• Cheese & Garlic Naan — Naan bread stuffed with cheese and diced garlic
• Chocolate Naan — Naan bread stuffed with chocolate chips
• Keema Naan — Naan stuffed with chicken or lamb mince
• Onion Naan — Naan stuffed with onions and spices
• Paneer Kulcha — Naan stuffed with homemade Indian cottage cheese and spices
• Kashmiri Naan — Naan topped with nuts and sultanas
• Tandoori Roti — Wholemeal flour bread baked in the tandoor
• Aloo Parantha — Flour bread stuffed with potatoes, onions, and spices
• House Special Naan — Bread stuffed with lamb, chicken, capsicum, mushroom, cheese, and spice

Drinks

• Soft Drinks (375mL Can) — Selection of canned soft drinks
• Mango Lassi — Yoghurt and mango pulp drink
• Keri Apple Juice — Bottled apple juice
• Keri Orange Juice — Bottled orange juice

Kebabs

• Kebab Wrap — Hot flat bread served with green salad and sauces
• Kebab on Rice — Choice of chicken, lamb or combination served with green salad and choice of sauces
• Kebab on Chips — Choice of chicken, lamb or combination served with crispy chips and choice of sauces
• Kebab on Salad — Choice of chicken, lamb or combination served with green salad and choice of sauces

Starters

• Vegetable Samosa — Flaky pastry filled with diced potatoes, peas, and cumin seeds, fried golden brown
• Onion Bhaji — Concoction of onions, silver beet, potatoes, spinach, and spices in pea flour batter
• Chicken Pakora — Slices of boneless chicken dipped in chickpea flour and fried
• Tandoori Prawns — Marinated prawns cooked in the tandoor
• Chicken Tikka — Fillet of chicken marinated in yogurt and spices overnight, skewered and cooked in tandoor
• Seekh Kebab — Minced meat with exotic herbs and spices, cooked on skewers served with salad mint chip
• Tandoori Chicken (Full) — Tender spring chicken marinated with fresh herbs and spices, skewered and cooked in tandoor
• Tandoori Chicken (Half) — Tender spring chicken marinated with fresh herbs and spices, skewered and cooked in tandoor
• House Special Platter — Chicken Tikka, Chicken Pakora, 1/2 Tandoor, Seekh Kebab, Samosa, Onion Bhaji, and Tiger Prawns

Chow Mein

• Vegetable Chow Mein — Indo-Chinese style stir fried noodles with spices and seasonal vegetables
• Chicken Chow Mein — Indo-Chinese style stir fried noodles with chicken, spices and vegetables
• Prawn Chow Mein — Indo-Chinese style stir fried noodles with prawns, spices and vegetables
• Mixed Chow Mein — Indo-Chinese style stir fried noodles with chicken, seafood, and vegetables

Fried Rice

• Vegetable Fried Rice — Indo-Chinese style fried rice with spices and seasonal mixed vegetables
• Chicken Fried Rice — Indo-Chinese style fried rice with chicken, spices and seasonal mixed vegetables
• Prawn Fried Rice — Indo-Chinese style fried rice with prawns, spices and seasonal mixed vegetables
• Mixed Fried Rice — Indo-Chinese style fried rice with chicken, seafood, spices and vegetables

Vegetarian

• Aloo Gobi — Potatoes and cauliflower cooked with cumin seeds, turmeric, coriander, and spices
• Vegetable Korma — Mixed vegetables cooked with cashew nuts, mild spices, and finished with cream
• Vegetable Jalfrezi — Fresh vegetables cooked with capsicum, onions, ginger, garlic, and herbs
• Mattar Paneer — Peas and homemade Indian cottage cheese cooked with tomatoes, spices and herbs
• Palak Paneer — Cubes of homemade Indian cottage cheese cooked with tomatoes, spices, and herbs
• Shahi Paneer — Homemade cottage cheese cooked with tomatoes in a creamy cashew nut sauce
• Kadai Paneer — Homemade cottage cheese cooked with capsicum, onions, tomatoes, and spices
• Daal Makhani — Black lentils and kidney beans cooked with butter and spices
• Tarka Daal — Yellow split lentils cooked with cumin seeds, ginger, garlic, tomatoes, and turmeric
• Chana Masala — Chickpeas cooked with ginger, garlic, onions, and tomatoes with freshly ground spices
• Malai Kofta — Homemade cheese stuffed in vegetable balls

Sides & Rice

• Poppadom — Crispy thin lentil wafers
• Raita — Yogurt mixed with cucumber and ground spices
• Mint Chutney — Yogurt with mint, green chilies, and spices
• Mixed Vegetable Pickle — Spicy mixed vegetable pickle
• Mango Chutney — Sweet mango relish

Lunch Special

• Regular Curry — Curry dish available during lunch hours
• Regular Curry & Naan — Curry served with plain naan
• Super Curry Combo — Curry, plain naan, and a can of drink

Indo-Nepalese House Signature Dishes

• House Chicken Curry — Diced chicken cooked the traditional Nepalese way with fresh coriander leaves
• House Lamb Curry — Diced lamb cooked the traditional Nepalese way with fresh coriander leaves
• House Seafood Curry — Prawns, squid, mussels, fish cooked with grated coconut in cashew nut sauce
• Signature House Dish – Hilly Goat — Diced goat meat cooked with typical village herbs and spices
• Venison Curry — Loaded with flavour from a homemade spice mix and house special sauce

Frequently asked questions

Where is Fishtail Restaurant located?

Fishtail Restaurant is located at 73 Queen St, Waimate 7924.

Does Fishtail Restaurant offer lunch specials?

Yes, lunch specials are available strictly between 12:00 PM and 2:00 PM, featuring regular curry combos and naan options.

Is rice included with curry orders?

Rice is not included with curry orders and must be ordered separately.

What types of momo dumplings are available?

The restaurant offers traditional steamed chicken momo with tomato or sesame chutney, as well as sautéed chilli momo varieties including chicken and prawn.

What payment methods are accepted for online takeaway orders?

Online ordering accepts secure payments via Visa, Mastercard, and PayPal.

Are vegetarian dishes available on the menu?

Yes, the menu includes a wide selection of vegetarian curries such as Palak Paneer, Daal Makhani, Chana Masala, Aloo Gobi, and vegetable biryani.

Tips

• {"body":"Curries do not come with rice automatically, so be sure to add basmati rice or tandoori naans like cheese & garlic naan to your order.","title":"Plan Ahead for Rice and Breads"}
• {"body":"If visiting between 12:00 PM and 2:00 PM, take advantage of the discounted lunch curry combos which include naan and drink options.","title":"Catch the Midday Lunch Specials"}
• {"body":"Look beyond standard curries and sample the traditional Nepalese offerings, such as the steamed chicken momos or the signature Hilly Goat curry.","title":"Try the Nepalese House Specialties"}

Good to know

• {"dietary":"Menu includes labeled vegetarian, dairy-free, sugar-free, and gluten-free options.","payments":"Accepts Visa, Mastercard, and PayPal for online orders."}