Visit & Vibes

I was recently invited to Dhamakaa, which is located on Hunter Street in East Kilbride. The restaurant had only been open for around one week at the time of my visit, so it’s still very new. I couldn’t wait to check it out, as I always love discovering new food spots.

On arrival, the place was beautifully decorated, instantly giving off a cosy and relaxing atmosphere. The staff on the night were very friendly and helpful, and once I was handed the menu, I couldn’t wait to try a few of the dishes.

Décor	★★★★★
Noise Level	★★★★★
Restaurant Temperature	★★★★★
Table Dressing	★★★★
Restaurant Cleanliness	★★★★★
Background Music Level	★★★★★

The Food

Menu Choice

★★★★★

GOL GAPPE (£n/a tonight normally £3.75)
Crispy semolina shells filled with spiced potatoes and chickpeas, served with tangy, chilled tamarind water. A burst of sweet, spicy and sour delight in every bite.

Before ordering anything, the guys here wanted us to taste a few dishes, and the first one they brought out was this.

I’ve heard about this many times in the past, and it’s a big favourite of mine, so I was very happy to see it arrive—as I probably would have ordered it anyway.

The presentation was lovely, and after adding the tamarind water, I popped it into my mouth and felt an explosion of flavours, moving from sweet to slightly spicy with a little sourness, but everything worked perfectly together.

This was a great way to start the evening, and I thoroughly enjoyed it. If you’ve never tried this before and you see it on a menu wherever you go, or if you visit here, I highly recommend giving it a try. I think you’ll really like it.

Dish Flavour	★★★★★
Appearance	★★★★★
Serving Size	★★★★★
Aroma	★★★★★
Value for Money	★★★★★
MY RATING:	★★★★★

SAMOSA CHAAT (£n/a tonight normally £3.95)
A vibrant Indian street food classic. Crispy samosa pieces, chickpeas, crisp salad and sweet and sour yoghurt. Finished with a sprinkle of aromatic spices and tangy chutneys, this dish delivers a delightful balance of textures and flavours – crunchy, creamy, tangy, and subtly spicy. Seemingly simple, yet wonderfully complex and arresting.

The next dish that came out was this one. First of all, just look at that presentation, how nice does it look? So colourful and beautifully plated. I couldn’t wait to dig in.

This was a fantastic follow-up. The flavours of the chickpeas, the sweet-and-sour yoghurt, the chutney, and the samosa pieces all worked incredibly well together. I actually felt a bit bad digging in and spoiling the presentation, but it was absolutely worth it.

It was packed with flavour, and every bite delivered another burst of taste. It was so tasty that I could easily order this dish again. When I return, I’ll definitely be having this one again, along with the previous starter.

Once again, highly recommended, whether it’s already something you love or you’ve never tried it before, give it a shot.

Dish Flavour	★★★★★
Appearance	★★★★★
Serving Size	★★★★★
Aroma	★★★★★
Value for Money	★★★★★
MY RATING:	★★★★★

CHICKEN FRANKIE (£n/a tonight normally £6.25)
A well-loved street food from Old Bombay. With your choice of chicken or paneer, roasted and rolled in fried paratha bread. It’s frankielicious!

The next dish that came out was this one. I had never heard of it before, so when it arrived at our table, I read the description and couldn’t wait to give it a go, especially as I love street food.

The aroma from this dish was incredible. You could smell every element, and it smelled so, so good. It made my mouth water instantly.

After taking a bite, I could easily taste each element individually, but also how well they worked together. The different textures and flavours were spot on. It was very, very good, and I can see why, going by the description, it’s such a well-loved street food from old Bombay. I can imagine this going down a treat while walking the streets and soaking up the atmosphere.

Another great dish! really, really good.

Dish Flavour	★★★★★
Appearance	★★★★
Serving Size	★★★★★
Aroma	★★★★★
Value for Money	★★★★★
MY RATING:	★★★★★

HONEY CHILLI VEG PAKORA

The guys then brought out this dish, which instantly caught my attention. I couldn’t see it on the menu, but they do serve it here, and I’m sure if you ask, they’ll happily make it for you. I’ve never had pakora done this way before, so I was really looking forward to seeing what it would be like.

Taking the first bite, it was lovely and crispy on the outside while still soft in the middle. The honey chilli gave it a slight kick but also added an amazing depth of flavour.

This was so good, and I’m not just saying that. It’s probably now my favourite style of pakora, and I honestly can’t wait to have it again. It really was that good. Highly, highly recommended.

Dish Flavour	★★★★★
Appearance	★★★★★
Serving Size	★★★★★
Aroma	★★★★★
Value for Money	★★★★★
MY RATING:	★★★★★

CHICKEN TIKKA (£n/a tonight normally 14.95)
Juicy chicken pieces marinated overnight in yoghurt and spices, grilled for that classic tandoori flavour.

It was now time to order something from the menu, although I was starting to feel quite full after all the wonderful dishes the guys treated us to tonight.

I decided to go for the chicken tikka. Normally, on my first visit to an Indian restaurant, I’d go for a korma or something similar, but tonight I thought I’d try something different.

When it arrived, the presentation was lovely, and the aroma from the curry sauce and the chicken tikka was absolutely amazing. I couldn’t wait to dig in.

I started by trying the chicken tikka on its own. It was perfectly cooked, lovely and tender—but the flavour… oh my God, it was just incredible. I then tried it with the curry, and while that was really good too, I’m going to be honest: it didn’t even need the sauce. Whatever these guys have done to the chicken tikka made it absolutely delicious on its own. I ended up enjoying half with the sauce and half without, simply because it was that good.

Dish Flavour	★★★★★
Appearance	★★★★★
Serving Size	★★★★★
Aroma	★★★★★
Value for Money	★★★★★
MY RATING:	★★★★★

Final Thoughts…

Firstly, a massive thank you to the guys for tonight’s invite. I wish you every success, as the experience this evening was genuinely excellent. We enjoyed everything, from the service to the food, right from start to finish.

As I mentioned at the start, this place hasn’t been open for long, so if you’re looking to try somewhere new, whether you’re local or don’t mind driving a little, I highly recommend checking it out. Be sure to try some of the dishes you’ve seen in my blog post, as I thoroughly enjoyed the entire evening, especially the food from start to finish. This restaurant is definitely being added to my top restaurants list.

Service / Staff	★★★★★
Ambience	★★★★★
Time between Courses	★★★★★
Overall Value for Money	★★★★★
MY OVERALL RATING	★★★★★

It’s important to note that all the views and opinions expressed in my blog posts and vlogs are entirely personal, have not been influenced in any way and reflect my individual perspective. I value authenticity and honesty above all, and my content is a genuine reflection of my thoughts and experiences.