On May 20, officials from Buckinghamshire Council visited both Beijing Gourmet along Market Square and Chesham Tandoori on Broad Street.
The inspectors left both establishments unimpressed, as they gave each eatery a score of 1/5 – the second lowest rating possible.
For Chesham Tandoori, they said that the restaurant needed ‘necessary improvement’ for its hygiene and structural compliance, while its confident in management needed ‘necessary major improvement.’
For Beijing Gourmet, it was a similar story as they were told that its hygiene needed ‘necessary improvement’, while its structural compliance was ‘generally satisfactory’.
However, its confidence in management needed ‘major necessary improvement’.
On Google, Beijing Gourmet has a lowly score of 2.6/5 from 41 reviews, many of which have criticised the restaurant’s slow service and small portions.
One review reads: “The WORST takeaway we have ever had!! It arrived over an hour late from when it was supposed to arrive.
“They missed off our prawn crackers even though we paid for them, there was no egg in our egg fried rice, and the curry sauce was so gross it had a thick layer of oil just sitting on top.
“It was so watery.
“Tried to call and speak to the manager to complain, but we were told he doesn’t go in and was given his mobile number which he didn’t even answer.
“I have never written a complaint in my life on here, but there is no other way to complain about our order! Please don’t waste your money.
“Not a happy customer.”
It is a different story for Chesham Tandoori.
Despite having a low hygiene score, they have a well-respected reputation online, with an average score of 4.5/5 from 194 reviews on Google.
One reads: “Excellent.
“Chesham Tandoori were very accommodating for a particular allergy of mine and their takeaway is wonderful, especially the onion bhajis (they’re huge!!).
“My friends and I can’t wait to visit in person soon – thank you so much.”
Another reads: “The Daal Saag was incredibly flavourful, with the perfect balance of spices and a rich, smooth texture. It was one of the best I’ve had in a while.
“The Chicken Jalfrezi was also superb, with tender chicken pieces coated in a tangy and slightly spicy sauce that had just the right amount of kick.
“The Lamb Dansak was tender, and the combination of sweet and sour flavours in the sauce was spot-on.
“Every dish was packed with flavour, and you could tell the ingredients were fresh.
“Overall, it was a delightful meal, and I’ll definitely be coming back for more.”