Le Taj

Can you handle the heat? Long-standing Indian restaurant Le Taj is renowned for serving Melbourne’s hottest curry.

Their Bhoot Jolokia Curry is prepared using Naga Viper chillies, or ghost chillies, which are the hottest chillies in the world. The dish can be made with lamb, beef or chicken and is guaranteed to satisfy any chilli lover.

Pat Oberoi has been welcoming diners to Le Taj for eighteen years. He migrated from India to Melbourne to pursue a career in the hospitality industry in 2001 and opened the restaurant in 2006 in a whitewashed cottage that exudes the feel of a British-style curry house.

“The Taj Mahal is one of the wonders of the world, and I thought, let's add a French flourish with ‘Le’,” explains Pat of the name. “I was just twenty-five years old when I opened the restaurant, and now I’m a veteran!”

Le Taj is a fine dining Indian restaurant, replete with white tablecloths, a fully licensed bar and a comprehensive menu featuring the flavours and delicacies of North Indian cuisine.

Now that the restaurant is well established, Pat is the friendly face front of house, while his chefs work with traditional North Indian recipes. The combination of Indian spices and quality local produce provides a richly flavoured culinary experience.

“My family always had a passion for working in hospitality, and that passion comes through to our menu,” says Pat.

“As well as the Bhoot Jolokia Curry, we are famous for our Kadhai prawns, a specialty of the Mughals made with capsicum, tomato, garlic and ginger cooked on high heat. My personal favourite is the Lamb Bhuna Kadhai Wala - diced lamb tossed with fresh herbs, capsicum, ginger, tomatoes and spices.”

“We want our customers to come to Le Taj and to have a culinary adventure.”

Words by Joyce Watts & Photography by Anna Encio