Rating: *** Andy Richardson enjoys the lively atmosphere but is indifferent to the food at an Indian restaurant opposite Shrewsbury’s Theatre Severn.

The Third Place, Shrewsbury

If restaurants are all about location, location, location; then The Third Place hit the jackpot on the day that Theatre Severn was opened by the Earl of Wessex.

The £28 million Shrewsbury arts complex brought new trade to a previously-quiet area of Shropshire and coincided with developments by others along the banks of the River Severn.

In the heady days that have followed, the immediate surrounds have welcomed a decent Italian restaurant, Romolo, as well as a new boutique hotel-cum-restaurant, The Silverton, which is itself a spin-off from the excellent tapas and cocktail bar, Frank, on Welsh Bridge.

New restaurants and bars ought to be enjoying a mini-gold rush as they cater to the numerous leisure visitors to the area around the Welsh Bridge, Frankwell and their hinterland.

Since May 2009, tens of thousands of people have poured into the area with many seeking food and libation prior to curtain up at the Theatre. The Third Place was as well placed as any to cash in given its perfect location, directly opposite Theatre Severn.

With a weeknight opening time of 5.30pm, it caters to the theatre crowd – people can go straight from work for dinner, relax over a tempting bhoona and then watch the comedian/psychic/theatre/musician of their choice.

Perhaps inspired by the money invested in the region, The Third Place has undergone an impressive renovation. A cluttered waiting area, which had been reminiscent of a taxi cab’s waiting room, has been ditched as part of the make-over and The Third Place now accommodates a greater number of tables.

Wood laminate floors, mirrors, cream and burgundy walls and an uncluttered dining area make for a welcoming area in which to eat.

On the Saturday that my friend and I visited, it was pretty much full to capacity. It had a no-frills, unpretentious cafe-vibe, with diners being happy to sit pretty close to others.

Few customers appeared to be discomforted by the close proximity of their neighbours. There were couples young and old, families, groups of friends and those who seemed to be catching up for a reunion.

The service was fast; plates were ferried out by smartly-attired waiters in modish black shirts and red ties who quickly scurried back to the kitchens to pick up more food.

The window that looked through into the kitchen was like a portal giving a glimpse of another world – it was fast-paced, busy and the cooks were in constant motion.

So far so good. And so to dinner. The menu features the usual selection of Indian favourites, with korai, balti, tandoori, dupiaza, bhoona, rogan josh, pathia, korma, Malayan, biryani and numerous chef recommendations, including Bangladeshi specialities like shaktora, which features citrus fruit.

My partner and I were in the mood to eat our favourites, rather than trip the light fantastic by ordering the small number of dishes that we’d not previously encountered.

And so we started with a platter of poppadoms with their regulation dips. It was an inauspicious start. The pappadoms were deliciously crisp, but much too greasy. Their taste was spoiled by the excess of oil.

We ordered onion bhaji and chicken chaat, and found ourselves similarly non-plussed by the mediocrity of the food. The bhaji wasn’t as crisp or delicately flavoured as it might have been and the chaat was underwhelming. It lacked spice, it lacked pizzazz and it lacked punch.

Though the conversation flowed, we were underwhelmed by the food. It was bland and lacked any spark; certain dishes were too greasy. We steeled ourselves for our main courses.

My partner had chosen a chicken dupiaza and I went for a chicken korma, with rice and naan.

Unfortunately, neither provided the ‘wow’ factor that we’d been hoping for. The korma was thin and watery, the sauce having a milky consistency rather than a thick, unctuous coconut-ey texture. It’s flavour was also insipid and uninspired.

The dupiaza was also dull; the flavours didn’t zing and zang – to be truthful, it didn’t taste as good as a jar from Loyd Grossman. We skipped dessert.

In its defence, The Third Place seemed to view itself as being a cafe, rather than a restaurant aiming to thrill gourmands. The food was inexpensive: it was offering a three-course Sunday special that came in at a bargain basement £8.95 and most curries cost between £5 and £6.

But these low prices don’t necessarily mean it’s good value – the food needs to taste good too.

In a recent interview, the fiery chef Marco Pierre White said he thought the most important ingredient in any restaurant was atmosphere.

He suggested that people would put up with indifferent food if they were eating it in convivial surrounds and enjoying their night.

Our experience at The Third Place bore testimony to Marco’s gospel. There wasn’t a single course that would have made us go back for more; by the end of the evening we were pretty indifferent to the food that had passed before us.

But there was an undeniable buzz to the place. The waiters were charming and efficient, we enjoyed the relaxed atmosphere and it was a pleasant experience to eat there.

It’s little wonder that The Third Place has done so well since Theatre Severn opened. It’s food isn’t the best, unfortunately, it lacks flavour and style, but it’s created a wonderful environment with cheap-as-chips prices and, for now, it seems to work.

ADDRESS
The Third Place, 135 Frankwell, Shrewsbury SY3 8RJ
Tel: 01743 272041/272042
Web: www.thirdplaceindian.com