Mediocre Middle Eastern

Normally, I trust what Jimmy Boegle has to say about Tucson restaurants. His reviews for the Tucson Weekly are informative and always give me ideas of places I should try out. Before this, Jimmy was always right and dead on about the service. However, he couldn't have been more wrong when it came to the Sultan's Palace (345 W. Drachman St., 520-622-2892), which has given my girlfriend Breanne and I the worst service possible out of any Tucson restaurant we have experienced.

I was very excited to try the Sultan's Palace because I enjoy Indian and Middle Eastern food so much. The idea of eating tandoori chicken, naan bread, and basmati rice always makes me happy. I was also pleased to see how close in proximity it was from campus. Breanne feels the same way about Indian cuisine and we went almost immediately after reading the review in the Weekly, expecting wonderful food similar to what Aladdin (3699 N Campbell Ave, 520-320-0468) and Gandhi (150 W Fort Lowell Rd., 520-292-1738) offer, which are two other Middle Eastern and Indian restaurants in Tucson.

We were sorely let down.

The service was expected to be slow, as the article stated. However, this was non-existent service where we waited almost a half hour for a check after our meal. The food was made overly spicy for my girlfriend's chicken kabob, even after asking if the food could be toned down. The lamb was not falling off the bone either, as Jimmy said it would. It, rather, was tough and barely removable. With us being the only customers in the entire restaurant (shocking, huh?), I was shocked by the terrible service and poor presentation of food...especially with the many other amazing Middle Eastern and Indian restaurants in town.

For such an amazing restaurant, I was charged with quite the amazing bill of $35.

So, therefore, I encourage you to try Aladdin and Gandhi, which are incredible places to dine at with wonderful prices. I will be reviewing these restaurants within the next couple weeks. However, do me a favor and NEVER eat at the Sultan's Palace, unless you really enjoy being overcharged for terrible food and service.