As a competitive comparison I have looked at the following indian restaurant sites:
My chosen site to redesign is Samrat Indian Cuisine (view site here)
This site, like all restaurant sites, has one central objective and purpose: to get people to want to go there. After viewing the listed sites above, I have found that Samrat's is lacking a general appeal factor. There is nothing on their site that would make me want to try their food. I will begin my redesign by creating an appealing, more appetizing atmosphere and introduction. The better sites in direct competition with Samrat offer clean layouts and sleek navigation. While a modern type treatment and defined structure will provide the site with a more appetizing look, I do want to be sure to keep with a little tradition. One major flaw I see with even the best of the competing sites is a lack of truly "Indian" flair. In other words, they mostly look like they were created by someone who may have not ever eaten Indian food. My approach will include designed patterns, colors, and images that evoke a sense of traditional India while keeping a contemporary aesthetic.
After a facelift I will focus on the structure and navigation. Visitors to the site should not have to think too much about where the menu is or how to get there. While Samrat currently has an address and number on the main page, it feels cluttered and may be overlooked. The current links are generally well-marked, but have little consistency and even less visual appeal. The menu section is a bit confusing and will be better organized. Other updates that Samrat could use are a new logo and brand identity, consistent layouts, higher quality images, less confusing button behavior, and a working directions page.