CURRY SCENE, PLYMOUTH

Plymouth has a plethora of Indian restaurants as you might expect, at least nine of which are in the city centre (and there may well be some that I missed). Most are close to the historic Barbican area, where we will start. Actually within the Barbican area itself (and as far as I could see the only one within that small area) is the Himalayan Spice, a Nepalese restaurant tucked away in New Street. Although a Nepalese restaurant, the menu looked pretty standard and without any Nepalese specialities such as momos or pickle (achar) dishes, nor was the rice called bhat as is usually is in Nepalese restaurants (although there was 'Nepalese Chicken'!).

Moving just north of the Barbican area are five within spitting distance. The Eastern Eye, established in 1989 and said to the the oldest in the Barbican vicinity, seats about 100 and has a good menu of standard and less common names. Heading towards the bus station is The Spice Well in Buckwell Street and which again looked OK with a good menu. Buckwell Street becomes Bretonside by the bus station, and the first restaurant here is the very new Baba. This, so they said, is not connected to the restaurants of the same name in Truro and Penzance. It looked huge and extremely plush, even to the extent of having a doorman in top hat and tails. Just along, on the corner of Vauxhall Street, is the Jaipur Palace, its window displaying numerous press cutting of their success in reaching the final of the National Curry Chef Competition in 2006, something of which they are justly proud. Not far beyond that is the Ganges, another smart looking and very large restaurant but with a standard menu.

Away from the Barbican area to the north of the shopping centre is The Gurkha Palace and Veggie Perrins (a vegetarian restaurant), both in Mayflower Street, while to the western side of the shopping area is Fahad at 32 Western Approach.

There are, of course, others further out, but these nine should give enough choice in the centre.

Malcolm Wilkins - May 2008