A pleasant restaurant seating 54 - four alcoves for four each side plus tables down the centre and a six-seater in the window. Comfortable with a nice atmosphere.

Menu lists all the usuals with a few less common additions. Nice to see some different starters, such as Eggs Akuri or Chicken Livers. After standard popadoms and pickles I started with the chicken livers. These were mildly spiced but very tasty and served on a puri. My wife had Onion Bhajias (four pieces) which were excellent - light, crisp and without too much gram flour. The main courses were equally appetising. Chicken Milan (not an Italian speciality but chicken tikka with grilled onions, peppers and tomatoes) was first class. Large slices of chicken - my wife estimated two chicken breasts - lightly tandooried and very attractively presented with artistic flair (chicken slices surrounded by the grilled tomatoes, onions and peppers placed alternately). Chicken Dhansak also very good. Although not as hot as in some places it did have a subtle hotness (more an afterburn than immediate fire) which allowed the distinct sweet and sour tastes to be appreciated. The Mixed Vegetable Bhaji was delicious - vegetables lightly cooked and freshly prepared. Peshwari Nan light and tasty.

Prices slightly above the average ( a bit more than the other two restaurants in the city) but portions were ample and it was an excellent meal. Well worth it.

But what of the service? Certainly nowhere near the standard of the food! The booking system, like in so many high street curry houses, is totally meaningless. We had booked but were not asked if we had a reservation when we arrived. Despite informing them of our reservation we were put into the waiting area with the others, as was every arrival, and everyone - booked or not - were given tables as they became vacated on a ‘first come, first served’ basis. Why on earth do they bother to take reservations in the first place!? The table we were eventually led to had no plates, cutlery or napkins. Fair enough, as presumably we had been seated immediately it had been cleared. However, the plates and cutlery did not arrive until the ‘pops & pics’ were finished., and the napkins halfway through the main course despite regular earlier requests for them. We were not alone as the next table had the same problem. Also, I had to ask four times(!) for a jug of water before it arrived. In some mitigation it was a Saturday night and they were busy, but that is no excuse for the appalling failure to honour reservations or such poor service.

Despite the wait for a table and poor service it was a very good meal and if they got their act together it would be a very good restaurant.

Malcolm Wilkins - November 1998