Seats some 50 plus diners with pleasant decor, fittings and furnishings, although the tables are set fairly close together giving a slightly cramped feel when crowded, as it was on a Saturday night.

Popadoms served without pickles (unless they just forgot) so we had to ask. Only three varieties of pickle - mixed chopped onion and cucumber, lime pickle and an extremely thin and watery mango chutney. Starters OK but a on the small side. Chicken Chatt (sic) was a small portion nestling on a puri - quite tangy in flavour but overshadowed by the puri. Mili-Juli - a combination of chicken tikka, sheek kebab, samosa and ‘magic mushrooms’ (mushrooms filled with spicy mince) - was also disappointingly small given the description, comprising a single small thumb nail sized piece of chicken tikka, a sheek kebab about half the size of my index finger, a mini samosa and a stuffed mushroom about 1 inch in diameter. I suppose at £3.50 one can’t expect too much, but it made the intended sharing of starters a bit difficult!

Main dishes were fine. I had Balti Chicken Tikka Zal which was cooked with aubergine and green chillies in a light, hot sauce. Meat Pathia was good in a thick, dark rich sauce with a good balance between hot and sweet. Vegetable Niramish, Rice and Stuffed Paratha all standard curry house fare.

Plenty of waiters ensured efficient service on a crowded Saturday night. Despite the smaller than usual portions of starters, the quantities of the main dishes were adequate. Prices about average. All in all a very competent formula curry.

Malcolm Wilkins - August 2000