The menu was interesting as not only does it cover most of the standard dishes found in Indian restaurants it also offers a good range of Goan dishes - including fish dishes which are more common in Goa - as the chef is Goan. For example, amongst the starters are Karkra Stuff (minced crab meat and potato spiced ‘Goan style’), Mussels Chat and Bahja Fish whilst the main dishes include things such as Goan Fish or Goan Crab Massaladar, Roshan Fish, Bahja Machli Mirch (fish cooked with onions, chillis and tomato) and numerous prawn dishes. The meat section also include many unusual names such as Chicken Nawabi (cooked in cream, cashew nuts and red wine), Dalda Murgh (chicken marinated in garlic, ginger and yoghurt), Murgh Bada Gobi (chicken with onion and fresh cabbage), Murgh Palok Bahar (chicken with fresh coriander, almonds, coconut and fenugreek leaves) and the more well known Goan dish of Xacuti. Surprisingly some of the more common Goan dishes such as Vindaloo, Cafreal, Reichado or the typical Goan sausage Chorizo were not on the menu but I’m sure the chef could knock them up with some advanced warning.

We started with Karkra Stuff which was very tasty although my wife, not herself a lover of crab, described it (and not without some accuracy I must confess) as ‘an upper class fish cake’! Our other starter was Piaza (finely chopped chick peas and onion patties with herbs and spices and fried) which comprised two flat bhajia like patties which were delicately spiced and again very tasty. They were served with a flavoursome raita but rather indifferent accompanying salad (just shredded lettuce and a tomato slice, but at least it was fresh).

For my main dish I chose the Goan Xacuti Murgh which was excellent - chicken cooked in coconut, chillis and spices which was in a rich, good flavoured and tangily hot sauce with plenty of desiccated coconut on top. My wife went for Murgh Bada Gobi which was a large and succulent chicken breast cooked in a tasty sauce with shredded cabbage and onion. A dish of medium hotness and although the onions almost overcame the flavour of the cabbage it was very pleasing for all that. Interestingly is was accompanied by a small pillau rice, plus a couple each of Brussels sprouts, baby sweet corn, broccoli florets and small red cubes which at first we thought was pumpkin or sweet potato but found out was Bombay potato. An unusual mix!

Accompanying dish of Niramish tasty and delicately if fairly mildly spiced and again with the interesting red ‘Bombay potato’ pieces very evident. Vegetable Pillau Rice nicely cooked as were the fairly standard chapattis.

Portions ample - more than it appeared at first sight - and particularly the chicken breast in the Bada Gobi which was very substantial. Price comparisons difficult as so many dishes are different, but those more common Indian dishes seemed by and large on a par with prices in other restaurants in the area and elsewhere.

Service was excellent. We had to wait for a table (not having booked) but were continually updated on the table situation, and every waiter who spoke to us or attended us was friendly and helpful.

All in all a very good meal in a very nice restaurant which offers plenty of scope to diversify from the standard high street menu dishes.

Malcolm Wilkins - January 2002