After opening as a take-away in about 1996, it expanded to a fully fledged restaurant some four years later under new ownership. The new owners originally came from Birmingham and previously had a restaurant in Braunton, Devon (perhaps they still have), and only the week prior to my visit had opened another in Liskard, Cornwall.

Beyond a comfortable reception area it seats about 60 in fairly spacious surroundings. I first visited in 2001 when I though the decor and furnishings look a bit jaded. I had the impression that it had been fitted out and decorated very cheaply when it opened, which meant that whilst the pale green wall paper and fittings probably looked fine then they were beginning to show signs of deterioration. It reminded me of a better-than-average restaurant in India! However, it now looks as though it has had a make-over, and the peeling wallpaper and hole in the wall recorded in 2001 have now gone.

The menu is a fairly standard high street curry house example, but the wide array of interesting spelling mistakes noted last time largely remain! Items such as ‘Shimee Kabba’ (Shami Kebab), Seek Kabba’ (Sheek Kebab) ‘Allo Chat’, ‘Aloo Ghabi’, 'Matter Paneer', ‘Brenjal Bhaji’, ‘Murug Makani’, 'Chicken Darjeellng', ‘Chicken Chillimass’ (supposed to be Chicken Chilli Masala I discovered) and 'Stuffed Kuclha' were some examples, although at least the 'Peppar Chicken' has gone, while ‘Jalpeazi’ (Jalfrezi) and 'Allo Chat' have been corrected! Again it reminded me of India! (and it’s not as though it’s a strange Cornish way of Indian spelling - many of the words were correctly spelt elsewhere on the menu. Perhaps it’s the printers fault. If so, I hope they didn’t pay him!)

As on the previous occasion, the food was surprisingly good. Three round Onion Bhajias as starters came with riata and a salad garnish and were crisp, nicely spiced and a good curry house standard. Chicken Chat (which was offered with or without Puri - I had it without, as it would have been too filling with) was very good and as it should be with small pieces of chicken in a hot and tangy sauce.

Main dish of Tandoori Chicken was extremely well marinated to get the flavour ingrained, very tasty and plenty of it so got high marks, while the Chicken Dhansak was also of a good standard - lots of large pieces of chicken in a thick sauce with a nice, underlying hotness which came through during the eating. Mixed Vegetable Bhaji a little greasy but had a nice, peppery flavour to it and a good variety of vegetables. The only dish below standard was the Pilau Rice which was very lumpy.

Prices about average, portions ample and service good. All in all an unexpectedly good formula curry meal. 

Malcolm Wilkins - September 2005