And I was certainly hoping for a magical experience when I ventured to the Agra 3 restaurant in Blyth last Saturday night.

Being a lover of Indian food I had been looking forward to this meal all week, and I was not to be disappointed.

When we arrived shortly before 8pm the restaurant was quite busy, and the mixture of couples and larger groups of diners added to the vibrant atmosphere.

My wife and I were ushered to a table in a quieter corner of the establishment and had been seated only a matter of minutes before we were brought our drinks, accompanied by poppadoms and the obligatory pickle tray.

It’s worth noting that it was no bog standard pickle tray, and it is no exaggeration to say that it featured the most original and tasty lime pickle I have ever had the pleasure of tasting.

The menu at Agra 3 requires some lengthy consideration – there is plenty to choose from and enough to satisfy those people who know what they like and stick to it and those with more adventurous tastes.

Along with staple dishes such as Balti, Jalfrezi, and Biryani, this modern and stylish restaurant also offers some lesser known options and chef specials.

Although the place was busy, we were impressed by the swift and attentive service.

My wife ordered garlic mushrooms on puri bread, and I the reshmi kebab.

My kebab consisted of a spiced minced lamb pattie wrapped in an omelette.

I was slightly disappointed that the pattie was quite plain and seemed like nothing more than a lamb burger you might get in your local supermarket. However the dish was still more than adequate.

My wife’s garlic and spiced mushrooms were excellent and plentiful. It seemed that of the two of us she had made the wiser choice of starters.

Then on to round two. For my main course I ordered chicken tikka Ceylon and my wife chose the chef’s special chicken.

Ideally, I like my curries to be somewhere between medium hot and hot and the description on the menu of the chicken tikka Ceylon as ‘fairly hot’ appealed to my tastebuds.

It took just a couple of mouthfuls for me to realise that this particular dish was spiced just the way I like it and I was delighted.

The sauce was thick and tangy and was perfect for being mopped up by the wonderfully thick and fluffy Peshawari naan bread we had ordered as an accompaniment.

Across the table my wife was gleefully polishing off her chef’s special chicken with aplomb.

With stomachs bursting at the seams we asked for the bill and were very pleasantly surprised when it arrived.

There can’t be many places where a couple can have two courses each of such fine food, washed down with a few drinks, in such pleasant surroundings, for just £38.

So if you are at a loose end some time and fancy a great slap up Indian meal then Agra 3 is the place for you. It’s magic.

by Ben Green

Star rating HHHHH