I am ashamed to say I judged this book by its cover as I walked into the cosy, woody and brightly-lit restaurant on Laughton Road.

I had heard many good things about the popularity and quality of the Indian cuisine dished up here, and so I was surprised to see such a basic, tiny dining area before me.

Such impressions were to be unfounded, thankfully, as we were treated to a lovely evening of scrumptious food and warm, friendly service – all with a novel twist.

For the restaurant's proprietor is Azad M, who has over 37 years’ experience as a chef, and even claims to have catered for the likes of the Spice Girls when they toured in the area.

He has now trained a team of chefs and left the heat of the kitchen behind to bring his expert knowledge direct to customers.

We all fancied veggie curries that evening, but there was an equally extensive meaty selection available, so there is bound to be something to suit all tastes.

Azad also specialises in a buffet which involves bringing a varied selection of hand-picked, smaller-sized dishes to your table, almost like Spanish tapas – perfect for indecisive diners.

My companions chose the thick and tasty bhuna curry, and a pathia, which was wonderfully tangy and lemony and bursting with colourful peppers and tomatoes.

I had opted for my usual vegetable jalfreizi, but Azad insisted on taking me out of my culinary comfort zone, suggesting I try the ginger and coriander curry – with so much enthusiasm I couldn't say no.

It arrived sizzling hot at the table and was packed with clean and tasty flavours – perfect for the warm spring evening.

All of our dishes were complemented by plates of steaming pilau rice and a hot and buttery naan bread, which was just big enough to avoid any unnecessary food fights.

But the final garnish on our meal was Azad’s genuinely friendly service which was peppered with lots of tips and hints about what makes a great curry.

It made an unusual but welcome change from having a bunch of disinterested waiters who neither know what they’re serving you nor care about making your evening an enjoyable one.

Clearly this man is passionate about his food – I think he could convert any curry hater – but he’s also a very good host, talking to his guests and even fetching their ‘bring your own booze’ stash from the fridge for them.

In fact, the cosy restaurant atmosphere leads you to believe you might be dining at home, with your own personal waiter and chef on hand.

A huge party of 12 sat behind us and I heard one woman, clearly a newcomer to the restaurant, say: “I hope I don’t like the food too much here because then I’ll have to come back for more.”

If our meal, which clocked in at a satisfying £24, was anything to go by, I’m sure that woman would have had to face her fears and make a return visit.

Call 01909 566662 to book a table.

by Chantal Spittles

Star rating HHHH