THE last time I had a meal in the Alma Hotel in Laurencekirk it was fine, wholesome, simple, honest-to-goodness Scottish fare.
So when someone asked if I had checked out the great Indian restaurant at the Alma, I was flabbergasted.
It was like discovering that Ma Broon had brought out a cookbook of curry recipes.
Curiosity, and a never-ending hunger for Indian food, meant that a family trip along the A90 was called for.
At first sight, nothing had changed at the Alma.
There was the couthy wee bar downstairs, full of the what were clearly regulars straight out of central casting.
But upstairs there was the beat of Indian music, an elegant airy space full of exotic paintings and the heady aromas of spices and herbs hanging in the air.
The friendliest of friendly waiters popped us down at a window table and presented us with poppadums while we perused the menu.
One thing that is always guaranteed to delight me in a new curry house is finding dishes I’ve never tried, or even heard of, before. The Alma won hands down on that front, with a section of the “chef’s own creations”, which was exotic and enticing.
More about that later ... the first thing to check out was those two benchmarks of an Indian kitchen, the veggie pakora (£2.95) and the lamb tikka (£3.75).
The pakora were crisp and grease-free, with a crunch to the veg and a bite on the chilli front.
The tikka was tender and bursting with flavour. A big thumbs up all round.
But would the mains match this cracking start? Well, the chicken tikka pasanda (£8.50) went down a treat. It managed to be mild and rich, with its mix of almonds and coconut milk.
Unusually, thrown into the mix was red wine which added a pleasing undertone to the dish.
Meanwhile, I had taken the exotic route, which had attracted my attention at the start, with a Kazana Sambar (£9.95) created by the chef using chicken, lamb and king prawn with split lentils. Normally I avoid such pick and mix dishes on the grounds they are neither one thing nor another.
But this was a rich stew with the tenderest pieces of meat and prawn, bound by a thick sauce that was packed with flavours from fresh coriander to tantalising spices that tingled, without being overwhelming.
The Alma has certainly changed and it’s a welcome one that’s well worth the trip to discover.