WHEN it comes to celebratory dinners, my friends are nothing if not consistent.
Whether it be an anniversary, new job, or even Christmas Eve, there’s usually only one word on their lips – curry.
And so it was that, despite the sun beating down outside, we found ourselves settling down to toast a birthday at Shahbaaz Tandoori.
With its cosy leather booths and warm caramel and orange-toned decor, this is a contemporary Indian restaurant with a sophisticated air.
We weren’t the only ones ditching the beer gardens in favour of something hot and spicy, the restaurant was packed with happy diners and the air laced with tantalising aromas of treats to come.
We tucked into large crispy poppadoms and spiced onions and mango chutney while we studied the menu.
Never ones to stray too far from convention, my pals ordered a chicken pakora (£3.95) and a vegetable pakora (£2.95) each, while I favoured a vegetable samosa (£3.75). The starters arrived swiftly and while they might not be the most imaginative dishes you can think of the flavours were out of this world.
My samosa was a genuinely hot little specimen and each mouthful was intensely flavoured. Luckily I had an ice-cool pint of Cobra on the side to help me beat the heat. The pakora had a rich crumbly batter and both the chicken and the vegetables had just right mix of flavour and spice to leave us wanting more.
Torn between having meat or king prawns in my curry, I eventually settled on the lamb roghan josh (£8.25).
From the first forkful, I was glad I did. The meat had that juicy, oh-so-tender quality that blended so well with the flavours of the dish. There were plenty of tomatoes and onions, a hint of garlic and ginger, and a kick that lingered long in my mouth afterwards.
My health-conscious friend opted for a simple tandoori chicken (£9.50), a whopping great half bird of reddish-hued meat that had a gentle spice to it.
And my other pal enjoyed his Murgh Lahore, a chicken and prawn dish with delicate flavours and a medium-hot kick. A treat fit for a birthday boy indeed.
My only grumble in a delicious dining experience was the speed of service – to say it was swift is an understatement! The friendly waiters could have got several more drinks out of us if they’d taken their time.
With drinks, pilau rice and naan bread the meal came to £72.20 – worth every penny.