The Calcutta Club, Mill Road

I must say, despite having walked past this new Mill Road restaurant quite a number of times and it not grabbing my interest, my partner took me along and I was very very impressed by the food here.

The decor is modern and although I like the colour scheme of rich oranges and red, they had printed their menu in these colours, which didn't make for easy reading. I found the interior to be a touch on the stark side and I think the ambience would have been nicer if there were soft furnishings or throws around. But hey, this is just a little niggle and personal preference. Overall, the place was very clean, well presented and the staff on good form. The service was prompt and the waitress explained items on the menu that we were unfamiliar with. They also served Kopparberg, which you can't find everywhere. There's a good array of alcoholic beverages available, including cocktails, since it is both a bar and restaurant.

I have to say, I really enjoyed the food and found it a refreshing change from the standard offerings of Indian eateries. I decided to try the dosa, which is an Indian style crepe/pancake with a filling of your choice, for a starter. It was well sized and well tasty too. Quite heavy for a starter since the filling is potato based, but very yummy. I also wanted to try the Thali, which is a traditional Indian way of eating. Food is served on a large silver platter, with a number of dishes in different pots, including one curry of your choice from the menu. I liked this style of serving food and the curry was delicious.

I'm not a connoisseur of curries, but the selection looked a lot more exotic than other local places and I think this is because the dishes are much more like those you would get in India itself. I certainly enjoyed the food and left feeling stuffed. It is a tad more expensive than the other Indian restaurants, but you will get a culinary experience of a different standard, so I think it's worth it.

Overall, I'd definitely recommend it and am giving it a 4 out of 5. I've read some bad reviews on Local Secrets about the standard of service, so I'd like to go again and see if I have such a good experience next time.