Asha's

This restaurant opened in 2006, with the original branch of the group having opened in 2002 opened in Dubai. The head chef here was Sunil Menon. The group is owned by Bollywood singer Asha Bosle. The large dining room is extensive and smartly decorated, with several different sections that are neatly separated so that it does not feel too cavernous. There are 160 odd seats here in all. 

My starter of murgh malai had four generous pieces of chicken that had been marinated and then cooked in the tandoor. This was very good, the chicken tender and having nicely absorbed the gentle spices of the marinade (easily 14/20). Papda chaat was unusually presented, with a dish of sev on top of which was a layer of deep-fried pastries with potatoes, alongside sweetened yoghurt, tamarind chutney and mint. The various textures combined very well (13/20). Aloo tikki was a deconstructed one, with potato patties served separately from tamarind chutney, mint chutney and a little dish of vegetables including raw red onions. I would have preferred this dish to be constructed rather than deconstructed but it was harmless enough (13/20). 

Chicken tikka biryani lacked a pastry case lid but the rice was nicely cooked, containing pieces of tender marinated chicken (13/20). I enjoyed wild mushrooms flavoured with fenugreek and tasa masala (14/20). The dish of the night was a quartet of large prawns from Bangladesh that were marinated and cooked in the tandoori. The prawns were beautifully cooked, retaining some of their natural sweetness, their flavour lifted by the marinade (15/20). Aloo gobi was good, both cauliflower and potatoes keeping their texture due to accurate cooking, also with a well-judged blend of spices (14/20). Finally, a dhal makhani was well made, cooked overnight in the classical way and had plenty of rich, smoky flavour (14/20). Plain naan had a pleasant texture, as did romali roti (13/20). 

Service was very good indeed, the waiters that we encountered attentive and enthusiastic. The bill came to £76 a head with some beer to drink. As can be seen this is not exactly a cheap outing, but the cooking is very good, the setting is smart and the service excellent. I enjoyed my meal here and would happily return.