For curry aficiandos, the acid test of a good Indian restaurant is not only the crispiness of the pakora, but the number of Indian diners frequenting the establishment. Lanterns comes up trumps on both fronts: exquisitely fresh pakora, and a restaurant packed with Indian foodies. Although the decor in this reasonably priced restaurant is verging on the kitsch, with lanterns – surprise surprise – as well as a (pretty loud) maharaja lookalike on vocals, it avoids being tacky with just the right amount of cheeky charm. And don’t forget to put your bib on before you tuck in (yes, they do supply bibs instead of napkins).

Pondering the menu is like taking a tour of the Indian subcontinent with a mix of familiar-sounding names, but also some less famous, but equally tasty morsels to tempt the more adventurous diner. Tingling with just the right blend of spices, the co