The Noorani

If you haven't, I'll lay a shiny shilling with you that you've been told about 'the one in Fair Oak'.

The restaurant has appeared in The Good Food Guide and prides itself on its reputation for both quality of food and standard of service.

Being the curry king that I am, The Noorani was one of the biggest plus points for me when I decided to move into the area five years ago.

But everyone's a winner at the Noorani Indian Cuisine (to use its official title - it's known as 'Fair Oak Nightclub' to the locals).

Positioned on the corner of the village looking on to the main road between Winchester and Botley, the restaurant is able to attract diners from as far afield as Portsmouth and Fleet while also looking after the needs of local families, couples and the regulars from the two nearby pubs.

That means the 70-seater restaurant, a feature of which are the comfortable alcove tables, is usually full of atmosphere if not packed and, on my latest visit, my partner and I had typically excellent fare.

We had a prawn puree and mixed kebab to start, followed by chicken tikka korai and batak (roast duck) mossalla main dishes with brinjal (aubergine) bhaji, mushroom rice and a nan bread.

The puree is a delightfully soft puff pastry on which the prawn curry sits while the kebab is a mixture of onion bhaji and two rolled mincemeat dishes.

The chicken tikka korai is a medium-spiced dish cooked in a clay oven for a distinctive flavour while the roast duck is a speciality of the house.

Sliced rather than diced, the meat comes with a rich, tangy sauce that I preferred to be prepared to a vindaloo strength and, as ever, the food was excellent.

My only complaint was that I had eaten too much. With a couple of drinks, our bill came to £33.80 - a reasonable price for another top evening down the nightclub. SS

465 Fair Oak Road, Fair Oak

Reservations: 023 8060 1903.