SITUATED among a plethora of Indian restaurants on the popular London Road, Chutneys Curry House certainly stands out as one of the best.

It is by no means the largest but the welcome is always warm and the food simply mouth-watering.

The menu offers all the usual favourites, balti, tandoori and biriani dishes but also a range of imaginative dishes with equally imaginative names.

How would you fancy a bit of aloo aloo (scooped out potato filled with a combination of vegetables, potato, herbs and coriander), karahi wulf (King prawns from the karahi), or for a festive twist the jhingla bhels (lightly spiced king prawns with coriander and garlic)?

We started our meal with sheekh kebab and meat samosas. The kebab had our taste buds tingling as soon as it arrived on a sizzling hot plate accompanied by peppers and onions that were fried off by our waiter at the table.

The samosas were also tasty, if a bit on the small side, but we were grateful for that when we realised just how much we had ordered for main course.

My partner and I opted for the lamb karahi (diced lamb marinated in mild spices and yogurt cooked in a dry sauce served at the table in a sizzling hot wok) a chicken dansak (chicken pieces cooked in a sweet and sour hot flavoured sauce with lentils) and a sag aloo (potato and spinach).

And however hard I try I can never resist an onion bhaji.

Both the main dishes also came with a choice of side order of rice and naan bread so to say we ate like kings is an understatement.

Choosing a favourite from the dishes was a tough one.

The karahi was mouth-wateringly delicious with big chunks of succulent lamb full of the spiced flavours. A close second was the dansak that was just the right balance of sweet sour and spice that came with a generous amount of lentils.

Having eaten our fill accompanied by two halves of Cobra lager that was also spot on we were amazed to see that despite our full stomachs we had not even topped the £30 mark. Mental note - must try harder next time.

Reservations: 023 8036 6336 or 8036 6337.