28 Sep 07 - Le Raj, 211 Fir Tree Road, Epsom Downs

This was our first official 'Nosebag'. Just the three of us; Chris, Paul and Lyn.

We had no starters.

Our main courses were:-

• Murg-e-Muntazan (chicken cooked with medium spices, cardamom, fenugreek, yoghurt and parsley)
• Murg Tikka Masalla
• Murg-e-Jafrany (chicken with onion seeds, cumin seeds and honey)
• With saffron pilau, a plain nan and a Nairol nan (coconut, sultana and honey)

For dessert:

• Gulapjam (a Gudjarati dessert - milk dumplings in honey)
• Sorbet (raspberry and mango)
• Kulfi (pistachio)

We drank - 2 halves of lager and a bottle of Bangla beer.

Total cost: £74.00 plus service

Note: The chefs at Le Raj make a point of not using the normal food colourings that many Indian restaurants use to make their dishes look 'appetising' to their customers.

All three of us agreed that this set a formidable standard for future outings. Each dish was delicious. The Tikka Masalla was considered by us all to be the best version of the dish we had ever tasted. The Muntazan, however, was the outstanding dish of this selection; a subtle blend of spices and yoghurt that set the taste buds tingling happily.

Even the popadums were far fresher and crisper than is usual, with an excellent selection of chutneys. The nan were light, crisp and delicious. The deserts were fine; the sorbets were especially wonderful, with the raspberry being extremely fruity and the mango containing luscious fruit. The Gulapjam reminded me of a soft treacle pudding. The kulfi was a good version of its kind.

The service was discrete and efficient.

Our Rating: FIVE STARS