Indian Ocean in Ashton-under-Lyne

[Harters]

Indian Ocean is pretty much as good as gets for a “destination restaurant” in Ashton. It’s all plush banquettes for seating, private dining room for hire, big bar area, separate from the restaurant. What more could we northerners want for?

Well, we’d like a high street curry house that’s won awards please. Certainly, sir, that’ll be the Indian Ocean – awarded “Best in North West” by the fairly prestigious British Curry Awards in 2008 and 2009. And against some class opposition in the form of Mumtaz (although when Bradford became part of the north west is a vexing question). All that said, this is still a high street curry house with all the usual menu stalwarts, along with some other “chef’s specials”.

The first starter, Lahori Fish, was a couple of pieces of sea bass, coated in a batter delicately spiced with cumin and coriander. Good crisp batter, fish perfectly cooked.

The other brought a lightly fried and light tasting puri, topped with a mix of potato and chickpea. Good spicing here – coriander & chilli to the fore.

We both went for lamb main courses. Karahi Gosht was pretty much a standard affair, but none the worse for that. Dahl Gosht was more complex, ginger and coriander in evidence, with the lentils softening the whole dish.

We shared some rice but also had a couple of kulchas . We didn’t recall seeing this bread on a menu before but will look out for it again. Flatter and thinner than naan, yet not as crisp as a roti, and sprinkled with sesame seeds, it was a cracking taste and texture.

This was a pretty good meal – not up to the mark of the area’s high flyers (Akbars, EastZeast, Dilli, Seven Spices) – but pretty good.