Zest

The 2013 edition of The List's Eating & Drinking Guide is out now – only £5.95 (+p&p).

This review is taken from the current (2013) edition.

Don’t be put off by the tram works outside: Zest is very much open for business. Inside it’s an oasis of crisp white table cloths, neatly laid out cutlery and smiling, helpful staff. Starters are familiar but don’t suffer for that. There’s a decent king prawn puri, the sauce rich with coriander and tamarind, and the chana puree is well spiced. Things get more interesting with mains such as the unusual tandoori baingan dupiaza and the intriguingly named Sir Walter Scott lamb sarisha. The former is intensely flavoured with smoky aubergine and works brilliantly; the latter adds spring onions to slow-cooked lamb in a mustard sauce and is equally hard to fault. An accompaniment of Bombay aloo is dry, spicy and delicious. Alongside these and other surprise offerings (lamb shank, anyone?) the menu also takes in traditional favourites like bhuna, rogan josh and madras in the usual meat/veggie configurations.

• High point: Consistently well-cooked food from an original and entertaining menu
• Low point: Outside, York Place looks like Kate Adie should be reporting from it.