Cafe Darna

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

This review is taken from the 2012 edition.

Taking over the premises previously occupied by the Abyssinian restaurant Queen of Sheba, Cafe Darna's owners have done a smart job of doing the place up. The large space is divided into the main restaurant with a big open kitchen and dark wooden tables, and the takeaway area with comfy sofas Wood floors, rich reds and Moroccan knick-knacks round off a pleasant dining space. Morocco is prevalent in the décor but only represented on the menu with daily specials in these early days, although the plan is to roll out a full selection. The Indian food is good, offering a desi-style home-cooked menu, where diners control the spice levels – although the 'desi-hot' isn't particularly high up on the heat scale. Vegetable pakora are decent, while the lamb chops are deliciously spicy though can be inconsistent in size and somewhat bedraggled. Common curries are joined by special dishes – all nicely priced with the inclusion of rice or naan. The kofta dishes are great, with succulent and nicely spiced meatballs, while the shahi jheenga masala is an excellent example of their desi dishes.

• High point: Tasty chops …
• Low point: … looked like they'd been in the wars