Lancers Brasserie

The 2017 edition of The List's Eating & Drinking Guide is out now – only £5.95 (+p&p).

Lancers Brasserie continues to bring Bengali-inspired North Indian cuisine to its long-established Stockbridge setting. Split across two ground floor rooms and a separate basement area for private dining, the décor is crisp and contemporary with high-backed leather chairs, white linen tables and artwork inspired by the Bengal Lancers. The à la carte menu brings together a sprinkling of classics with biryani, tandoori and the occasional fish dish supplemented by thali offerings and the extravagant 48-hour-notice kurji lamb. Starters are standard fare: samosa and puri mixing with cubes of murgh tikka chicken, lamb kebabs and crispy vegetable sabzi pakora, all asking for more of a kick from polite sauce accompaniments. Mains and sides are a mixed bag – the subtly flavoured spinach and butternut squash misti sag and aubergine laden baingan bhuna lack punch, while the splendid chingree massallam combines juicy prawns with peppers, tomatoes and squash in a deeply flavoured sauce. White uniformed waiters offer efficient service and a carefully considered wine list that provides matching suggestions for the restaurant’s more popular dishes.

• High point: Well conceived interiors and wine list
• Low point: Uninspired starters and subtly flavoured mains don’t quite match the setting