Indian Zing: The distinction lies in superior cooking

There is a clue in the name about what makes this restaurant the favourite of so many. Dear old Michael Winner, whose judgement was by no means always batty, was a fan. Chef/patron Manoj Vasaikar has worked in London since the early 1990s — at the original Chutney Mary and also Veeraswamy. His knowledge of India’s regional cooking plus his understanding of what people want results in a delicate balance between tradition and derring-do. Zing go the strings of my heart for dishes like king prawn lonche, referring to the pickle that points up the aubergine and onion sauce, and chicken shatkora flavoured with the tang — subtly different from zing — of a knobbly green citrus fruit from north-east India. Vegetables assume almost the same importance that they do in the homeland, meaning vegetarians can make merry here. In a street stiff with curry houses, distinction lies in superior cooking of prime foodstuffs and also handsome décor featuring a carved wooden door as art installation and unerringly charming staff.