in neat white tunics, to the frequent phone orders being taken for delivery or collection.

Ahar, opened in December 2007 by the owner of the next-door ABC Takeaway, prides itself on preparing fresh food and the first dishes did not disappoint. The Bombay potatoes were fresh and spicy, the saag panir beautifully combined spinach, kidney beans and soft Indian cheeses. The obligatory poppadoms came with the usual accompaniments, but included mango chutney with a delightful spicy kick not usually found and, more unusually, freshly prepared, we were told.

As the pots and pans crashed around in the open kitchen behind us to a backing track of Bangladeshi and heavily accented English accents the mains were brought out on trendy square-shaped crockery to back up the claims of contemporary Bangla-cuisine by the hard working and pleasant staff. The safe bet of the chicken tikka masala was substantial with big cubes of diced chicken and the selection from the house specials menu of lamb mathu came topped off with fresh coriander and spring onion. The sweet lemon taste of the chef's own Bangladeshi spices made for an interesting taste but complemented well with the peshwari naan with a sugary coating of coconut, almond, sultana and mango.

Ahar has attempted to move out of the dark and dingy Indian takeaway trade of hidden away kitchens and flickering black and white TVs to present a clean and colourful image, producing a place where customers do indeed want to eat-in as they are serenaded by the sights sounds and smells of the Indian sub-continent. And while 18 Broadway, Mill Road does not resemble the dusty streets of Calcutta and its spice palaces, Ahar sits nicely with the contemporary style of the Indo-British cuisine and venues found in the gold rich streets of Leicester and Birmingham.