Bite - Punjab Tandoori | Flanders Today

What to do when a couple of Belgium-based Londoners voice their growing hankering for a good curry? Chicken tikka masala is, after all, the UK’s national dish, and the whole country is blessed with a myriad of great curry houses. Here, pickings are slimmer, but nonetheless I take them to my personal favourite, Punjab Tandoori, in the hope that it will live up to their high standards.

Straight away, my dining companions give the nod to the Ghent restaurant's authentic interior: opulent and dramatic with vibrantly coloured carved woodwork and flamboyant wall hangings. Traditional music and candlelight add a touch of cosiness.

As is the case in most western Indian/Pakistani restaurants, the first thing on the table is a stack of crispy fried poppadoms, a round, thin spiced bread made from ground lentils. These come with three dipping sauces (all a bit of an acquired taste): the mild and sweet mango chutney, the spicy-sour chilli lime pickle and the cooling cucumber and yoghurt raita.

The three mains arrive astonishingly fast and are a feast for the eyes, each curry in its own Balti-style wok pan and sprinkled with fresh coriander. A large platter of basmati rice sits in the middle of the table, as do two orders of naan bread and a side salad.

We pass around pieces of the soft, warm naan, one filled with garlic and the other with cheese, and use it to soak up some of the sauce from our curries. There are three types of curry, all made with chicken but each distinctive.

Chicken tikka masala is a standard curry made from ginger, garlic, scallions, tomatoes, green chillies, coriander, turmeric and even more spices. It is red-orange in colour, creamy and spicy, but at Punjab Tandoori not overly so. It wins one of our curry expert's overwhelming approval.

The other judge present remains curiously quiet throughout the meal. He later assures us that this a sure-fire sign of appreciation. With his bowl of chicken Madras curry just about empty, he explains that the spice level - including dried coriander, ginger, garlic and chilli powder - is pleasantly tempered by the addition of yoghurt in the mix.

My traditional chicken dopiaza, a simple combination of tomatoes, ginger and heaps of onion (dopiaza meaning "two onions"), is a dark reddish curry that packs a punch. We all agree that the chunks of chicken in every dish are moist, not to mention plentiful.

A round of Indian Cobra beer provides the needed refreshment. Cobra was created specifically with curry in mind and, thanks to a low gas content, is known worldwide as the beer to drink with curry.

Finally, with bellies full we ask our server for the bill. It is Muhammad Munir who brings it to us with his usual smile and friendly demeanour. The total comes to less than €25 per person.

The equally amiable chef, Muhammad Iqbal, smiles at us from his post in the kitchen and waves as we make our way out the door. The three of us reply in unison: "See you again soon."