Namaaste Kitchen is definitely worth a try

Sabir Karim works some of the time as an airline steward and at his restaurants - Salaam Namaste in Millman Street, WC1, and now its sibling, Namaaste Kitchen in Parkway, NW1 - he leads a smiling, obliging and efficient crew.

From recent experience I would say it is better
on the ground than 20,000 feet up in the air.

The deep, narrow restaurant finishes in an open grill where items are cooked over coals or on a hot plate. Opposite is booth seating, which you might want to specify when booking - for the show as well as the comfort.

The menu spans India north to south, east to west, from street food to the cooking from a shikaar, a prince's hunting expedition, from which comes wild rabbit leg achari (cooked with pickling spices), agreeably robust and not easily found elsewhere.

Each day the Chef's Choice singles out some dishes on a separate card. From last Saturday's list, spicy soft- shell crab marinated in green peppercorn lemon sauce, fried in semolina batter and served with a spiced fig and prune sauce, was notable, free of that muddiness that can cling to naked crabs.

Goan green chicken curry was also rewarding, the sauce lively and herby. Lamb biryani (from the main menu) was not quite comparable with what I had eaten in Hyderabad but it was hugely generous, deeply flavoursome and served in a bowl sealed with flat bread, through which a shank bone stood proud.

South Indian-style stir-fry vegetables contribute crispness and ghee-licked lachcha paratha bestows irresistibility. Definitely worth a try.

Namaaste Kitchen
Parkway, London, NW1 7AH