Jai Lounge, St Annes - I had been recommended to visit this restaurant and was not disappointed

So a visit was well overdue and we were lucky to get a table on a busy Saturday night during the bank holiday weekend.

The restaurant was launched in June last year by Ben Solanki, who hails from Bolton but has family roots in Nairobi in Kenya and the Gujarat area of India.

And he says it is his travels to those parts of the world which inspired him to capture the authentic tastes of India for his restaurant guests.

The vibe is urban plush, with bare wood walls and comfy chairs which works equally by day when the venue also operates as a coffee bar.

Outside tables overlook pretty Ashton Gardens across the road with the eaterie’s tuk-tuk parked up in front.

When we arrived in the evening though, indoors was packed with diners ordering food and we had to squeeze through to reach our table.

With space at a premium, we were sat just inches from fellow guests but the buzz of conversation meant you did not feel you were unwittingly ear-wigging on your neighbours.

However rumour has it the restaurant is hoping to expand, and certainly it appears the demand is there especially as St Annes is becoming the go-to place for dining on the Fylde coast. Within its streets you can get fabulous Greek, Turkish, Italian, Chinese and Scandinavian food as well as Indian.

Jai Lounge describes its dishes as street food and so do not expect the usual list of dishes your local tandoori serves up.

Murg Lasooni for example is chicken marinated in yoghurt, Lakhnawi Seekh is a lamb kebab and both are from the starter menu.

Friends of mine also recommended the sharing platters although I’m told be prepared to ask for a doggy bag to take home.

We were not very adventurous and ordered a tray of poppadoms with chutney to share along with onion bhajis. The latter were huge and I would say definitely too much for the average appetite so sharing is recommended! I would also have been tempted by chilli king prawns, but maybe next time.

Our starters however did prepare our appetites for the mains to come. There are none of the usual guides on the menu as to how spicy the food is, but our waiter explained this is because the focus is on flavour not just spice (so no bravado in choosing the hottest dish!).

Mains include chicken, lamb and fish as well as options for vegetarians including dal makhani, made with lentils, tomato puree, cream and butter.

I chose Kashmiri lamb, cooked in the traditional way, and it was clear the meat was fresh as its taste was succulent and not overloaded with spice.

My husband Clive opted for Awadhi Murg biryani with chicken, accompanied by one of the restaurant’s special sauces and with rice part of the dish.

Again the meat was tender and we shared both portions in order to experience the cuisine to its fullest.

We accompanied our meal with a bottle of Shiraz and tap water, and service was excellent throughout.

Our bill, including drinks, came to £74.