Tandoori Lane - London SW6

Convenience food has a bad name. We are constantly persuaded in nu-wave MBS lit to forego oily curries, msg loaded chinese, pork pies, monkey burgers, cancer causing sausages, battery chickens, tinned veggies - what can Brits eat these days without feeling guilty? Even in the cinema, previously a refuge for gluttony, adverts showing the calorific nature of most of the stuff on sale in the foyer are broadcast on a loop, before the main feature. However, as I recently discovered, there is such a thing as a healthy takeaway!

Tandoori Lane is in the Harden's restaurant guide - a small, yet rather popular local curry house in the wealthy, suburban haven of Fulham. It serves 'the best vegetable korma' among other keenly priced delights. Our takeaway dishes were clean and light, yes! a remarkable thing; far too many are cloying and greasy, overwhelming any subtle flavours. Jeera Chicken contained gorgeous succulent, eggy hunks of thigh in a delicate tomato orange gravy with julienne root ginger and the unmistakable flavour of toasty cumin seeds. A spinach bhajee was a smooth, juicy, puree, possessing a moreish iron-rich taste while the pilau proved equally tasty with a salty bite and gentle aroma from bittersweet cardamom and cloves. All round, impressive. No wonder it's a local favourite.

FOOD: 4
SERVICE: 4 (half an hour)
AMBIENCE: 5 (cosy, front room, Neil Young on the stereo)
VALUE: 4 (change out of a tenner for my part)

Willp2328 score: 8/10

Postscript:
Other 'healthy' takeaways can be found at the Indian Vegetarian Studio, Cardiff.