King Cobra - Southsea

Searching through my man draw I came across several old AA batteries, instructions for assorted gadgets long since dead, a wooden puzzle (the kind you get from distant relatives for Xmas when you're too old for a Cadbury's variety pack) and various inkless biros, before finding the takeaway menus.

A boy's look revealed I was highly familiar with most restaurants in Southsea - just as well three or four new curry houses have sprung up in the last six months. One of these is King Cobra, round the bend from the Kings Theatre and hard to miss by virtue of it's dayglo frontage.

I began with benchmark Chicken Tikka, tasty, well textured flesh, which might have benefited from a slightly more piquant marinade and better presentation. Tim's mixed starter rather crowded onto his plate.

My main dishes included Darjeeling Lamb, savoury with a leafy-tea-tasting mixture of fenugreek and coriander, underscored with woody cinnamon bark, few too many curry leaves; Chana Sag, a perfectly acceptable preperation of spinach and chick peas and perfumed pilau.

Overall the meal was fair, but on Albert Road there is so much competition. Every local has a different favourite which they visit time again and it will take more than the giant black and orange neon cobra out front for the place to attract a loyal customer base.

FOOD (& DRINK): 3
AMBIENCE: 2
SERVICE: 4
VALUE: 3

Willp2328 score: 6/10