Akbar, The

The county of Essex is renowned for many distinctive features, not least being the birthplace of that icon of the restaurant world, Jamie Oliver. Clavering, if you insist. And whilst there may be plenty of Indian restaurants in Essex too, it is good to be able to commend The Akbar at Halstead which specialises in dishes from all regions of the great sub-continent, a distinct advantage when you consider the wide spread of sub-cuisines that goes with it.

The emphasis is on modern cooking and fresh seasonal produce wherever possible. The customary opening shot of poppadums with dips awaits those who need a little titillation whilst contemplating the menu, starting with around twelve starters amongst which expect to find Mangalorean crab meat blended with grated coconut, Goan spices and herbs, and a mixed starter for two of king prawn peri peri, samosa, lamb chop and skeek kebab.

From the clay oven, that most evocative of ancient cooking rigs comes Tandoori salmon, fish chunks marinated with minty yoghurt, roasted mustard seeds, coriander leaves and fresh lime all brought together in the tandoor. A chicken, the staple of domestic cooking everywhere, has cuts of breast and leg of spring chicken marinated with natural yoghurt and ground spices then cooked very slowly in the tandoor as the natural juices blend together to give magnificent flavours.

Main courses of chicken introduce a tikka masala approach or the murg-e-jalfrezi, supreme chicken cooked with green chillies, tomatoes and bay leaf, the sort of Indian dish that gives a challenge to the wine list for something robust yet cooling. And so to lamb where the so-called bollywood blast introduces a very lively dish, brought about by a touch of Naga chilli, said to be the world?s hottest, creating an explosive result.

An extended coastline yields ways with fish that call for the gentler spices, though lobster pepper fry raises the alarm with lime and tumeric mingling with a peppery masala of onion and fennel before introducing the benefit of curry leaves to leave the balm of a lingering taste.

But despite all these it is the well known favourites that continue to hold the centre ground. A straightforward curry of chicken, lamb or prawn will forever be popular, even if a balti appeals more to the younger generations. Nothing finer than a rogan or dansak prawn with coconut rice for me, and peshwari naan bread, supported by tarka daal, chana masala and saag.

In a sense Indian restaurants tend to be the victims of their own success, with so much choice, so many wonderful flavours and an aroma that is compelling. The secret is to not over expand these qualities, to encourage customers to probe new avenues within the cuisine and to become discriminating, all of which is done well at Akbar.

Knowledgeable vegetarians will be aware of the understanding given to their preferences, and the dal sagwala of yellow lentils and fresh baby spinach cooked with brown onions, spices and curry leaf is outstanding.

The customary array of beers, lagers and cocktails beckon, and the welcome trend towards affording an ancient and colourful cuisine the compliment of decent wine is also practised at Akbar.