Anokaa Restaurant

Prejudice is a terrible thing. If you had told me that one of the most attractive Indian restaurants in the south-west was to be found in the cathedral city of Salisbury, you would have found me lacking in conviction. I mean what would have Deans and Bishops past have thought of whiffs of the Orient wafting round the lanes and closes of their ecclesiastical city. In fact they might well have said, "jolly good, how soon do they open after Evensong?" and how perceptive of them to ask. For Anokaa offers serious Indian food against a background of oriental glitter, smooth service and a well-justified air of confidence.

Head Chef is Vijay, well able to respond to the Anglo-Indian craving for the best of what has been termed as The Anokaa Revolution, and a former exponent of his art at The Taj Mahal Hotel in Lucknow.

Consider starters of crab cake with ginger, basil and fennel seeds, or chicken breast pieces dusted with garlic, mint, green chilli and coriander, then lightly grilled, or a lamb rump kebab marinated with red wine and spices, then barbecued served with juicy skewed mince of lamb.

Main courses include king prawn delight, king prawns lightly barbecued then cooked in caramelised onions and cinnamon and finished in almond based saffron sauce served with lemon rice, or sea bass with garlic spiced spinach served on a bed of yoghurt sauce.

As well as wine list that would tickle the most critical clerical palate there is the customary selection of beers and soft drinks. For myself I believe that the genuine article in Indian cuisine is well worthy of the wines of another continent, or maybe even its own, notably those from the Maharashtra state.