A unique ambience with contemporary seating as well as more traditional raised seating in private booths at the rear of the restaurant allows curry aficionados to relax and unwind Indian style, cross-legged while sitting on large cushions, if they wish. Soft lighting and mellow tunes playing in the background complete the happy picture at Chula in King Street.

As with the setting so with the menu which offers diners something more than the usual with head chef Qureshi's signature dishes. Using fresh ingredients and healthy modern cooking methods that emphasise flavour, regional cooking takes pride of place here. Diners can take the plunge with no second thought with starters such as onion and spinach kebab, puri stuffed with onions and tomatoes and topped with fresh pomegranate, pan seared tiger prawns with lotus leaves and fish shammi kebabs.

Play it safe with your favourite choice of curry, either korma, jalfrezi, dopiaza, balti or dhansak, or try something different. Items such as roast duck with apricots and straw potatoes, braised lamb shank marinated in yoghurt and ginger, fiery lamb cooked with red chillies and tomatoes, tangy prawn balchao or grilled fish flavoured with caraway seeds showcase authentic regional specialities.

With something for everyone, the extensive menu also embraces a number of tandoori dishes, biryanis and vegetarian fare such as sesame encrusted potato barrels stuffed with cheese and nuts and mushroom dumplings stuffed with green peas and coated with vermicelli. There's no looking back for regulars as well as first time visitors at Chula.