It was more or less inevitable that Indian cuisine should pick up on tapas - after all what is Mumbai street food but a form of tapas? At Imli, run by the same team that operates Tamarind, a more homely, less formal version of Indian food is the vogue. Its other major virtue is that a wider choice of tastes and flavours is immediately available, either hot or cold. Whatever you have ordered is brought to your table in one fell swoop, and courses as such cease to exist.

Generally three items per head are reckoned to be the equivalent of a two course meal, but the choice is entirely yours. Many order crispy papadums and homemade chutney to keep the pangs at bay as they work though the menu making their selections. Amongst the cold choices look for papdi chaat, whole wheat crisps and bean sprouts with vermicelli, sweet yoghurt and mint chutney, or grilled paneer and broccoli marinated with pickling spices, cream cheese and cooked to perfection. Moving on to the hot, a delightful experience is samosa chaat, vegetable samosa topped with chickpeas, yoghurt, tamarind and mint chutneys, and spicy chicken satay, chicken marinated in house blend of spices, served with salad and beetroot chutney.

Desserts could include gulab jamun, milk dumplings served with fig and ginger ice cream, or carrot fudge made with carrots, melon seeds and raisins served with ice cream.

It is customary to find an Indian nouvelle restaurant with an ample list of exotic cocktails and Imli is no exception, served with enthusiasm and precision. The customary list of quality beers, spirits and fruit beverages is extended by a limited range of wines, several from south of the Equator.