Masala Jak's

Despite fine cuisine of its own, deriving as much as anything from some of the finest ingredients that nature has to offer, Scotland has never been slow to embrace the culinary heritages of others, and it is no surprise that Harlequin Restaurants have an enthusiastic customer base throughout central Scotland.

The original Masala Jak was a gold-rush prospector who gave life to the proposition that the only people who made money there were the sellers of shovels, except that Jak introduced his fellow prospectors to the infinite delights of Indian cuisine and made his fortune that way.

The décor at Jak's is dubious, if not flamboyant, an interesting blend of Wild West with Indian faux royalty. Those who come simply to eat are not concerned; others who embrace a wider appreciation may find it slightly surreal.

To some degree this approach translates itself to the cuisine which contains a lot of the dishes that the late Robin Cooke might not have found entirely to his liking. If your answer to that is "Robin who?", chances are you will have a great time at Jak's with its adherence to what might be loosely described as the comfort zones of Indian cuisine.

However, there is no denying that Masala Jak's is unbridled fun and excellent value, so throw away the rule book and go enjoy.