IT’S always encouraging to find an Indian restaurant that does things on the menu that you’ve not seen since you were actually in India.

That’s what attracted the other half and I to Balti Curries in Falmouth, which specialises in Indian and Nepalese Cuisine.

A quick glance at the menu – which is detailed most excellently, complete with pictures, on the restaurant’s website, had us getting up hopes of recreating, at least as far as food went, our couple of trips to India in recent years.

It was dishes like shaslik and chilli-fry that took us dreamily back to the sub-continent and attracted us into this little restaurant in Arwenack Street.

It was also the interesting mix of Nepalese cuisine in there too and we aimed to try some new stuff on our visit.

Starter-wise I went for the aforementioned chilli-fry, in this case tiger prawns.

Falmouth Packet:

Tiger prawn chilli-fry, foreground, and momo

It was excellent, every inch the taste that I had enjoyed in India. Cooked with Nepalese herbs, green chillies and pepper, it was a tasty, sticky treat, full of flavour.

In a bid to try something new, we also went for Momo as a starter. This is a Nepalese-style dumpling, made with lamb mince and spices, served with a spicy chutney.

Although it’s not the prettiest-looking dish, it was a winner, the lamb full of peppery taste.

Both were spot-on as regards portions for a starter.

For main course we decided on the North Nepalese garlic chilli chicken, which is pieces of chicken tikka cooked with sliced garlic, fresh green chillies and fresh herbs and spices.

It was another excellent, flavoursome dish – not quite a full-on curry, but moist enough to be enjoyed without rice, which we forewent in favour of the ‘bullet naan’, which was the hottest naan on the menu, stuffed as it was with chillies.

Falmouth Packet:

Garlic chilli chicken, foreground, and lamb shaslik

The bullet was a slight let down, to be honest – a pretty standard naan and not particularly hot in terms of spice.

The other slight let down was our other choice of main, lamb shaslik.

This is diced lamb barbecued over the clay oven with pepper, onion and tomatoes.

One of my favourite experiences on my last visit to Indian was a chicken shaslik, so I’d been looking forward to this.

Sadly, the lamb was overdone, not tender and a bit tasteless.

Lesson learned there, but overall this was a top meal, oozing authenticity and, above all, taste.

The menu aside from our choices is pretty extensive, with a lengthy lists of curries, a good selection of tandoori options and even more on the chef’s specialities menu.

If you want an authentic and good-value experience, you won’t go far wrong at this place.

Key information

Drinks selection: A range of Indian and European lagers, as well as wine and soft drinks.

Our cost (two people, without drinks): £34

Contact: 47 Arwenack Street, Falmouth; www.baltifalmouth.co.uk; 01326 317905

Opening times: Daily – lunch 12pm to 2.30pm; dinner 5.30pm to midnight. Takeaway also available.

Ratings (out of five)

Atmosphere: 3/5

Décor: 3/5

Food: 4/5

Service: 4/5

Overall: 4/5

In order to ensure objective reviews, the Mystery Diner is carried out on an independent basis without the prior knowledge of the establishment.