Noiya

With tandoor stations and curry houses on every high street in London, trying to stand out can be exhausting for a new Indian restaurant. Then there's the vetting by food connoisseurs who expect more than tikka masala and rogan josh. To cope with this, Noiya, a recent addition to Lavender Hill, lines up the mainstays but redeems itself with imaginative specials.

A wooden patio leads into a modern cream and chocolate interior. The menu is moderately priced - mains cost between £5.50 and £9.75. From the signature column we chose hydra lamb, succulent chunks stewed with chickpeas in a rich tomato and cumin gravy which soaked right into the nariyal pilau, basmati rice steamed with sweet coconut shavings. From the clay oven, our waiter recommended mahi king prawns pickled with yoghurt, mint, lime, mustard seeds, garlic, chillies and herbs. Despite the elegant presentation the prawns were rather defeated by the overdose of flavourings.

The menu's vegetarian selection is comparatively routine, but mildly spiced muchuri dhal, a thick blend of various lentils, hit the spot on a cold night. On the side a bowl of toak (spiked gravy made with chargrilled tomatoes, garlic and bay leaves) served well as a chutney.

We washed it down with complementary dessert cocktails. All off-menu, the drinks served reflect the customers' choice of dishes. Ours was a refreshing glass of peach schnapps with cranberry and orange juices and vodka. With only two members of waiting staff, service seemed to crawl at times but patience was rewarded with a gratifying meal.