Seasonings Restaurant & Lounge, 84d-86 Lillie Road,Fulham,London,SW6 1TI
tel: 020 7386 0303 www.seasoning-restaurant.co.uk

Take a short walk from the Earls Court Exhibition Centre and you are spoilt for culinary choice. However, Seasonings Restaurant & Lounge stands out with its clean and simple decor of funky perspex chairs, white walls and contemporary Indian music.

Service here is personal and the waiter made us feel very welcome. He happily recommended the house white, which was fresh and crisp with good body, and gave us plenty of time to look at the menu whilst we munched on roasted lentil crackers served with pickles, and on chutneys of mixed vegetables and sweet and sour mango.

To start we chose a medley of the aptly named Drums of Heaven (chicken drumsticks coated in a succulent spicy sauce), Tawa Chat (sweet potatoes and herbs mixed with a delicate mint and tamarind sauce) and onion bahjis, which were perfectly spiced and fried without any greasy aftertaste. The starters were very generous and we could easily have shared one.

For main I chose the Murg Jalfrezi (chicken cooked with green pepper, tomato and onion) served with pilau rice and a side of Raita (cucumber and coriander blended with seasoned yoghurt). The chicken was cooked with care; each piece was tender and melted in the mouth. The spicy sauce had a good kick that was cooled by the Raita. The pilau rice was a fluffy and again generous enough for two to share.

My dining partner went for the Shahi Korma (a lamb curry in rich, creamy sauce), served with Saag Panner (spinach cooked with spices, herbs and cheese) and a plain naan. The lamb was succulent and cooked well with a delicate sauce that let the lamb shine through. The side of the spicy spinach was a hit and added depth to this mild dish.

Dessert was dangerous territory but we decided to share the traditional Kulfi (an Indian style ice-cream made from fresh milk). It was almost a creamy step too far but the splash of strawberry did re-invigorate our palates after the curry-fest.

Seasoning has a good wine list, with prices ranging upwards from £12 a bottle and also offers ”Bollywood Mocktails” for a twist on your usual cocktail. Well worth a visit for fusion food at competitive prices.