KRICKET SOHO

12 Denman Street, W1; kricket.co.uk/soho

The idea of Indian food as tongue-torturing, post-pub endurance test and the restaurants — or, rather, curry houses — it is served in as flock-wallpapered temples to kitsch was never entirely fair, and in any case was shown the door years ago by a string of fine dining subcontinental establishments, culminating in the magnificent Gymkhana in Mayfair. Now, thanks to Dishoom, Hoppers, Tandoor Chop House, Gunpowder and so on, innovative Indian cooking in smart surroundings seems as obvious a combination as poppadoms and mango chutney. Latest entrant into the market is Kricket Soho, the first permanent restaurant from the people behind the 20-seater Kricket Brixton, which is housed in a south London shipping container (yes, sahib). You might think of it as diffusion Gymkhana. The décor and atmosphere is standard issue contemporary catering — exposed brickwork, open kitchen, counter dining, sharing plates, leather booths, hipster waitstaff — but the food, marrying British ingredients with Asian spices, is a cut above. Start with a Pink Lady (gin, rhubarb, chilli, lemon soda), then work your way through small plates of meat, veg and fish. Plus, no After Eights with the bill and no sitars on the soundtrack (it was all Springsteen all day on the afternoon of Esquire’s visit).

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WHAT TO EAT: Keralan fried chicken dipped in fluoroyellow curry leaf mayonnaise with pickled mouli.

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WHAT TO DRINK: The wine list is punchy, but we like a beer with our curry, so it’s Reliance Pale Ale from Brixton Brewery.