Ashoka Bearsden

This review appears in the The List's Eating & Drinking Guide 2008 – in the shops now or buy online.

Tucked away in the quaint backstreets of the salubrious Glasgow suburb of Bearsden, this outpost of the Harlequin Group is perhaps unlikely to become a destination dining option for many city dwellers. This might please local diners, but would be a shame for the uninitiated Glasgow masses, since a trip out here makes for a very satisfying excursion. Flickering lanterns and walls festooned with artefacts from the subcontinent help to create a warm and intimate atmosphere of which the excellent service is also an integral part. A starter of saag tikki (potato and spinach patties served with chickpeas) is particularly recommended. Among main courses, many of the usual suspects line up aside the 'house specialities'. The prawn balchau, a traditional dish from Goa, sounds exquisite on the menu, but neither the ginger nor the cinnamon is plentiful enough to provide a much needed edge. The more adventurous might veer toward the slightly expensive 'connoisseur's choices': for example, a superb Bombay bakra – karahi-style lamb cooked with ginger, black cumin and that endangered species in British Indian cooking, fresh spinach – is almost worth the trip on its own. The bar menu is excellent, as well.

• High point: Separate children's menu makes it a good choice for families
• Low point: Could be more generous with the spices