When you live in a small town like Newbury, word of mouth is the most powerful marketing tool you can have. In the case of Punjabi Virsa, people are talking.

First off it was my tennis coach who’d booked a table at this new Indian place in the most random location along Hambridge Road opposite Newbury Racecourse. Tucked away between The London Apprentice and the Specialized and Banjo Cycles bike shops, it would be easy to miss if you didn’t know what you were looking for.

Then talking to friends on Friday at The Red House, they also mentioned the Punjabi Virsa, and had a table booked the following week. After a few glasses of wine and non-alcoholic beer respectively, asked if we’d like to join them. It was a yes from us.

And so on Wednesday Eddie and I set off from home, crossed Victoria Park and walked along the canal, popping up behind The Apprentice and walking the short distance to the restaurant at exactly the moment our friends arrived at Punjabi Versa.

Well…as with all new restaurants you never know what to expect, but I can safely say that the food was off the charts food in this small but mighty restaurant. Every dish was explained to us, and came out bursting with flavour. You can even tailor the spice levels to your personal taste! Which was just as well because Eddie and I tend to go heavy on the chilli, while our friends leaned more towards your Korma-level curries.

Now, I have never in my life ordered a pudding in a curry restaurant. Not me not no sorbet in a frozen orange. But today I broke the seal, and WOW. The desserts were phenomenal. Next time I’m ordering two. The service may have been a little rough around the edges but I forgive any new waitress a few spills, having been the worst waitress the world have ever seen back in the day. The food and smiley staff more than made up for it.

In the end we couldn’t manage all the food, and we were allocated the doggy bag which James and I devoured last night. So two bites of the cherry (and my third curry night in a row as Eddie had made a madras on the Tuesday). No complaints from me!