HAVING already eaten at the Melksham Tandoori and given it a good review, I was invited by its owner Mayna Miah to be a guest at the opening of his new restaurant in Corsham.

I have to say the town’s new Indian eatery boasts the finest décor that I have ever seen in a restaurant of this kind. It literally has to be seen to be admired and is one reason why I am recommending that you visit.

The other reason is the food – Mayna has employed Amit Chowdhury as his head chef and he is doing a superb job, if our meal is anything to go by.

Having settled into our seats, I ordered a pint of Kingfisher beer (£4.50) and my wife asked for a bottle of sparkling water (£2.90).

With so many guests present, and the staff understandably anxious to impress, our starter was slow to arrive but was more than well worth the wait.

It comprised a platter of Zafroni Jinga, featuring Indian ocean jumbo king prawns marinated with dill, garlic, cashew nuts, cream, cheese and Greek yoghurt cooked in the tandoori, and served with green chutney, mangoes and pomegranate relish (£6.90); plus lamb tikka (£4.50), consisting of sliced pieces of breast lamb marinated overnight with yoghurt and various tandoori spices, cooked in a tandoori and served with micro leaves; as well as a Malai Dar Deshi Murgh (£6.40), featuring marinated supreme chicken coated with mozzarella cheese and garlic, grilled in the tandoori and completed with organic mixed micro leaves.

It was seriously one of the best Indian starters I have ever had the pleasure to taste. The food was amazingly delicious, with fresh, deep flavours and beautifully presented.

With such a fantastic start, we waited with anticipation for the main course and, again, we were not disappointed.

Our mains consisted of a Tandoori Murgh Special (£9.50), composed of marinated Julienne chicken sautéed with garlic butter, fresh sliced mushroom and a splash of Grand Marnier, with added tomatoes and cashew nut gravy, and completed with chopped coriander; plus a Dalcha Lamb Lucknow Style (£10.90), comprising marinated tender lamb grilled in a tandoori and afterwards cooked with chana dall, red onions, green chillies, bell peppers, curry leaves and a hint of ginger; plus a side dish of Dal Makhani lentils (£3.95) cooked with chickpeas, kidney beans and cream. It was accompanied by two bowls of basmati pilau rice (£2.90 each).

Again, the food was absolutely delicious, the vegetables fresh, and the meats were wonderfully tender and marinated, full of flavour and beautifully spiced. My wife, who generally avoids anything with kidney beans and chickpeas, devoured her meal with relish.

There is plenty of choice on the menu, and the staff are friendly, pleasant and courteous. The bill for two would have come to £63.47, including two pints of Kingfisher beer and two bottles of sparking water.

Moonlight will be managed by Mr Miah’s son, Sayeed Ibrahim, and sets the bar high in terms of its culinary offering, décor, choice and customer service.

Moonlight Indian Restaurant is a great addition to Corsham, and you can order online and book takeaways. I highly recommend a visit.

JOHN BAKER