MICHELLE TOMPKINS wonders why such a great Indian restaurant lacks other diners on the night she paid a visit

WHAT'S the recipe for a successful Indian restaurant? In my book, it's a good helping of tasty traditional dishes and a smattering of specials, a warm, friendly welcome mixed in with attentive service, and a sprinkling of class in the decor... all topped off with a dollop of lively ambience.

There's is nothing to dislike about Mantra - the newest kid on a crowded block - where the new management has clearly worked hard to stir together all the elements for success. But when one of those key ingredients is missing, and you are sat as the lone diners in an otherwise empty restaurant, it feels like something has been forgotten - the onion from the bhaji, perhaps, or the poppadoms without the pickle. I only hope the weekends are a whole lot busier than the Tuesday night we visited. Only then will the recipe be just right.

Atmosphere aside, we enjoyed a great meal. The restaurant opened just eight weeks ago and is clearly working hard to establish itself among the many, many other Indians in town.

Formerly Spicy Aroma and before that The Bombay Lounge, the place has undergone a major refit, getting rid of the gaudy pink and purple of the past and replacing with a tasteful gold and brown scheme, with the seating backlit to subtle effect.

The menu is impressive too. All the old 'bread and butter' favourites are there to cater for the late night drinking crew, but there are also a fair few specials for those times when you are looking for a taste of something different.

We chose two starters to share: onion bhajis (£4.50) and a mixed kebab (£4.90). The bhajis were fresh and not too greasy and came with a side salad and a pot of vivid green mint sauce to cool things down. The kebab meat was highly spiced and covered in tasty fried onions - it was a good job we were sharing because the fumes from our breathe were probably evil later that night.

For main course, I chose a chicken saag curry (£7.90), attracted by the prospect of fresh spinach in with the meat. It wasn't the prettiest dish in the world, with the green leaves giving the curry a brownish tinge, but the flavours were spot-on. The chef even managed to ensure the spinach retained some crunch, which I loved.

My partner ordered a chicken shally (£8.90), a fruity curry in a thick sauce with fried strips of potato on top. He loved the freshness of the flavours and said it made a nice change from his usual tikka masala. He would have liked more potato topping, though. The few crispy shards sprinkled on top weren't enough to satisfy his appetite.

We shared a pilau rice (£3.50) and a garlic naan (£3.50). The naan was especially appetising, charred around the edges and sprinkled with fresh herbs; so much so that we'd ripped into it before the waiter had even delivered the rest of the food.

Speaking of our waiter, he was exceptional, striking the perfect balance between being attentive and chatty and leaving us alone to eat. He even offered us a complimentary drink at the end of the meal - "courtesy of me personally". I sincerely hoped they weren't docked from his wages, as we accepted, ordering two glasses of Baileys as an alcoholic 'dessert'.

Mantra is doing everything right to compete in what is already a competitive market here in Swindon. I only hope it picks up some custom soon as people realise the building is back in the curry business.

Mantra

52 Devizes Road, Swindon SN1 4BG

Tel: 01793 323954

www.mantraswindon.co.uk

Parking: none, but plenty nearby in Hoopers Place

Disabled access: Yes

Adver ratings

Food: 8/10

Choice: 8/10

Decor: 9/10

Customer service: 10/10

Main course prices: from £7.90 to £12.90

TripAdvisor rating: no rating yet