Chichester has a new curry house adding its own spin on traditional Indian cuisine

The ‘culinary haven’ is situated on 56 St Paul’s Road. Customers are invited to experience the ‘true essence of Indian cuisines’.

As an authentic Indian restaurant, the staff take pride in offering a ‘gastronomic journey’ that ‘captures the heart and soul’ of North India – particularly Punjab.

In visiting the restaurant, it really did feel we were transported to India.

Owner Kamal Singh told us how when he moved over to England from Scotland, he picked up a menu from all the local curry houses in the Bognor and Chichester areas and wanted to offer something different.

He shared how he follows his uncle's ethos of only giving ‘clean’ food to customers that he would be happy to feed his own family with – and a customer service to match.

For starters, we shared the peanut chaat, onion bhajis, chicken pakora and the calamari. All served with top tier salad.

Overall, the bhaji had a really nice flavour to it. The coating was fresh, with a lovely texture and tasty herbal sauce.

The calamari stood out for us particularly. The spice sneaks up on you a bit but you can't overstate how delicious it is. The same goes for the chicken pakora, which was also cooked to perfection.

There were an array of options for meat eaters and vegetarians – so for mains, we tried the lamb and vegetable curries – with naan breads and a mix of plain and pilau rice.

The tender pieces of boneless lamb – cooked traditionally with onion, tomato and Indian spices and herbs – really did melt in the mouth as you ate it. Curries can typically feel a bit heavy and leave you feeling bloated but this didn’t at all.

The vegetarian ‘molly’ curry was rich and creamy, whilst mildly spiced and prepared with pure coconut milk, tamarind paste, tomatoes, fresh green chillies, mustard seeds, curry leaves and Indian spices. It was so flavoursome and left us craving more.

I finished off with the restaurant’s specialty desert – a chocolate samosa. It was very much like a churro – which I can’t personally get enough of.

The chocolate was not too overbearing as that’s the last thing you need after a curry.

My colleague Connor summed things up perfectly (in the video at the top of the page).

He said: “Aside from the food, it was a really lovely atmosphere. It was the music in the background, little touches of the instruments and the decor that felt authentic and really brought it all together.

"The staff couldn't do enough for you. They were Incredibly welcoming and you felt very looked after. That makes all the difference.”

The experience we had was exactly as promised on the restaurant’s website.

“At this restaurant, we bring the warmth of home-cooked meals to your plate with our homemade spices, reminiscent of the flavours that MUMMA crafts in households across India. With an award-winning chef boasting over 20 years of culinary mastery, our menu reflects a harmonious blend of tradition and expertise, ensuring a dining experience that is both authentic and memorable.

"As a family business, we prioritize your well-being. Our commitment to health is evident in our use of fresh, healthy ingredients, minimal oil, and the absence of artificial food colours. We understand the importance of dietary needs and allergies, and we take extra care to create a safe and enjoyable environment for all our patrons.

"Discover the art of balanced nutrition, diverse textures, and secret recipes from different regions of India as you explore our carefully curated menu. Whether you're a seasoned Indian food enthusiast or a newcomer, our dishes are designed to tantalize your taste buds while offering nutritional value.”

If you are looking for somewhere to have a curry, in a warm and friendly atmosphere – look no further than Namaste Punjab.