T’S certainly a colourful place at the Maharaja. Over-the-top crystal clad lighting, a chequered red and green dance floor, plenty of mirrors all add to that slightly tacky, but comforting Indian restaurant feel.

It’s quite a size too. It seats 200 and there are private dining rooms which parties can book. I’m hoping the food lives up to the surroundings.

The menu is vast. Plenty of choice, and some unusual dishes including ostrich and venison.

The starters are with us in good time. My wife went for the mushrooms bora – three button mushrooms stuffed with home-made cheese, onion, ginger, chillies, herbs and spices coated in garam flour and deep-fried. I had a nibble. A little bit too greasy and sickly for me.

My generous sheek kebab had a good kick. The minced lamb was grilled with various herbs and spices and made for a nice start.

We went for a bit of a selection for mains. Six decent-sized king prawns came in the delightful creamy, almost fluorescent orange, masala sauce. It wasn’t the healthiest of dishes, but it certainly tasted fine enough.

I’ve always been a massive keema naan fan. Although delicious, I felt they scrimped a bit on the filling. If they hadn’t I think it could have been up there with the best I’ve tasted.

The lamb bhuna with its succulent pieces of meat, was a pretty spicy little number. The pilau and mushroom rice did their jobs, while the sag aloo with it spinach and potacomplemented the meal well.

We were pretty stuffed after all that, so gave ourselves a little break before ordering the desserts.

With the Cobra beer taking effect I even had a little boogie in our booth to the Nineties disco classics the DJ was playing. Anyone who has ever been to an Indian will know the dessert choices well, they seem to be pretty bog standard across the industry.

So, with strong sense of de ja vu, I had no complaints with the tasty enough royal pot – toffee ice cream accompanied by tiny chunks of toffee – while my wife polished off her chocolate mousse with familiar ease.

The Maharaja has got a lot going for it. It has gone that extra mile in the decoration stakes and the staff are a bubbly bunch.

All in all, I enjoyed my classic ruby night out.

What we ate Mushrooms bora £3.95 Sheek kebab £3.95 King prawn tikka masala £12.95 Lamb bhuna £9.95 Mushoom rice £3.95 Pilau rice £2.95 Sag aloo £3.25 Keema naan £2.75 Royal pot £3.95 Chocolate Mousse £3.95 Our verdict Atmosphere 3 Food 3 Decor 5 Value 3 Service 4 Disabled access Yes