After the recent switching on of the Christmas tree lights in Whyteleafe, on a freezing December evening, one of the warm havens to go to nearby was the welcoming 'Royal Tandoori' restaurant.

Situated on the Godstone Road, the restaurant is easy to get to, with parking spaces on the road outside or in the car park just yards away in Station Road.

The restaurant is just as stylish on the inside as it looks from the outside, with the decor and layout giving the restaurant a feeling of quiet sophistication.

When we dined there on a snowy Thursday evening recently, my partner and I soon felt warm and relaxed and stopped worrying about the state of the weather outside. Our courteous waiters ensured that we were soon enjoying our aperitifs and popadoms and browsing the interesting choices on the menu.

Mr Quadir, the owner of the Royal Tandoori, is particularly proud of their new Fine Cuisine dishes, so Keith chose the 'Kalmee Kebab' lightly spiced chicken starter and the 'Nalli Rogan Josh' lamb shanks for his main, both from the Fine Cuisine section of the menu. I opted for a regular choice of 'Onion Bhajee' to start with, followed by one of the Chef's Choices, 'Butter Chicken'. We also ordered one vegetable dish ('Brinjal Bhajee', lightly spiced aubergines) one portion of Special Rice and one Garlic Naan to share. The quantity we ordered turned out to be more than enough. I love my starters, but had to leave half of one of the tennis ball-size Onion Bhajees, because I wanted to save room for my main course! It seemed a shame to waste it, as they were so delicious and crispy.

My Butter Chicken was a very nice change from the usual creamy dishes I like, with a lovely nutty taste and mildly spiced.

Keith was delighted with his choices too, with the meat on the Nalli Rogan Josh just falling off the bone as it was so beautifully tender. He also commented that: "The spices complement the lamb very well."

The Royal Tandoori is offering some great deals this month - for more details see their advert on page 11.