Is there anything better than a hot curry on a cold winter’s night? Especially when you’ve got an Indian restaurant just a few hundred metres away from home? Actually, it’s a pretty good bet that most Aucklanders live within close proximity of a decent Indian restaurant and takeaways. Certainly in the compact strip of Mt Eden village, there are three places within about 300 metres. Just a few hundred metres further along toward Three Kings there’s yet another curry house.

It’s obvious that such competition is making it tough for Mt Eden’s various Indian eateries. When we visit, a $12 curry with rice deal is the norm across all three, but will it equate to good food at Sitar? Near the corner of Valley Rd and Mt Eden Rd, Sitar was the first Indian restaurant in the area, and was actually established way back in 1986. It’s long been a personal favourite, especially for takeaways, but it’s been a while since we actually dined there.

According to the menu, the $12 offer is only available on a few selected curries, but my favourite has always been the chilli and onion laced chicken kadai. Fortunately there’s a bit of flexibility in the menu and my request to replace chicken tikka with chicken kadai is agreed to.

First up, Carol and I share the mixed platter for two people ($19.50). To borrow a cliché from down the hill at Eden Park, it’s really a platter of two halves. The chicken tikka is well-seasoned and tender, and the seekh kebab is tasty. Less successful are the vegetable pakora with button mushrooms encased in a rubbery batter. The vegetable samosas fall somewhere between.

Our mains are more consistent. My chicken kadai ($12) is packed with authentic heat, and the accompanying basmati rice is well-cooked, with each tiny grain separate. The garlic naan is also very good – light and layered, without the gluggy, doughy character that sometimes eventuates. Carol’s Lamb Saagwala ($12) has lots of lamb in its creamy, spinach sauce, and at a competition-meeting twelve bucks is excellent value.

We pass on dessert – blame the carbo double header of rice and naan – and we agree it’s been an OK meal.

Certainly not outstanding, but still a good way to spend a cold winter’s night.

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