THE NEW LAHORE
145 Lower Dock St., Newport. 01633 265665 / www.newlahore-newport.co.uk
Food **** Atmosphere ***
Newport has more than its fair share of excellent eateries tucked away in various corners of the city, sometimes unfairly ignored by the crowds – the recent Friar’s Walk development may have bought more footfall and new businesses, but for foodies it hasn’t done much more than bring a number of relatively bland chain stores into the city centre – and The New Lahore is definitely one that does feel tucked away in the smaller streets.
It may not do anything out of this world as far as British-Indian cuisine goes, but The New Lahore is a safe trusty bet. It is quite cheap – one of the great benefits of eating in Newport is the price (and who needs a five-star experience in the Celtic Manor anyway?), with most of the dishes coming in at under £12 and starters at under a fiver. The décor isn’t the most exciting but it does the job, and the restaurant as a whole has a nice, relaxed feel.
Our party of three opted for various meals that we then shared – the choices were the supposedly extremely spicy Bengal jhal, Pudina lamb, and a more conventional Balti chicken curry. I say “supposedly extremely spicy” because the lamb dish turned out to be more so, and had us getting through our beers quicker. Still, all three dishes had a nice balance of tastes, the spiciness working well with the tenderness of the meat. The rice too was superbly fluffy, soaking up the sauces for added flavour. A good foodie hideout in a city that has a few.
words Fedor Tot