GURKHA PALACE
Having now eaten in the Gurka Palace on many occasions, I can recommend this haven for curry lovers and vegetarians alike. The menu is clearly laid out detailing which dishes contain meat and which are suitable for non-carnivores.

Specialising in Nepali Thai cuisine, we ordered the non vegetarian Thali for two which consisted of a starter of chicken tikka, makai palak, vegetable pokara followed by a main course of lamb khashi ko mashu and a chicken (kukhura ko masu) and – yes there’s more – duck (hans ko masu) with side dishes of vegetable sabji, daal, raita, rice chapatti and without doubt, this was one of the best Indian meals I have ever tasted. As you can imagine, after eating all of the above, we skipped the sweet as we were absolutely stuffed and all for just 28€ for two plus wine. We splashed out a little here with an excellent bottle of Rioja for just 12.50€ and we were more than impressed. I'm already booked in for another meal.

HIMALAYA TANDOORI
Located in the exclusive El Portet area, the friendly Himalayan Tandoori is now as popular as its sister restaurant, the Gurkha Palace, in Javea and also offers a take-away menu. The menu is full of authentic Nepalese and traditional Indian dishes to tantalise your taste buds. So to try something a little more unusual we started with the Asom Than soup - a delicious blend of cheese, corn and Himalayan herbs and the Khasi ko Sekuwa - tender lamb marinated in ginger, garlic, herbs and spices then grilled in the tandoori oven - mmm very tasty!

All the main course tandoori dishes include a plain naan bread and all the curries include pilau rice. There's curries, Bhunas, Kormas, Dansaks, Kadais, Vindaloos, and Biryanis, most of which can be prepared to your own particular strength preference and plenty of vegetarian alternatives. We couldn't resist the Butter Chicken and the King Prawn Bhuna both of which were heavenly. Coming soon to the menu are the scrumptious Nepali Thalis - these three course menus include mixed starters, a variety of main courses and either a dessert or coffee. Great if you really can't decide which dishes to choose from the menu! The Menu of the Day, which at only €25 for 2 people for 3 courses, is amazing value. Unfortunately this time we didn't have room for dessert! Next time!