Cafe Mariya, Wellington

Reviewer's rating: **** Catherine Stanworth enjoys first rate Indian food and a warm welcome in Wellington.

Reviewer's rating: **** Catherine Stanworth

enjoys first rate Indian food and a warm welcome in Wellington.

When a reader suggested we review a 'new' venue in New Street Wellington, it wasn't long before I realised that I'd eaten there before, just six months ago in fact, so I was a bit confused.

However then it was called Masti and now it is known as Cafe Mariya.

The eaterie, which is still a coffee shop in the day and an Indian restaurant at night, changed hands a couple of months ago. It is now owned by local restauranteur Sag Khan, owner of the award-winning Spice Land Restaurant in town.

Mariya's is still unlicensed, meaning you have to take along your own alcohol, which isn't a problem.

This time myself and Simon took some friends along, Mark and Gail. We were in good company, as they love Indian food and so could help us check it out.

While Mark and I produced a bottle of wine each and Simon two large bottles of lager, self-appointed designated driver Gail produced a soft drink, making us feel guilty (not). Please note two half bottles of wine were taken home - we did not drink it all and have to be carried to the car by Gail.

I had booked a table for four earlier in the day. When we arrived we were met by a lovely, friendly, smiling waitress, who gave us a warm welcome before showing us to our table and taking our coats.

She explained how the offer worked. We could each have three courses for £9.95, choosing off the expansive menu a starter, main course, rice or naan bread.

While we were perusing it, she kindly opened our bottles of wine for us.

The thing we all found really surprising was that we were the only diners in there at 8pm on a Saturday night. As it is open until 12.30am on a Friday and Saturday perhaps it would have gotten busier later, but we all thought this was such a shame. This was a nice professional restaurant, serving good food via a really good, value-for-money offer!

We had noticed how quiet Wellington was that night, while discussing the good old days when it was packed out on a Friday and Saturday night. God, we must be getting old.

Anyway, back to the menu. With a good selection of starters, Tandoori specials, chef's specials, Balti, Malayan, Korma, Rogan Josh, Dupiaza, Bhuna, Pathia, Dansak, Madras, Vindaloo, Byriani and vegetable dishes, we were spoilt for choice.

For the usual entree we ordered a popadom each and the pickle set (£4 extra).

I wasn't sure what to have as a starter, and when I mentioned to the waitress that I always seemed to have the same thing, Onion Bhaji, she suggested I try Chicken Chana Chat, which is chicken, slightly spiced with chick peas and chat massala. Mark and Gail also ordered it. Simon chose - what he always has - prawn on puree.

For my main I opted for King Prawn Rogan Josh with pillau rice; Gail had Chicken Madras with boiled rice; Mark had Chicken Sagwaala with boiled rice and Simon ordered Chicken Pathia with pillau rice. Simon also ordered a naan bread (£2 extra).

Our pickle set and popadoms shortly arrived. The metal spinning pots had been replaced with a contemporary long plate holding small square pots of the usual spiced chutney, mint sauce and chopped salad. The popadoms were nice, as were the contents of the pots.

When our starters arrived I started to realise that good things were happening in the kitchen. I was glad I had taken the advice on my choice. The Chicken Chana Chat was scrummy. With good slices of chicken, mixed with the chat massala and chick peas, and a fresh salad garnish, it was very tasty and a decent-sized portion for a starter. Simon's starter was quite big, being what looked like a full-sized pancake packed with filling. Thumbs up all round.

Our mains were again very good. I loved my rice. It was very light, very pretty, having different coloured rice in it, and there was enough - not too much. I had plenty of Rogan Josh sauce and my king prawns were tasty. There was plenty of onions, peppers and tomatoes in my dish. What I really liked about it was that, in comparison to some really heavy Indian dishes I've had, it was so very light. I didn't feel completely stuffed afterwards.

Comparing notes in the pub after our meal, (after which Gail may have had to pour us back into the car - you'll have to ask her!), Gail said that her Chicken Chana Chat starter had been lovely. "I really liked that," she said. Her madras had also been "very very tasty", she said. "I didn't feel like I came away with the smell of garlic and I didn't feel overfull. The naan bread was also nice."

Mark said everything had been fine and he would go back again. "I thought it was good," he said. Simon enjoyed his prawn on puree starter and his rice and naan. He said he felt there was perhaps too much red colouring in his Chicken Pathia which may have affected the taste after a while. He said: "It was a bit red for me, a bit overpowering, but it was still good."

A nice touch at this point was when the waitress came over giving us some complimentary cakes left over from the coffee shop - two portions of sponge cake and two portions of cheesecake - as they were going begging. How kind.

Our bill came to £50.80 for the four of us as I had to pay £1 extra for my king prawns.

So in conclusion, if you haven't tried Mariya's yet, go and give it a try. The food's great, the venue is nice and attractive and the service is excellent. And you'll be made to feel very welcome.

ADDRESS

Cafe Mariya, 9 New Street, Wellington TF1 1LU

Tel: 01952 258485

MENU SAMPLE

Any 3 courses for £9.95 (including starter, main course and rice or naan bread)

STARTERS

Stuffed Pepper; Onion Bhaji; Prawn cocktail

MAIN COURSES

Chicken Balti; Chicken Tikka Korma; Prawn Biryani served with a vegetable curry

DESSERTS

Although we didn't ask to see it on our visit a dessert menu is available on request

ATMOSPHERE