There are more restrictions than meets the eye at this vegetarian Indian.

The Venue
Tables and chairs at this short-order vegetarian Indian are small, and booths even smaller; it might take a couple of tries before you can find a seat that you’re reasonably comfortable in. The furniture sacrifices a couple of inches to bring more people closer, giving the impression of a capacious room. The light wood theme also helps, as does the bright lighting: thin, wide-angled triangular shades that hang above the tables reflect off the pale wood to add to the illusion.

The restaurant is made up of two rooms, both of similar layouts: rectangular, with booths lining the outer walls. The larger room has additional booths on the inner wall and the front window, and accommodates stand-alone tables in the walkways between the two.

The Atmosphere
Aromas of toasted and stewed spices fill the air. The larger room is bright and busy on a Saturday night while the smaller, dimmer room acts as a waiting area. There's hardly reason to utilise the latter - turnover is swift and seats are filled up as they are emptied. This is a place for short, purposeful casual occasions, the purpose being lunch or dinner; weekly family meals, casual dates and gathering of friends seem to be the norm. Moreover, the service-for-the-sake-of-service attitude does not encourage lingering.

The Food
You can pick between Madras, Bombay and Gujarat dishes, if that really matters. Starters and desserts are only served with a main meal, so be prepared to stuff yourself, or put some in a bag. While the self-proclaimed Famous Dosas of Coral Coast may have some rightful claim to its fame, the desserts are not as becoming. The dosas are indeed the better choices here: the Paneer Dosa (£7.05) is a large portion of lightly-spiced curried vegetable and cheese mixture wrapped in a slightly sweet thin, crisp shell that resembles a brittle crepe. The dosa is presented in a triangular shape, and the mixture is filled almost to the edges.

The Chef's Special sag aloo is also a praiseworthy offering. This creamy but light dish is freshly made, and has a bit of a spicy kick. The dish comes with a side of dry, layerless paratha or "special rice", and is only available as the weekend special (£6.60). The desserts are not as enjoyable: of the acclaimed Diwana's Famous Kulfi, the kulfi malai (£2.95) is a hard, overfrozen, oversweetened serving of milk flavoured with kevda, nuts and herbs. If you so desire to wait for it to soften, you will find yourself drinking a liquid comparable to condensed milk.

The Drink
Drinks are also served with main meals only and there are no alcoholic beverages offered on the menu. But here's a secret: although the menu does not say so, you can bring-your-own at no charge. Stay away from the Kashmiri Falooda (£2.85) if you're watching your sugar intake, or have it in place of the dessert - this sweet cold milk drink is the Indian equivalent to a float, without the carbonated component. If you're looking for something less sugary and more soothing, you can't go wrong with the fresh mint tea (£1.55) - a simple concoction of fresh mint leaves steeped in hot water. Although the portion is small, it looks and smells pretty, and is a very popular way to end the meal. Besides, a glass of still or sparkling water comes to the same price - they don't do free tap here.

The Last Word
Starters, desserts and drinks have to be ordered with a main meal. Not that the rules really matter: the mains (dosas and sag aloo weekend special) are the most order-worthy dishes.

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