Comfort and Joy

It's not everyday you find out the chef at your local Indian restaurant once cooked for Princess Diana. But then, Joy is not your average Indian restaurant. It's above average.

The moment you walk in, hit the stripped wood flooring and sink into one of the curved leather booths (towards the rear of the restaurant) you feel you are in somewhere special.

Walls the colour of burnt aubergine add to the warmth and plant containers filled with pale beach pebbles plus pyramid-shaped skylights give off an almost exotic air. As first impressions go, this bodes well.

Joy, tucked into Surbiton's Brighton Road restaurant 'strip' has been going for the last two years and is building a well-deserved reputation among the locals. But you can't build a reputation from just the decor. It's the food people really come for and at Joy you won't be disappointed.

Head chef Prem Singh, who cooked for Diana and world leaders in India, and Tandoori chef Sohal Lal Bodoni, who worked in hotels in Dubai, combine to produce an extensive and appealing menu of north Indian cuisine.

Along with third chef Balbir Singh, a huge effort is made in terms of quality and presentation and the menu includes the place of origin for every dish - so you can take a gastronomic tour of India as you eat!

We enjoyed starters of seekh kebab mulmali, a lightly spiced minced lamb kebab which tasted divine, and crab bujni, a light crabmeat salsa with chopped onion, tomato and spices. Flavours flooded into your mouth.

Mains, which range in price from £5.25 to £12.50, cover the spectrum, from traditional curries to 'Jump for Joy' specialities which included chicken green masala, a Goan chicken recipe which although slightly dry was full of flavours. We also tried king prawn delight, a Joy favourite of giant prawns marinaded in yoghurt, ginger and garlic. It tasted fantastic and, mixed with lemon rice and peshwari nan, hit the spot... In fact, just thinking about it brings the taste back!

Prices at Joy are moderate and the wine list is a good mix.

Joy tries hard to give customers a good experience and an evening to remember. And at the centre of all this is manager Zia Haque. Always smiling, Zia makes a big effort to ensure everyone is happy - even doing a few magic tricks for children on Sundays when Joy puts on a popular lunchtime buffet.

Overall, Joy lives up to its name and you leave feeling more than satisfied. And if you fancy some 'comfort and Joy' over the festive period, the restaurant is taking bookings now for Christmas Day!