Dining awards favour curry

With their fading wallpaper, molten hot curries and dubious choice of background music, they have become an institution on the high street.

But the Indian restaurant has undergone something of a renaissance - earning Michelin stars for London eateries such as Tamarind in Mayfair and Zaika in Kensington.

Contemporary Indian cuisine includes dishes such as seared spicy pheasant and spicy sea bass, as well as the more recognisable chicken vindaloo and korma.

A growing reputation for high-quality food has now been boosted by the judges in Time Out magazine's annual food and drink awards, who for the first time in 15 years have created a separate category for London's best curry house. It is one of 10 awards, including best gastropubbar and family restaurant-Guy Diamond, the magazine's food and drink editor, said: "People used to think of a curry house as having ultimately forgettable food but that is a thing of the past.

"They used to be the places to go for a cheap meal after a night out, yet now people are more sophisticated about the food they eat. They realise a lot of the Indian food in high street curry houses isn't that great and are opting for better quality Indian restaurants.

"There has definitely been a revival in the fortunes of our curry houses over the past two years."

Changes to the immigration and visa laws also meant Indian chefs coming to London to work no longer needed to be tied to one restaurant. "They are free to set up their own establishments which many are doing with stunning success. London now has one of the best Indian restaurant scenes in the world," he said.

Namita Panjabi, whose Chutney Mary in Chelsea is shortlisted for best Indian restaurant, said: "Curries were a cheap alternative to fish and chips in the Seventies.

"People found the chilli in the food addictive and realised it gave them a feel-good factor. The food has improved tremendously since those early days."

One of the frontrunners for best curry house - the Painted Heron in Chelsea - produces a new menu every day of the week. "That would have been unheard of a few years ago," said Mr Diamond.

Two other new sections which the magazine's readers voted for are best pub and best gastropub, ref lecting the upsurge in their popularity.

TV chef Jamie Oliver's new Hoxton eaterie, Fifteen, was also voted one of the capital's 50 best bars and restaurants.

The restaurant's popularity soared after it appeared in the Channel 4 show Jamie's Kitchen about 15 jobless youths whom Jamie, 27, trained to be chefs.

Mr Diamond said: "It's great news for Jamie that his restaurant has got onto the shortlist. It is a good restaurant and the only problem people encounter is trying to get a table. It's harder than The Ivy.

"Jamie was very shrewd because he knew it would get a lot of publicity and the success of Jamie's Kitchen only made it more popular."