Restaurant Review – Anila
I have a theory so please bear with me; I think if you want to enjoy the best pasta outside Italy you go to a restaurant with an Italian head chef. If you want the best Paella you visit a restaurant with a Spanish chef, and if you want an authentic Indian meal, you go to a restaurant with a genuine Indian head chef. And so, we visited Anila on the main A6, Derby to Matlock road, not very far from our home this is a favourite restaurant of ours where we find the food is consistently very good.
The welcome here is always warm and polite, the atmosphere relaxed and the tables well spaced. Comfortable seating and pleasing décor all contribute to a very pleasant dining experience.
The chef at Anila has over 40 years of experience and so it goes without saying that the kitchen is efficiently run and the food is very well presented.
We were dining on a Tuesday evening and the restaurant was buzzing nicely. We ordered our drinks and were happy to have non-alcoholic as Anila do not serve alcohol, although our waiter offered to de-cork any wines or beers that we had brought. We sat and looked through the menu which was refreshingly clear and easy to understand. Separated into clearly defined sections of Indian Ocean Delights, Clay Oven Specials and Vegetarian Delights with extras also clearly listed.
While we waited for our starters, we dipped into our pickle tray with crisp rounds of Poppadoms. We shared a delicious Seafood Platter for 2 as our starter, which gave us a taste of a few different foods. I especially enjoyed the King prawns, dipped in a very light batter and the Hot Chilli Fish in a slightly sweet but tangy sauce, also chunks of salmon in Tikka spices just fell apart. All was served with a wedge of lemon and a fresh mixed salad, and on a personal note I think I would choose this as my main course on my next visit.
Straying away from my usual Chicken Tikka Special, I ordered the Kandhari Lamb Chops. Cooked in a clay oven, a selection of small chops, lightly charred by the charcoal grill and coated with a mix of Indian spices which infused the meat were again served with a mixed salad. The beauty of this dish for me was that the sauce was served separately and so I could choose a mild Korma which suited my palate perfectly. The Pilau rice was light and buttery and the Naan bread very soft.
Being much more adventurous mas the proportions were very generous. This is a medium dish which suited him well. The aromatic Basmati rice, garnished with strips of pepper and a twist of lemon along with seasoned spices was a meal in itself, however inside were delicious chunks of chicken, onion, potato and peppers. Spooning the Biryani sauce (which was full of soft roasted vegetables) over the top made this a tremendous meal.
Pleasantly full we sat back and mulled over the events of the day with a coffee. We often order a takeaway from Anila to take home and share with friends, but to dine in was a very different experience. To be welcomed by Adil and served by Aram who kindly and patiently pointed us to try new dishes, was delightful and a completely different experience to eating at home. We thank them for giving us such a welcome treat in the middle of our week.
Contact Information:
Anila Indian Dining,
1331 Matlock Road,
Ambergate,
Belper, DE56 2EL
Tel: 01773 462631
Opening Hours
Mon – Closed
(Except Bank Holidays)
Tue – Thur – 5PM – 10.30PM
Fri – Sat – 5PM – 11PM
Sun – 5PM – 10.30PM
Anila only serve soft drinks but you can bring your own alcohol and they’ll provide glassware.
(Please don’t bring your own soft drinks.)
