Currying flavour; Tantalising aromas draw you in to this Indian diner.

THE INDIAN GALLERY

450 SAUCHIEHALL STREET,GLASGOW

The owner of the Indian Gallery claims to have taken Indian dining to another level. Yes, mate, it's called a mezzanine...

The small, upstairs dining space is quite a classy feature and, in terms of the general decor, there's lots to like about this fairly new curry house on Sauchiehall Street.

I've shot past it loads of times in a taxi and, as someone who'd happily eat a curry seven nights a week, I'd been meaning to pop in for ages.

The big glass front is very alluring and, even from the outside, you can tell right away that it boasts a smart, spotlessly clean interior.

Step through the door, as three of us did just the other week, and your eyes will feast on sleek, modern fittings that I'd suggest must have cost a pretty penny.

Yep, The Indian Gallery is small but - like the tiny loos - perfectly formed. And don't forget, ladies, as I've been trying to convince myself for years, size doesn't matter - it's what you do with it that counts.

Well, they've certainly done a very good job with this place and the beauty of a small curry house, of course, is that the air is constantly filled with tantalising aromas.

Pop into The Indian Gallery right after a three-course meal elsewhere and I reckon you'll last just a few minutes before asking for a menu.

The downside to a small place, mind you, is that you're more likely to hear the depressing 'ding' of the dreaded microwave but I guarantee these time-saving contraptions are a feature in the nation's very best restaurants (yep, even the Michelin star joints) so don't let that put you off. My main concern - and I always have the same worry in any Indian restaurant - was the size of the table.

Would it be big enough to cope with traditional tandoori sundries like rice, curry sauce and those gigantic nan breads that look like an elephant's ear or one of Desperate Dan's odour eaters? Thankfully, due to a late call-off from one of the boys, three of us were given a table for four. Perfect.

If The Indian Gallery is small, the menu is totally enormous.

Even though I'm getting fed-up with just about every curry house adopting the tiresome tapas approach, I still don't want a return to the bad old days where it takes you half the evening to work your way through 16 pages of every dish known to man.

Life's too short and I'd urge the owner of this place to remember that sometimes less is more.

I'd also stongly advise having a re-think over one or two of the prices. While a pre-theatre menu (two courses for just pounds 9.95) and a children's menu (pounds 6.95) represents great value, the same can't be said for my a la carte starter portion of mixed tikka that cost pounds 6.45. Bizzarely, that's pounds 1.50 dearer than The Indian Gallery's pounds 4.95 two-course lunch!

And a lunchtime starter of, say, mushroom pakora followed by a chicken dopiaza with nan bread sounds a helluva lot better than my pitiful evening appetiser.

This comprised one wee bit of chicken tikka (and not properly marinated), a small chunk of lamb tikka and a little seekh kebab the size of those Wee Willie Winkie sausages I recall from my childhood.

A poor start, but the rest of our meal was pretty enjoyable.

Alan's shammi kebab (minced lamb with lots of fiery spices formed into little Indian-style burgers) was excellent and Oz enjoyed a mammoth helping of aloo channa poori (chick peas in a rich, spicy sauce served on puffy Indian bread). Moving to the main courses, the curries were very good. My mince and peas (a personal favourite) ticked all the right boxes and I salute the chef who knows how to create a perfect thin and crispy paratha.

The kerela chicken tikka chilli, according to Oz, will be savoured by any curryholic not too proud to keep a toilet roll in the fridge.

However, while the lamb tikka ordered by Alan was tasty enough, the serving was a bit stingy with just four small bits of meat. How much lamb could you get from your local butcher for the pounds 11.75 this cost?

Overall, we really liked the place but, even though this restaurant has a prime site slap-bang in the heart of Glasgow city centre, I'd urge them to take a long, hard look at one or two of the prices.

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Keep track of Tam's reviews on theDaily Record website. Find the best places toeatoutat www.dailyrecord.co.uk/eating out. The new Hot Plate winner is Gamba,West George Street, Glasgow. 0141 572 0899

TAM'S HOT PLATE AWARD

THEINDIANGALLERY

Address: 450 Sauchiehall Street, Glasgow Tel: [phone] Open: All day, seven days Wheelchair access: Yes Bill for three (with wine): pounds 90 Food: 3/5 - more hits than misses Service: 4/5 - friendly and helpful Decor: 4/5 - small but smart Toilets: 4/5 - ditto Value: 3/5 - okay, but overpriced in places Total: 18/25

PAPERINO'S @ 78 78 St Vincent Street, Glasgow. 0141248 7878 - 23/25

HARRODS THE ROTISSERIE Harrods, 87-135 Brompton Road, London. 020 7730 1234 - 23/25

THE GRILL ON THE CORNER 21-25 Bothwell Street, Glasgow. 0141 248 6262 - 23/25

THE RUTLAND HOTEL 1-3 Rutland Street, Edinburgh. 0131 229 3402 - 22/25

THE BRASSERIE AT ORAN MOR 731-735 Great Western Rd, Glasgow. 0141 357 6226 - 22/25

MUSHTAQS 154 Almada Street, Hamilton. 01698 420076 - 22/25

CAPTION(S):

CURRY CORNER... The Indian Gallery is in a prime site with great food TIGHT SPICE... This curry house is small but very classy