During the summer of 2003, your webmaster was working in the UK's second city. One of its best restaurants (including those in the Balti Mile) is called Shimla Pinks, right in the middle of the Broad Street clubbing strip.

It's a seriously good restaurant with seriously wacky decor, including a ceiling inspired by the psychedelic 60s, lighting that changes colour frequently, and a gent's loo that seems to have been stolen from the Starship Enterprise.

A story was going around the office that about 20 years ago the chef used to enhance the flavours with hallucinogens. Who knows? - it may even be true. Check their web site!

There's also a restaurant of the same name in Manchester but I couldn't be sure whether it's related or not (from the details shown on their site on 30 April 2005).

They've added 'tak-a-tak' starters to the menu - finely sliced and deliciously spiced meat dishes. Chicken sagwalla, lamb jalfrezi, rogan josh and butter chicken were all tried and are all extremely good. The non- vegetarian thali was in my opinion bland but the chicken vindaloo looked like a phal, tasted like a phal and stung like a phal. Wonderful restaurant.

Shame that it's over 150 miles away.

Address:  Broad Street, Birmingham

Phone: