All I want to do when I wake up in the morning is see your eyes...
The lyrics to the old Toto song don't quite suit this particular Roz-Ana but the sentiment - slightly obsessional love, disappointment that they're not together - certainly applies to me and the lambchops.
Mmm, lambchops... Little meaty bundles of gorgeously marinaded, er, meaty bundles...
Sorry. Did I say that out loud? It's just that since I had the lambchops here (mmm, lambchops...) I've had this drooling response to the word.
In a nutshell, lunch at Roz-Ana was the best Indian meal I've had this year. Given that other challengers include Tamarind and Indian Zing, that hopefully says a fair bit about the quality on offer at this charming Norbiton outpost. And the lambchops? (mmm, lambchops...) will easily make this year's Top Ten of Great Things Eaten.
It's not that they stood out like a shining beacon of meaty gorgeousness, either. The other dishes we sampled - a piggy four starters, four mains, assorted sides, breads, puddings plus some rather excellent Chilean Pinot Noir - were of a similar quality with the sort of sauces that require as much moppy-up naan as your stomach can handle.
Pork belly vindaloo, for example, was rich, meaty, hearty fare and topped with a perfect little square of crackling. Salmon was moist, fresh, beautifully fishy and not overpowered by the robust, tongue-tingling spicing. Scallops were perfectly cooked and fat, hand-dived specimens. And then there's the chicken tikka masala.
Or, rather, the Chicken Tikka Laphroaig Masala as this is fully billed. Done well, CTM can easily prove why it's an English favourite. Done brilliantly, with the smoky, peaty undertones provided by a flambeed single malt finish... Well, that means another lambchop-style Pavlovian response. (Mmm, lambchops... mmm... Laphroaig Masala...)
With even puddings hitting the right buttons - particularly the Darjeeling Brulee with cardamom cookies - Roz-Ana proved itself a very serious restaurant indeed. The name translates from the Hindi as "come every day". Here's hoping they DON'T open a Finchley branch. If they do, I'll be taking them up on that offer... read more