After a few quiet drinks in the Wharf Inn next door, we ventured into Simla around 8.30. We were shown into a plush bar area, where people were waiting to be seated or for the arrival of their takeaway order. Thankfully we had booked, so we were shown straight to our table, the restaurant was absolutely packed, which made for a great atmosphere; it became less busy as the night progressed. Tables of a variety of sizes to suit all sizes of party, Simla clearly is a popular restaurant. A good range of drinks, but when you have Kingfisher and Cobra on draught, there was no need to look any further. The menu was one of the most comprehensive I have ever seen, there must have been approaching 40 different starters! After a short delay, we started the meal with an obligatory poppadoms and a pickle tray, a good start, the mango chutney and the riata were particularly good. Starter wise, I went for the Shimla kebab, wonderfully tasty, my friends had the Teful Mix and the Mussels, all equally impressive.
After perusing the many pages of mains and sides orders, all but one of us plumped for the Simla Special Balti, a generous dish consisting of lamb, king prawns and chicken in a Balti sauce, the spiciness of which you can set yourself. Going for medium strength, it was just about right; the accompanying sides to share of Keema and Pilau rice, were a good choice. However, the chilli and cheese naan wasn't the right choice for me, the fresh naan with the cheese, a good choice, the green chilli, not so much, as it overwhelmed the flavour of the Balti. Overall though, a good meal, with enough food to feed many more than the four of us. Staff were friendly, if a little rushed off their feet, courtesy of the popularity of the restaurant. Price wise, very competitive; we will definitely return. read more