We had a rough storm at the weekend and after facing Ciara I was craving some hot and spicy food to warm me up.

And so it was quite natural that I went looking for some Indian cuisine.

I’ve already tried most of the restaurants in Swindon, but one remained a mystery.

The Khyber in Victoria Road is said to be Wiltshire’s first Indian restaurant, so I had to give it a try.

Swindon Advertiser:

The restaurant is owned and has been managed by the Ali family since it first opened in 1962.

From the moment I walked through the door, staff members made sure I felt welcome.

I went for a Coke (£2.75) and a couple of papadums (£1.95) to whet my appetite.

It’s always a nice start and it usually doesn’t disappoint.

The waiters were full of smiles and all very polite.

Swindon Advertiser:

The menu offers a range of dishes. As a starter I ordered the chilli paneer (£4.95) – an Indian cheese twice cooked and fried with a sweet-and-sour chilli sauce.

I am addicted to cheese, it’s my weakness. Unfortunately, this one wasn’t the best I’ve had. It was a little bit flavourless.

I could barely feel the spices, which was a shame.

Swindon Advertiser:

But it was served with some really spicy pepper, which turned my face bright red.

There were several house specials that were tempting for my main.

But my eyes were drawn to deshi mango (£10.50), described as “succulent pieces of chicken cooked in a mango sauce to give a unique taste”.

I had a tandoori roti (£2.75) to go with it.

Swindon Advertiser:

The restaurant was quiet with only a few customers there, probably due to the storm and the late hour.

Waiters were checking on customers, making sure we were enjoying the food.

I only waited 10 minutes before they served my dish. The smell awakened all my senses and it looked delicious.

The chicken was tender and savoury. There were at least four or five big pieces, which was more than enough. It was really well-cooked and seasoned.

And there were some pieces of mango hidden in the sauce.

The fruit melted in my mouth. It was warm and not overly sweet.

The sauce was delicious. It had a thick consistency which was perfect to dip my bread in.

I wiped my plate with the freshly-made roti.

It was crispy and nice on the palate.

By the end of the night I was full. They were very large portions.

I was tempted to ask for dessert, but I restrained myself.

It was relatively affordable and good value for money as I paid £24 for my dinner.

The Khyber offers a £12.95 menu including a started, a main dish and side with rice or naan.

FACT FILE

The Khyber

5/6 Victoria Road

Sun-Tues: 5:00pm-12:00am, Wed-Thurs: 5pm-2am, Fri-Sat: 5pm-3am

TripAdvisor: 4/5

Our rating:

Food: 8/10

Service: 9/10

Ambience: 8/10

Parking: Yes

Disabled access: Yes