My housemate G loves to cook. And I love to let him. All of which comes in very handy on, say, a Saturday morning when I groggily stir in my lair, reach for the nearest shoe and throw it at our adjoining wall, shouting: "Cooking monkey, fetch me a Spanish omelette and a little something as a surprise. Schnell, schnell!"

That love of cooking, and the fact that we still live together, is all testament to the patience I imagine G honed while working as a waiter in a swanky restaurant on the quays. Having toiled on the inside, he knows all the tricks and so, together with the fact that I'm sans Gentleman Caller at present, I figured he'd be the best one to bring with me to try out the Indian and Pakistani cuisine in Kinara.

Now, I don't know if you've noticed, but there's been a definite swing away from Chinese takeaways in favour of Indian of late (at least as far as the sub-editors in my office inform me, and who better to adjudicate on the subtle changes in the takeaway zeitgeist than shift-working newspaper staff?).

That growth in popularity has seen an explosion of Indian takeaways in recent years, many of whose output is of a bowel-twistingly poor quality. It can be easy to forget that Eastern food, cooked and presented properly, can be quite simply exquisite.

On that note, there's no better point to segue to Kinara once again. We arrived at the restaurant at 8pm on a Tuesday night and were greeted by a doorman in full decorative attire, who escorted us inside. We were seated downstairs at the window with a beautiful view of the bay.

The downstairs section is small, but not claustrophobically so. The decor is warm and inviting; all Moroccan-style browns and reds, the tasteful, Eastern-influenced ornaments offset by well-judged soft lighting.

If you'd been under any illusion before now that you were not dining in the real-deal end of the Indian/Pakistani food spectrum, then Kinara's almost formidably wide and tantalising menu will put you right. Our waitress was swiftly over to us, and remained a friendly, hovering presence for the entire meal. As a waiting veteran, even G was impressed.

For starters, G ordered the Malai Tikka, comprising pieces of chargrilled chicken marinated in ginger, garlic and tumeric. It was delectable, but totally overshadowed by my Lasooni Machali, which was chunks of oven-cooked monkfish done in a garlic, ginger and yogurt coating. The fish was divine, and was so tender and soft that it dissolved in the mouth like a sherbet. We devoured it, shamelessly eating off the one plate. I should mention too that we both ordered a glass of wine (GR Shiraz -- yummy is not the word), which was both excellent value at e5 and served in a generously-sized tumbler.

For the main course -- which arrived in small earthenware pots -- I had the Mirch Masala Gosht, which was tender lamb served in a garlic, tomato and red and green chilli sauce, along with lip-smacking aromatic pilau rice.

My meal was satisfying, no doubt, but it's very hot, and if there's one flaw with Kinara's menu, it's that it fails to include a spicyness-rating beside its mains. To be fair, our waitress explained what to expect when I was ordering, but it would be nice to have that information to hand during the selection, rather than having to furrow your brow once again over the extensive menu if you feel the dish wouldn't be for you.

G ordered the Beef Khara Masala (beef in garlic, cloves and yogurt, done over charcoal) and boiled chawal rice. The beef was chewier than my lamb and it was also of a milder heat, which made it easier to savour more of the myriad of flavours that make up most of Kinara's dishes. Yes, I think his just about shaded it.

We were both stuffed after that and so we opted for a sorbet and the ice cream selection just to cool off, capped off with a cappuccino and green tea.

Kinara is not easily classifiable in terms of who it's meant to appeal to. It's an odd combination of the modern and traditional. It's designed for smaller groups (eight at most) and I doubt you'll ever find a raucous hen party there (which is enough of a recommendation for me). But with food and service this good, those kinds of questions will be the last thing on your mind. n

Aingeala Flannery is on leave

TYPICAL DISH: Murgh Tikka Masala
RECOMMENDED: Beef Khara Masala and the Lasooni Machali as starter
THE DAMAGE: e91.85 for two starters, mains, desserts, wine, cappuccino, tea
ON THE STEREO: Amy Winehouse and traditional Eastern music
AT THE TABLE: Respectful birthday parties
WHAT TO WEAR: Smart casual
DO SAY: How spicy is that?
DON'T SAY: Gis a kebab and chips, love

- Declan Cashin