North East Veggie Curry

39 Side,  Newcastle upon Tyne NE1 3JE (0191) 2618800. simlarestaurant.net There's been a Simla at the bottom of Newcastle's Dean Street for almost as long as I can remember. My first (and only previous) visit was in the 1980's in a large group of friends after a few beers, the type of clientele which the restaurant seemed well-equipped to cater for. But the hard-drinking and raucous Quayside has changed over the years, so when I began hearing tales of the Simla having undergone a similar transformation, and detected a real buzz about the quality of the food on offer, I decided it was time for another visit. I don't recall if the original Simla had flock wallpaper and a paisley-design carpet, but if it did then the new Simla is cut from a very different cloth. Inside is cool, chic and contemporary, with soft lighting, art on the walls, wooden floors and dark wood tables. The interior has been cleverly designed; you almost have the impression of s

358 Westgate Rd,  Newcastle upon Tyne NE4 6NU 0191 272 4937 luigikhans.co.uk You'd be excused for being puzzled by the name, but if you'd leapt to the conclusion that this was some kind of fusion of Indian and Italian cuisine then you wouldn't be far wrong. At least, that was the original idea. Luigikhans used to be a restaurant which offered a unique (as far as I can tell) fusion of Italian and Indian food, with these two entirely separate and unrelated food traditions often served on the same plate (curry with black olives, anyone...?). Unsurprisingly, this turned out to be just a step too far for most diners so now Luigikhans, while keeping its unusual name, has settled on a wholly Punjabi menu, and seems to be thriving. The restaurant is housed on the ground floor of the Ryokan Hotel, a grade 2-listed stub of what must once have been a rather grand early Victorian terrace on Westgate Road just a short walk from the city centre. What in more