W ITH scores of village pubs closing every month, it’s good to see a rare reversal of fortunes.

The Flag Inn, at Great Bentley, reopened in May after a long period of closure.

New man at the helm, Patrick Pandia, hopes to rebuild its reputation as a local watering hole as well as attracting food lovers to its new Indian restaurant – and tapas bar.

Tapas-style eating is just starting to take off in some Indian restaurants.

Like the traditional Spanish idea, it gives diners the chance to try out several dishes without having to have a full meal – perfect for lunchtime snacks.

Indian food lends itself perfectly to the concept and there are 20 dishes on Flag’s tapas menu, mostly coming in at under £3.

They include torpedo garlic prawns, black pepper chicken, and stuffed jalapenos and there is a plenty of choice for meat and non-meat fans alike.

But we are here for dinner, and eagerly eye the main menu in the clean, bright restaurant.

I was feeling fishy and opted for the Flag Inn special – chilli garlic fish for starters and king prawn masala for the main course, while my companion ordered onion bhaji and vegetable biriyani.

She happily declared her bhaji light and crisp, and the enormous plate of biriyani one of the best Indian dishes she has ever had. It was cooked to perfection with delicate basmati rice and whole cardamom adding to the fragrant aroma.

My chilli garlic fish promised tender salmon fused with Indian and Chinese herbs, spices and sauces, and pan-fried with fresh garlic, chilli, onion and capsicum.

The fish was wonderful, but spicy hot and had me looking around for a fire extinguisher, or glass of water at the least. Our attentive waitress was quick to bring a cooling drink.

If there was a disappointment, it was the prawn masala which didn’t have the visual wow factor I was hoping for, but still tasted good.

With our side orders of naan bread and saag aloo, we were both too full to even contemplate the dessert menu.

The people on the table alongside us also praised their lamb as one of the best dishes they’d had for years, so the Flag really does seem to be raising the standard.

And, at a smidgen over £50 including drinks, we considered it worth every penny.

The spice is right and the price is right too.

Chris Wilkin

What we ate

Chilli garlic fish: £6.95

King prawn masala: £12.25

Onion bhaji: £3.25

Vegetable biriyani: £7.85

Our verdict

Atmosphere ***

Food ****

Decor ****

Value *****

Service ****