Review: Khyber Restaurant and Takeaway, Blackburn

2:50pm Saturday 2nd August 2008

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AS many Blackburn folk will know, Khyber has a long tradition of being the place you get a taxi to at the end of the night when you want something more than a kebab.

But (if you haven't been for a while you might want to sit down for this bit) Khyber's now gone upmarket.

The thing I suspect many men loved about the eaterie (and many of their girlfriends hated) was the shabby decor.

Greasy spoon-style plastic seats and the fact you have to go up to a hatch in front of the kitchen to order kept away some more snobby diners — but what they didn't realise was that they were missing one of the best curries in Blackburn.

That's all changed now. My boyfriend was horrified to see the McDonald’s-style tables replaced by swish leather high-backed booths and marble tables.

But, thankfully, the food hasn't changed.

I had chicken rogan josh, which was hot, fruity and had a depth of flavour that surprised me.

My boyfriend had chicken bhuna, which was equally tasty, and we shared a pilau rice and two chappatis.

It came in at under £15.

One of our companions had a tandoori mixed grill (seemingly an Indian version of the mixed grill) which arrived as a mountain of spiced meat sizzling on a platter.

Despite the re-fit, Khyber is never going to be the most fashionable curry house in Blackburn — but you can bet your onion bhaji it's definitely one of the best.

Khyber Restaurant and Takeaway, Whalley Range, Blackburn.